While putting together this collection of Sean 'Diddy' Combs innovations, I couldn't help but think of the first time I saw Diddy swaggering onto my screen in the mid-90s. It was in the video for "Mo' Money, Mo' Problems," and even back then, I remember hearing people complaining about Combs appearing in every video and on every track, shouting out himself and his company like a carnival barker. At the 1995 Source Awards, former Death Row CEO Suge Knight famously derided Diddy's propensity to be in front of the camera, satisfying a sizeable segment of the hip-hop population fed up with Diddy's antics.
Yet, somehow, it worked for him. Some 14-years later, a series of Sean 'Diddy' Combs innovations have laid a template by which every hip-hop entrepreneur operates. By diversifying their brands, artists like 50 Cent, Dr. Dre, and Jay-Z now boast net worths north of $200 million.
Click through this collection and see where they got their inspiration from.
31 Sean 'Diddy' Combs Innovations
29
Stars Behaving Badly
Rise in Celeb Misbehavior Creates Lack of Role Models
28
Celebrity Aptronyms
Amy Winehouse in a Cellar, Terry Hatcher Hatching, Gerard Butler as a Butler
27
Ultra Luxury Men's Fashion
£45,000 Suit
26
Railway Romance Editorials
Retro Hollywood Glamor Reigns for 'Brief Encounter' in Vogue
25
Britney's Publicists Hide VMA Disaster
24
Graffiti-Inspired Jewelry
Thomas Nayler's Accessories Fuse Street and Elite
23
Paparazzi Product Placement
A-List Celebs Happily Flaunt Their Blackberry Bolds For the Camera
22
Triumphant Stage Returns
Whitney Houston to Perform at Clive Davis' Pre-Grammy Party
21
Raw Rap Photography
Mel D Cole Documents the Hip Hop and Punk Scene in a Mean Way
20
A-List Political House Parties
Jennifer Aniston At Courtney Cox's Obama Bash
19
Fashion Favourites
Top Celeb Designs
18
Sea Monster-Mouthed Celebs
Celebrities With Shark Mouths Have Huge Toothy Grins
17
Mid-Career Name Changes
Beyonce is Now "Sasha Fierce"
16
Viral Tribute Remixes
Artists Memorialize Michael Jackson Through Song
15
Gargantuan Holiday Billboards
P Diddy Launches Biggest Times Square Ad in History
14
Celebrity Tour Guides
"Just Ask The Locals" of NYC
13
Twitter-Fueled TV Launches
P. Diddy Leverages His 227,000 Followers for "P. Twitty TV"
12
P. Diddy Party Live On MySpace
Unforgivable Woman Launch
11
Offbeat Celeb Entrepreneur Shoots
The Diddy GQ Interview Shows His Drive and His Humor
10
Microblogging A-Listers
Ashton Kutcher & Demi Moore Twittered from Oscars, Posted Videos
9
Superstars in Coach
Diddy Can't Fuel Private Jet
8
MySpace Activism for Millionaires
A-Listers Against Poverty
7
Singers as Producers
Justin Timberlake Heads to the Small Screen With 2 TV Shows
6
Mini Haute Homes
Designers Create Papier-Mache Mansions for a Cause
5
Twitter Monologues
Washington Post 'Twits' Series Offers Dramatic Readings of Celebrity Tweets
4
Don't Buy a Lie
Puff Daddy Aims to End Counterfeit Culture
3
Presidential Shift Changes
White House Blog Officially Relaunches for Obama
2
Rap Star Charities
Diddy Gives $50,000 to Charities for the '12 Days Of Tag' Online Initiative
1
Hyperbolic Blog Promotions
The Diddy Blog Trailer is Hilariously Misguided
Related Ideas
Young Rapper-Approved Fashion Collaborations
boohooMAN Joins Forces with DD Osama
Sustainable Streetwear Store Interiors
Snarkitecture Embraces Recycled Materials for This Store
90s-Inspired Califonian Fashion
Doni Nahmias Recently Debuted the California Poetry Capsule
Rapper-Honoring Streetwear Capsules
Supreme Presents a MF DOOM Collection for the FW23 Season
Highly Affordable Fashion Launches
Kanye West Alters Prices to $20 On YEEZY SUPPLY Drop
Ultra-Luxurious Menswear Collections
Dior Men's Fall/Winter 2023 Pays Homage to Yves Saint Laurent
Freshly Rebranded Frozen Drinks
Slurpee's Bold New Identity and Mascot Speak to Gen Z
Hater-Created Music Videos
Liquid Death's Greatest Hates Volume III Features Social Media Comments
Celebrity-Fronted High-Fashion Campaigns
Versace's 2024 Icons Campaign Embodies the Brand's Ethos
Soda-Collaborative Dynamic Sneakers
Shaquille O’Neal Presents a Special Shaq Attaq with Reebok
Fighting Game-Themed Sneakers
Ceeze and Reebok Debuted Two Mortal Kombat-Inspired Sneakers
Luxury Whiskey Cocktails
Redemption Whiskey Boasts a Series of Delicious Cocktails
Rapper-Inspired Apparel Collections
WACKO MARIA Releases Its First Tupac Collaborative Apparel
Celebrity-Approved Luxury Fashion Lines
The Louis Vuitton x Tyler, the Creator Line is Chic
Soda-Branded Sweatsuit Merch Lines
poppi Launched a Stunningly Playful & Stylish Sweatsuit Line
90s-Inspired Contemporary Fashion
Stüssy and Denim Tears Collaborate on a New Capsule
Nigeria-Inspired Spring Fashion
NOCTA Presents its Distant Regards Collection for Spring
Collaborative Vibrant Skate Sneakers
Crenshaw Skate Club and Nike Launch a New SB Dunk
Late Rapper-Themed Collections
Joshua Vides and Interscope Records Release a 2Pac Collection
Sporty-Influenced Streetwear Capsules
Off-White Celebrates Jordan Brand with New Capsule
Contemporary Ten-Piece Collections
Reigning Champ and Jide Osifeso Debut fifth collection
On-Chain Luxury Fashion Collections
9dcc Unveils the Networked Products Collection
All-in-One Skincare Serums
The Hustle Serum Combines 11 Hard-Working Active Ingredients
Craveable Soda Packaging
Sprite is Reviving Its Obey Your Thirst Campaign for a New Generation
Remixed Monogrammed Collections
The LV Remix Collection Celebrates Heritage While Looking Ahead
Vintage-Inspired Minimal Clothing
Sean Wotherspoon Unveils a Vintage Gap Collection
Vegan Celebrity-Inspired Sneakers
Nicki Minaj Teams Up with Løci for a New Footwear Collaboration
Whimsical Pop-Up Cognac Bars
Yinka Ilori Designed an Eye-Catching Pop-Up at Selfridges
Music-Informed Fashion Collections
Roc Nation and Moncler Join Forces on a New Capsule
Jamaican Artist-inspired Fashion Lines
Bianca Saunders & Farah Tapped Lee “Scratch” Perry's Legacy
Million-Dollar Bags
Louis Vuitton's Millionaire Speedy is an Exclusive Style with a High Price Tag
Anime-Inspired Fashion Collections
The DGK x Afro Samurai Collection Pays Homage to Japan
Punk Band-Inspired Vodka Bottles
Smirnoff Presents ‘True Originals’ with Gorillaz
Y2K Shopping Campaigns
Klarna's That's Smoooth Campaign Stars Paris Hilton
Rapper Smokeless Fire Pit Ads
Snoop Dogg Partners with Solo Stove for Smokeless Fire Pit Campaign
Avant-Garde Fall Menswear
Rick Owens Unveils the LUXOR Collection for Fall/Winter 2023
Big Bang-Inspired Fashion Collections
COMME des GARÇONS' FW23 Looks to the Origins of Life
Loud Luxury Fashion
Moschino SS24 Pokes Fun at "Quiet Luxury" with Maximalist Styles
Whiskey Elegant Leisurewear
Chivas Regal x Falguni Shane Peacock Debut Luxe Tracksuit Collection
Whimsical Inflatable Sneaker Concepts
UV-Zhu Uses Daily Objects for His Nike Concept Sneaker
Fashion-Branded Vodka Packaging
The Crystal Head Vodka x Joshua Kane Collaboration is Luxurious
Ultra-Slick Pre-Fall Fashion Collections
Off-white™ Marks Its First Ib Kamara Collection
Hip-Hop-Commemorating Shoes
Timberland Launches a New Purple Boot Inspired by Hip Hop's Origins
Nostalgic Vodka Concerts
Smirnoff Ice Kicks Off Relaunch Tour with Artists T-pain and Shaggy
Next-Gen White Cognacs
White X Challenges Traditional Cognacs with a Fresher, Lighter Taste
Contemporary Skate Collections
Pro Skater Stevie Williams' DGK Releases the Cry Later Collection
Celebrity-Fronted Fashion Campaigns
The New Calvin Klein Campaign Features Many Celebrities
Hip Hop Fashion Exhibitions
MFIT Presents Fresh, Fly, and Fabulous: Fifty Years of Hip Hop Style
Influencer-Crafted Gin Cocktails
These Tanqueray Gin Holiday Drinks Celebrate Canadian Traditions
Musician-Fronted Luxury Fashion Campaigns
Jacquemus Launched a Campaign Featuring Bad Bunny
Celebrity-Headed Haircare Lines
Beyoncé Announces Her New Haircare Line: Cécred on Instagram
Diverse African Doll Collections
Disney Presents the Upcoming CreativeSoul Doll Collection
Rapper-Branded QSR Pop-Ups
Snoop Dogg Just Unveiled a Snoopified Dogg in Tha Box Restaurant Pop-Up
Hip-Hop Heritage Jerseys
Mitchell & Ness Partners with Brands to Launch a Special Jersey Range
Coin-Pocket Logo Sneaker Designs
The Nike Air Force 1 Gets a Swoosh Pocket Design Logo
Personalized AI Album Covers
Hennessy Created an AI Tool That Turns Selfies into Hip-Hop Album Art
Graphic-Heavy Skate Collections
Crenshaw Skate Club Launches Its New FW22 Collection
Changemaker Beauty Campaigns
This Lil Nas x YSL Beauté Campaign Champions Bold Self-Expression
Fashion Designer Cognac Products
Hennessy and Kim Jones Team Up for a New Collection
Creative Constellation Water Bottles
The Evian x Coperni Bottle Invites People to "Look Closer"
Reinvigorated Cognac Campaigns
Larsen Cognac Challenges Traditional Images & Outdated Views
Viral Video Databases
Viral Ideas Offers Inspiration for a Content Creator's Next Big Video
Lunar New Year Influencer Campaigns
Rémy Martin's 'Family Spirit' Ad Celebrates Asian Heritage
Artist-Inspired Tequila Collaborations
1800 Tequila Partners with Dustin Yellin for Its Series
Athlete-Inspired Dramatic Sneakers
Nike and Off-White Join Forces on the Sheed Air Force 1 Mid
Collaborative Y2K Handbag Collections
Coach Teamed Up with Little Nas X for 'The Lil Nas X Drop'
Patient-Created Sneakers
The Doernbecher Freestyle XIX Collection Shares Six Storytelling Designs
Gaming Franchise-Inspired Footwear
Reebok Introduces a New Street Fighter Collection
Basketball League-Inspired Apparel
Josh Denzel Unveils his First NBA Collection with Primark
Building Facade-Inspired Clothing
101% Unveils the New Seagram Collection of Apparel
Whiskey-Collaborative Streetwear
Jehucal Works with Chivas Regal on a New Capsule Collection
Celebrity-Inspired Cocktail Menus
The Quote Book by Velvet Bar Shares Drinks Based on Icons
Street-Informed Slip-On Sneakers
Omar Quiambao Joins Vans on a New Vans Slip-On Shoe
Culturally Inspired Canned Cocktails
Phreshly Targets Consumers Who are Tired of Hard Seltzers
Cocktail-Inspired Couture
Christian Siriano Spring/Summer 2024 Has Designs Inspired by Gin
Personalized Video Game Merchandise
MARKET Launches a Personalized 'Call of Duty' Collection
Retro 3D-Printed Bags
Coperni's CD-PLAYER Swipe Bag Resembles a Portable Music Player
Fighting Championship-Inspired Partnerships
New Amsterdam Vodka Launched UFC-Inspired Initiatives
Rapper-Inspired Clothing Collections
boohooMAN Collaborated with the American Rapper Toosii
Cartoon-Themed Streetwear Capsules
Drake's OVO Teams Up with 'Looney Tunes' for a New Collection
Cheeky Martini Ads
Grey Goose's Classic Martini Cocktail Ad Pokes Fun at Celeb Creative Directors
Bespoke Red Envelopes
D'USSÉ Cognac & Humberto Leon Crafted Limited-Edition Red Envelopes
Rapper-Backed Tech Accessories
CASETiFY Debuts its First Collaboration with Drake's OVO Label
Streetwear-Branded Punching Bags
Justin Reed Delivers a Custom Chrome Hearts Punching Bag
Sophisticated Fashion Collaborations
Willie Norris and Outlier Release a Co-Branded Drop
Rapper-Backed Apparel Capsules
OVO Recruits Snoop Dogg, Birdman, and More for an NFL Capsule
Rapper-Backed Fashion Capsules
Soulja Boy Releases a Fashion Collection with Sprayground
Artistic Multi-Beverage Ads
The Coca-Cola Family is Spotlighted in this Unique Ad
Sleek Whiskey Bottle Designs
BSB Whiskey & Jamie Foxx Debut an Exclusive Brown Sugar Blend Whiskey
NYC Barbers-Inspired Collections
PUMA and RHUDE Join Forces to Launch a Collaborative Range
Musical NFC Hoodies
Balenciaga's Limited-Edition Apparel Shares an Exclusive Music Track
Celebrity-Backed Bag Campaigns
Coach Debuts the ‘In My Tabby’ Campaign with Celebrity Inspiration
Music Group Graphic Streetwear
N*E*R*D Delivers the New 20 Years Strong Collection
Branded Ready-to-Pour Cocktails
These Diageo Ready-to-Serve Cocktails Come in Three Options
Fragrance-Inspired Sculptural Installations
Shawn Kolodny Collaborates with House of Creed
Marshmallow-Inspired Puffer Jackets
Baileys Launches a Puffer Jacket with Jason Rembert
Childhood Show-Inspired 3D Makeup
HipDot Debuts Its Fourth Collection of One-of-a-Kind Makeup
Basketball-inspired Fashion Collaborations
Mitchell & Ness Partners with Isiah Thomas
Nostalgic Frozen Desserts
Snoop Dogg & Happi Co. Partnered to Create Dr. Bombay Ice Cream
Premium Vodka Brand Cocktails
Absolut Cocktails Offer Three Takes on Classic Recipes
Melody-Inspired Alcohol Campaigns
Usher and Brands Debut the 'Life is a Melody' Campaign
Romantic Narrative-Inspired Fashion
Edward Cuming Unveils a New Capsule for the SS24 Season
Breakdance-Inspired Lifestyle Sneakers
PUMA Unveils New PUMA Suede Design with Rhuigi Villaseño
Zero-Sugar Flavored Malt Beverages
Smirnoff ICE is Reaffirming Itself as the OG
Hip Hop-Honoring Exclusive Campaigns
Hennessy and cHIP sHOP Join Forces on a New Campaign
Artist-Approved Tech Accessories
Velvet Caviar Partners with Artist Keith Haring on a New Capsule
City-Honoring Vodka Spirits
Belvedere Vodka's 'Miami Edition' Bottle Honors the Florida Shores
Bar-Quality Canned Martinis
Crystal Head is Sharing Its Own Take on Classic Cocktails
Cultural Holiday Bottle Designs
Hennessy Launches Limited Edition Bottles for Chinese New Year
Rapper-Starring Fall Streetwear
Daily Paper Spotlights Headie One in New FW23 Collection
Lunar Celebration Cognacs
Maison Courvoisier & Jiannan Huang Collaborated on The Dragon Collection
College Campus Haircare Campaigns
African Pride and Impressions of Beauty Partnered on a Campaign
Rapper-Backed RTD Cocktails
Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre Team Up to Launch the New RTD Cocktails
Canadian Rapper-Launched Fragrance Lines
Drake Goes into Beauty with Better World Fragrance House
Music Producer-Backed Sneakers
DJ Khaled Presents the AJ 5 in a Crimson Bliss Colorway
Y2K-Themed Chargeable CD-Player Bags
Coperni Unveils a New Accessory Resembling CD Players
Equestrian Heritage-Honoring Bag Capsules
Sprayground Joins the Compton Cowboys on a Collection
Rapper Collaborative Celebratory Whiskys
Stefflon Don and Chivas Regal Drop the Joint Chivas 12
Physical Wearables Collections
Pharrell Williams Collaborates with Doodles to Launch a Capsule
Rapper-Approved Cannabis Drinks
These Cannabis-Infused Beverages Were Created with Snoop Dogg
Edgy Accessible Collections
DDG and boohooMAN Unveil Exclusive 'The Black Edit' Fashion Line
Patterned Multi-Color Sneakers
Crenshaw Skate Club Unveils a New Collaboration with Nike
Collaborative Penny Loafer Collections
Duke + Dexter Presents a Collaboration Alongside Playboy
Perception-Redefining Brand Campaigns
Hennessy's Made for More Campaign Boasts a Striking Vision
Zebra-Inspired Jacquard Sneakers
Rick Owens and Converse Joins Forces on the TURBODRK Chuck 70
Sculptural Holiday Window Displays
Shawn Kolodny Collaborates with House of Creed
Black Heritage-Inspired Campaigns
Converse Launches the Black Joy Campaign and Collection for 2024
Promotional Influencer Videos
Activision Recruits Multiple Creators to Appeal to Gen Z Consumers
Revamped Juice Overhauls
Ocean Spray Announces a Brand Overhaul with Modern Influences
Sitcom-Style Thanksgiving Campaigns
Whipshots & Patti’s Good Life Teamed Up to Make New Traditions
Celebratory Hip-Hop Collaborations
Mitchell & Ness Collaborates with Legendary Graffiti Crew Tats
Co-Creation Bottle Campaigns
H3NSY & John P. Dessereau Design a New Limited-Edition Bottle
Designer-Starring Streetwear Campaigns
Clint 419 is the Face of Supreme's FW23 Seasonal Campaign
Artist-Backed Joint Experiences
Rémy Martin and Usher Join Forces on the Life is a Melody Project
Miniature Artful Hip-Hop Landmarks
Danny Cortes Captures Iconic Hip-Hop Moments Through Art
Black-Owned Cream Liqueurs
LS Cream Was Inspired by the Traditional Haitian Drink Cremas
Nautical-Themed Streetwear Campaigns
KENZO Presents its New SS23 Collection in a Bright Campaign
Avant-Garde Sporty Fashion Apparel
Rick Owens and Champion Continue their Collaboration
Cocktail-Inspired Togetherness Activations
Smirnoff's Global Connectivity Initiative Launched
Food-Inspired Formalwear Collections
Drake's and St. JOHN Reveal New Formalwear Collection