"One word. Five letters. Period."
Sean Combs doesn’t seem to understand the confusion he creates when he changes his name. And he should do, he’s done it enough.
The world’s most ridiculous rapper has been Puffy, Puff Daddy and P Diddy in a few short years. And now he’s changed his identity again, to Diddy.
P, er, Daddy, er, Diddy‘s life is a multi-faceted, super-complex
swirl of conflicts and confusion. This much is clear to anyone that’s
seen him live. "During concerts, half the crowd is saying ‘P. Diddy’ –
half the crowd is chanting ‘Diddy’ – now everyone can just chant
‘Diddy.’"
And it was even worse if you met him face to face. "Nobody knew what
to call me. I’d notice that people were uncomfortable when I’d meet
them for the first time, and then they’d ask me what they should call
me.
"I even started to get confused myself – and when I’d called someone
on the telephone it took me a long time to explain who I was. Too long."
Being P Diddy (DVDs) wasn’t a good move for Combs. After being acquitted of
gun charges in 2001, he changed his moniker to make a clean start and
put his past behind him. But P Diddy was a cursed name – his aeroplane was
struck by lightning, he missed the inaugural ‘Diddy Day’ in Las Vegas,
he forgot to write his autobiography and he announced to the world that
he was scared of clowns.
But now P Diddy is dead, long live Diddy. His new identity will be
revealed on August 28th at the MTV Music Video Awards in Miami. "To be
honest, the unveiling of Diddy, you gonna see that. You gonna see that
in the entrance. You gonna see that swagger. You gonna see how I’m
gonna navigate you through the journey. I’m gonna play my position, my
role. The artists are gonna play their role. We’re gonna have an
incredible, incredible party."
We’ll be the judge of that, you bizarrely-titled entertainer.
[story by Stuart Heritage]