Sean 'Diddy' Combs Was 'Jealous' of The Notorious B.I.G.'s Friendship with Tupac Shakur, Who Had No 'Respect' for Mogul
A new report published in Rolling Stone sheds new light on Sean "Diddy" Combs' allegedly abusive behavior
Sean "Diddy" Combs was reportedly fond of Tupac Shakur, and wanted to befriend him
A former colleague says Combs was "jealous" of Shakur's friendship with The Notorious B.I.G.
Combs' allegedly abusive behavior is the subject of a new Rolling Stone report published on Tuesday
Sean “Diddy” Combs was envious of the friendly relationship between Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. in the years before their deaths, according to a new report.
A lengthy article published Tuesday by Rolling Stone interviewed dozens of Combs’ former friends and colleagues, shining new light on the Bad Boy Records founder’s allegedly abusive behavior over the years.
In one anecdote, former Bad Boy partner and president Kirk Burrowes said that Combs, 54, felt slighted when Shakur and Biggie (born Christopher Wallace) became pals.
“There was someone on the sidelines, jealous,” Burrowes said, referring to Combs.
Wallace was signed to Bad Boy, while Shakur was signed to the rival Death Row Records. But according to the article, Combs was “fond” of Shakur, and tried to befriend him — and the “California Love” rapper wanted no part.
“Pac didn’t have any kind of respect for Puff,” hip-hop photographer Monique Bunn told the outlet, explaining that he thought of Combs as a “corny executive,” and, according to Burrowes, of Wallace as his peer.
Related: Cassie Breaks Silence After Diddy Abuse Footage Surfaces: 'I Will Always Be Recovering from My Past'
Bunn said that everything “got blown out of proportion” after a 1994 incident in which Shakur was shot five times in a New York City recording studio, as the rapper thought that Combs and his Bad Boy crew had set him up.
Hostility soon grew between Shakur and Wallace, and in September 1996, Shakur died in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas at age 25. Less than a year later, Wallace was shot and killed in Los Angeles at age 24.
Bunn told Rolling Stone that Wallace had plans to leave Bad Boy shortly before his death.
“I know for a fact [because] he told me that,” she said.
Burrowes also told the outlet that Rolling Stone approached Combs after Wallace’s death with plans to put him on the cover, but Combs insisted he take the spot instead.
“I was telling Sean, ‘Let’s make it Biggie. You still have a chance [for a cover in the future]. He’s like, ‘No, he’s dead. I’m putting out [Combs’ debut album No Way Out] in July. I need to be on the cover of Rolling Stone,” Burrowes claimed.
Combs is currently in the midst of a number of sexual assault and sex trafficking lawsuits against him, and in March, his properties in Los Angeles and Miami were raided as part of an ongoing Homeland Security investigation.
On Wednesday, May 29, CNN reported that the U.S. Justice Department may be preparing to file an indictment against the star, and that his accusers have been contacted and interviewed by federal investigators and notified that they may be brought in to testify in front of a federal grand jury.
Combs has denied all allegations, saying in a statement obtained by PEOPLE in December: "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. For the last couple of weeks, I have sat silently and watched people try to assassinate my character, destroy my reputation and my legacy."
Related: Sean 'Diddy' Combs' Accusers May Testify in Front of Federal Grand Jury: Report
"Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday. Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth," he added.
On May 17, CNN published surveillance video that showed him grabbing, shoving and kicking his ex-girlfriend Cassie in a 2016 altercation in a Los Angeles hotel, an incident she previously detailed in a lawsuit filed in November.
"I was f---ed up. I mean I hit rock bottom but I make no excuses. My behavior on that video is inexcusable. I take full responsibility for my actions in that video," he said in an apology the next day. He captioned the post, "I'm truly sorry."
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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