“At the end of the day, Puffy is just Puffy. He’s all about himself—what he can get from others. That’s just who he is. Honestly, he never really did anything for me.”
There’s this voice recording of Lil’ Kim going around where she talks about how Diddy has been a monster since the ’90s, and it’s pretty shocking! She really tried to warn us about him. But here’s the kicker: she also tried to warn us about Biggie, and people just laughed at her. Am I wrong?
I remember sitting there with my headphones on, totally in my zone, and suddenly I’m crying, scared out of my mind. He was yelling, “Are you trying to play me?” And I’m like, “Play you? You’ve got all these other women around!” It turned into a fight, and we ended up tearing the plaques off the wall. He even choked me in the elevator until I blacked out. And you were still in love with him? I don’t get it. I really don’t understand why. But I guess love is complicated, right?
Now it seems like a bunch of celebrities are starting to come forward, sharing their own experiences with Diddy. Before, we only had folks like Gene Deal and Jaguar Wright speaking out, but people dismissed them as crazy. And remember when Lil’ Kim said Diddy was always shady? You didn’t believe her then, but I bet you’ll think twice after watching this.
At the end of the day, Puffy is still Puffy. It’s always about what he can take from others. He’s never really done anything for me.
Lil’ Kim and Diddy became friends back in the ’90s after she joined Junior Mafia, a hip-hop group founded by The Notorious B.I.G. It was Biggie who introduced her to Diddy, but surprisingly, despite their friendship and Diddy being her manager, he never signed her to Bad Boy Records. Apparently, he didn’t think she was good enough. Kim has said that when they first met, Diddy wasn’t impressed with her and doubted her potential as a successful female rapper. In an interview with MTV News, she recalled Biggie saying to Diddy, “She’s too pretty to be rapping. Female rappers don’t look like her. What am I supposed to do with her?”
Even after Lil’ Kim’s debut album, Hardcore, sold over a million copies in 1996, Diddy still didn’t sign her. He believed that female rappers just couldn’t reach platinum status. But Kim’s experiences with Diddy were much deeper, and anyone paying attention would have noticed the tension.
Recently, an old recording resurfaced where Lil’ Kim went on a passionate rant about how Diddy often acted in selfish ways, managing to dodge consequences because of his wealth and connections. Even though that rant was deleted, you can’t really erase anything from the internet, and I managed to find it.
In the recording, Kim shared her frustrations about Diddy, saying he never supported her while she was locked up. She mentioned that figures like Oprah and Tyra Banks reached out to her in prison, highlighting the stark contrast with Diddy’s silence. She also discussed the Notorious film, expressing disappointment that she had no say in how her character was portrayed and calling much of the movie fake. Despite everything, she emphasized her love for Biggie, acknowledging that he had his flaws but was still “her baby.”
Kim’s disappointment in Diddy deepened when she talked about her time in prison, where she served a year from 2005 to 2006 for federal perjury. She said, “I’m bothered by his actions because I rolled with Puffy to the bitter end and still would have rolled with him. Puffy never came to see me in prison, not one time. He didn’t write me a letter or say, ‘Here’s a number for Kim to call,’ not once.” She even pointed out that Diddy chose to visit Lil’ Wayne in prison instead of her, saying, “Then because of your little business situations over there with Cash Money and Rick Ross, you’re going to see Wayne?”
With all that, it seems like Kim might be ready to distance herself from Diddy if he ends up in legal trouble. And if that wasn’t enough, while Kim was in prison, Diddy started working with her rival, Nicki Minaj. When asked about this, he threw Kim under the bus, stating that Nicki was his artist, while Lil’ Kim was not. It’s clear that their relationship has seen its fair share of ups and downs.
“My work with Nicki Minaj has nothing to do with any rivalry with Kim. Honestly, when Kim collaborates with different producers or raps with other artists, it doesn’t bother me at all. It’s all good, you know? But let me explain further. A lot of us who have been in this game for a long time, including you, Flex—yes, sir—we’ve inspired and motivated many people along the way. We’ve impacted a lot of lives, and we’ve become role models for others aspiring to make it in this industry.
And I wouldn’t be working with Nicki if I ever heard anything negative about Kim. I’ve never come across that. When it comes to being an MC, I do have to take a step back. If they want to handle their business as MCs, that’s their choice. I’m not here for any negativity or drama, you know? I care about both of them. Right now, though, Nicki Minaj is the artist I’m focused on. She’s who I consult with and work with. I’m no longer doing business with Kim in that way, but she will always have a special place in my heart.”
And as if that wasn’t enough drama, Nicki, who was just starting to rise in the mainstream at that time, took a shot at Lil’ Kim in Diddy’s track with Dirty Money called “Hello Good Morning.” This was pretty clear proof that Diddy didn’t really have Kim’s back. But it gets even more complicated.
When Diddy was managing Kim, he actually stopped her from taking on projects that could have really changed her career. Kim mentioned missing out on a chance to be featured on Sisqó’s “Thong Song,” and that was all Diddy’s doing. She shared, “A long time ago, when I was with Puffy—because Puffy managed me and was basically my label—he was my everything. Everyone knows that. He helped me with so much. But back then, Lyor—who I really look up to—was running Def Jam, and he later joined my label at Atlantic, which is how we got closer.”
Lil’ Kim opened up about a missed opportunity with Sisqó’s “Thong Song.” She revealed that Lyor Cohen reached out to her for a collaboration, and she was super excited to be part of it. However, Diddy advised her to play hard to get, and unfortunately, she followed his advice. It’s possible that Diddy was trying to block her from getting that collaboration, just like he had done with other artists looking to work with her.
In another conversation on Lizzo’s Spotify podcast Good as Hell, Kim reminisced about the time Michael Jackson wanted her on his album after hearing her music. Once again, Diddy played a role in derailing that opportunity. Rodney Jerkins was working on the project and recalled how he played one of Kim’s tracks for Michael. He told Kim that Michael loved her unique style and wanted her involved. Kim couldn’t believe it—she said she nearly fell out of her chair with excitement. But when they brought it to Diddy, he was his usual controlling self, and the collaboration just never happened. “I was still young and wasn’t handling my business as I should have,” she admitted.
Kim’s journey began with Diddy’s Bad Boy Entertainment when she signed on at its launch in 1993. She and Biggie were at the forefront, with Biggie dropping his groundbreaking album Ready to Die in 1994. Sadly, he passed away in 1997. Over the years, there have been rumors suggesting Diddy might have had something to do with Biggie’s death, particularly since Biggie expressed a desire to leave the label. However, Faith Evans, Biggie’s widow, has consistently defended Diddy, saying their bond was unique. She explained, “Biggie would never harm one of his closest friends. It’s frustrating to see people connect dots that don’t really connect. If we thought Diddy was involved, we would have taken legal action a long time ago.”
Despite Faith’s defense, many people find her comments hard to swallow. There’s been talk about her rumored affair with Diddy, which would have definitely strained her relationship with Biggie. And on top of that, Biggie had a notorious reputation for infidelity, which caused chaos in their marriage. Faith once shared a shocking story about catching Biggie and Lil’ Kim in bed together during the holidays, highlighting just how messy things were.
Lil’ Kim reflected on her own complicated relationship with Biggie. She said, “Biggie wanted us to be more open about our relationship. I was young and caught up with a married man. Looking back, I realize I should have stayed away from that situation.”
But it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows for Kim either. She has spoken about the darker side of her relationship with Biggie, revealing that he was physically abusive. “I was terrified; I didn’t know what was happening. He accused me of playing him and choked me until I passed out.” Despite everything, she admitted, “I don’t know why I still loved him, but I did.”
While we won’t dive too deep into how Biggie treated Kim, it’s worth noting that he had some serious doubts about Diddy. He once mentioned wanting to leave Bad Boy for a better opportunity and even showed Kim a contract worth $62 million. He said to her, “I’d take you with me, but you love Puff too much.” It’s a complicated story, filled with highs and lows, showcasing the tumultuous world of hip-hop in the ’90s.
It’s pretty clear that Biggie played a huge role in making Diddy a lot of money, and there’s no way Diddy was going to let him go without a fight. He likely realized that Biggie would be even more profitable for him after his death than he was while alive.
After Biggie’s tragic passing, Diddy reportedly pressured everyone at Bad Boy to focus on marketing and sales for Biggie’s posthumous album, Life After Death. Instead of grieving, he seemed more obsessed with getting that album to number one. It was as if he was determined to keep the spotlight on himself, even after Biggie was gone.
Kirk Burrow shared that Rolling Stone reached out to Bad Boy with an idea to honor Biggie’s legacy, but Diddy wanted the attention for himself. Burrow said, “I told Diddy, ‘Let’s make it about Biggie. You still have a chance for a cover later,’ but Diddy shot back, ‘No, he’s dead. I’m dropping No Way Out in July, and I need to be on the cover of Rolling Stone.’”
And that’s exactly what happened. Diddy landed on the 1997 cover of Rolling Stone, with the headline “Puff Daddy: The New King of Hip-Hop.” He even had the nerve to write “Big” on his chest for the cover shoot.
Fast forward two years, and Diddy admitted in an interview with Rolling Stone that Biggie’s death really boosted his sales. He said, “I think his passing added to the fame. At least 2 million of the nearly 5 million copies of No Way Out sold were because of his death. That doesn’t necessarily feel good, but that’s the reality.”
There are also whispers that Lil’ Kim was in the loop about everything going on with Biggie, courtesy of Diddy, and she wanted to speak out. But Diddy allegedly threatened her. Now, she reportedly isn’t as close to Diddy as she used to be, and there’s talk that she might spill the tea soon.
What do you think about the relationships between Diddy, Biggie, and Lil’ Kim? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!
