Jay-Z is one of the few people who can call Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs by his birth name. Recently, Combs, who is currently incarcerated, has been making headlines under his legal name due to serious charges involving sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and engaging in prostitution. Despite pleading not guilty, Diddy’s requests for bail have been denied twice, and he remains in federal custody while awaiting trial.
Sean Combs, widely known as P. Diddy, first emerged in the music scene in 1997 with his hit single “Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down.” Over the years, he has used various stage names, from Puff Daddy to Diddy. He explained the transition to Diddy, saying, “No more Puff Daddy… I just want something fresh.” This change took place ahead of his 2001 album *The Saga Continues*, though his association with multiple stage names has continued.
The name Puff Daddy was adopted as a tribute to his close friend and legendary rapper Notorious B.I.G., who was killed in 1996. One of Diddy’s most well-known songs, “I’ll Be Missing You,” was a heartfelt tribute to B.I.G., created alongside Faith Evans, using The Police’s “Every Breath You Take” as a sample.
Diddy later changed his name to simply Diddy in 2005, although a legal dispute in the UK forced him to continue using P. Diddy there. In his personal life, he has legally altered his full name to Sean Love Combs, but often returns to his earlier names depending on the project.
During an appearance on *Carpool Karaoke* in 2023, Diddy revealed that only two people call him Sean: his mother and Jay-Z. Referring to Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, Diddy said, “There’s only one person, and I call him Shawn. That’s Jay-Z. We call each other Sean. Nobody else could call me Sean.” This reflects the deep bond between the two hip-hop moguls.