In a surprise Labor Day gesture, Sean “Diddy” Combs, the founder of Bad Boy Records, has made an extraordinary decision. He has chosen to “reassign his Bad Boy publishing rights back to all Bad Boy artists and writers who helped build Bad Boy into the powerhouse it is today,” according to a source close to the situation, confirmed on Monday.
The roster of artists benefiting from this generous move includes The Notorious B.I.G.’s estate, Faith Evans, Ma$e, the Lox, 112, and several other creators who contributed to the label‘s monumental success. While specific financial details have yet to be disclosed, these assets are estimated to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
In recent years, the music industry has witnessed a surge in the value of music catalogs. Iconic artists and their estates, like Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Genesis, and Luther Vandross, have struck nine-figure deals by selling or partially selling the rights to their catalogs. Combs has received numerous multi-million dollar offers for the Bad Boy publishing catalog. However, instead of cashing in, he has opted to reassign these rights to the songwriters.
According to the source, most of the recipients have already been identified, contacted, and have signed the necessary paperwork. Notably, Ma$e, a multiplatinum-selling rapper from Bad Boy Records, has had public disputes with his former mentor, Combs, over alleged owed money. Last year, Combs stated on the Breakfast Club that Ma$e actually owed him $3 million, a claim that Ma$e vehemently disputed. Ma$e revealed in 2020 that Combs had rejected his $2 million offer for his publishing.
The news of this publishing arrangement was unofficially leaked by Cam’ron, a longtime friend and collaborator of Ma$e, in an Instagram post late last week. In his post about “The Lost Files,” his upcoming mixtape, Cam’ron shared the exciting news, writing, “My n—a murder had to sit this one out. He just got his publishing back from Puff. Just finished the paperwork for that yesterday. Congrats @rsvpmase.”
During the 1990s, it was relatively common for labels or label owners to claim a percentage of an artist’s publishing rights as part of a recorded-music deal. However, this practice has diminished over time as artists and songwriters have become more aware of the true value of their publishing rights.
The source further emphasized that Combs views this decision as a significant step toward promoting economic empowerment for Black artists and culture.
As Diddy prepares to release his new album, “The L.O.V.E. Album: Off the Grid,” featuring an array of music heavyweights, on September 15, this bold move to reassign publishing rights adds a unique and impactful chapter to his legacy.