Billboard Cover
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Diddy talks with Billboard‘s Executive Director of Hip-Hop and R&B, Gail Mitchell, about his first album in 13 years, The Love Album: Off the Grid, his new record label, love of R&B, the loss he’s experienced in his life, the next chapter of his career and more.
DiddySo you know, in this world as I say, in The Sopranos, “you only need three bad m–herfckers” you know what I’m saying and we them three bad m–herfuckers.
Gail MitchellHey there, it’s Gail Mitchell, Executive Director of R&B and Hip-Hop for Billboard. And I’m sitting here with the one and only Sean “Diddy” Combs.
DiddyHello,
Gail MitchellThank you for being here.
DiddyIt’s such an honor to be interviewed by you, and just especially, you know, celebrating 30 years of music, and the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. So I have a lot to talk about, in this my first interview, and I’m excited that it’s with you, the legendary one.
Gail MitchellLegend to legend.
DiddyYes, yes.
Gail Mitchell 0:47First off, I’ve seen you, the different name iteration. Sean, Puffy, Diddy, Love aka.
DiddyYeah we in the Love era, and just Love is not brother Love now, it’s just Love. It’s like, you know, the evolution of Diddy. And so I’m just, I’m just really excited. 13 years after Last Train to Paris, you know, when I had did that album, I didn’t know if people understood where I was coming from it was a little bit before its time. And it kind of like broke my heart in this sense, because they didn’t understand right away. I think I was like, you know, I mean, I know, I was like I was in my ego.
Gail MitchellWhat is it you thought they missed?
Watch the full interview above.
Mexican pop group RBD talks with Billboard Latin Chief Content Officer Leila Cobo about why they’ve decided now is the right time for them to reunite, reflect on their past and how they’ve grown, and what they’ve learned since they’ve been away. Maite Perroni: What’s different is that before, we met as the result of […]
Nas reveals five things you didn’t know about him. Nas:What’s up y’all? It’s your man, Nas, and here’s five things you don’t know about me. I like flying. It for real feels like a break. I started liking in holidays again. I love celebrating with people and family. I liked Frank Sinatra’s music since I […]
In February, TikTok’s billion-plus users received an unexpected gift for Valentine’s Day: exclusive access to the catalog of one of hip-hop’s most revered labels, Death Row Records. Snoop Dogg had purchased the catalog in 2022 and pulled it from streaming services. So the only place to hear tracks from Snoop’s classic Doggystyle or 2Pac’s 10-times-platinum All […]
Lil Wayne talks about inspiring the next generation of rappers, how he discovers new talent with Young Money records, how he feels about AI, how he maintains the longevity of his legendary career, teases what his fans can expect from the ‘Carter VI” and more. Lil WayneI am naturally, organically, amazing. I’m one of a […]
Five years ago, Lil Wayne sat down in his Miami recording studio and spoke in depth with Billboard for the first time in almost a decade. The trailblazing rapper and entrepreneur stood at a crossroads: On the verge of releasing what he had declared would be his final album, Tha Carter V, he had finally settled […]
Peso Pluma arrives slightly early to his own birthday party. He’s dressed in Dior from head to toe, but still looks casual in a long-sleeve button-down overshirt stamped with the designer’s oblique logo, dark jeans and black sneakers with white shoelaces. The famously punctual birthday boy, who’s turning 24 today (June 15), tours the venue — […]
Peso Pluma opens up about reaching No. 1 with his tracks “Ella Baila Sola” with Eslabon Armado and “BZRP: Music Sessions Vol. 55” with Bizarrap, how his life has changed since his recent success, achieving his dream and more. Peso Pluma:It was a dream to me. I’m very happy to be up there, but I […]
RuPaul’s Drag Race star Eureka O’Hara opens up about learning about drag for the first time, her love for Jessie J and Tim McGraw, and more for our Billboard Pride Cover with Maren Morris. Eureka O’Hara:I’ll never forget at my sister’s graduation: My dad saw my mom and was like, “Holy cow, you look like […]
Fuerza Regida talks about how regional Mexican music has exploded and taken over the Billboard charts, collaborating with other big regional Mexican acts like Grupo Frontera, Peso Pluma, Natanael Cano, their tour and more.
Jesús “JOP” Oritz Paz:¿Quién es Fuerza Regida? ¿Cómo describirías a Fuerza Regida? We would describe Fuerza Regida as unique, crazy, spontaneous. Fuerza Regida.
I used to cut hair, one of my clients say “hey, I got this band right there looking for bass player.” So I was just going to be the bass player in the band. Came in, I played the bass all practice, and then they asked me, “Do you sing? Sing a little bit.”
I sing a song, and they’re like, “Hey, you want to be the singer?” I’m like, “Yeah, we’re a group.” That’s how we met. Then later on, we had met him but he was like 14, we just be like, “Hey, what’s up little guy.”
Just cashing out. We had a hit song in San Bernardino, “Uno Personal.” It was a cover. It was not a hit but it was like a hit because they were like, “Who the hell are these Fat Boys?” You know, just singing, you know? But from there is history.
Doing some type of music that my culture did and like being famous for it was like one of my dreams. Cuando llegó la música mexicana a Los Angeles ya estaba ahí, todos con el mismo flow. Todos con la tejana, todos con un pintado, todos con boots, para nosotros en solo música. For us is just music, so we love it … My dad listens to this, we come on home you listen to and it’s just that’s what’s special about it. Nothing else. Nothing so special. Like, where’s difference just a certain music we grew up with and we love it.
Watch the full cover profile above.