Sean Combs is ready to be Puff Daddy again. For the past few years, the highest paid rapper has done everything except rap. And who could blame him? By having his hands in fashion, spirits, and TV, he earned a whopping $60 million last year without releasing an album or going on tour, according to Forbes.
But just because Puff is busy with business, it does’t necessarily mean that he has lost the desire to rock the crowd. He’s returning to his music roots by preparing to release a new album that will coincide with an upcoming tour.
During his second annual Revolt Music Conference, Puff gave attendees a sneak preview of his upcoming Puff Daddy & the Family tour. Due to rainy conditions in the Miami area, the event was held inside of the Fontainebleau Hotel instead of a beach setting that would have surely added to the allure.
Entering the stage like a prize pugilist ready for battle, Puff opened with the motivational “Victory” as crowdgoers recorded clips of the enthusiastic opening on their cell phones. It’s this generation’s way of showing appreciation for the performer. Puff understands this and found ways to connect through social media by using one fan’s cell phone to record a brief SnapChat video of his own show. It proved that Puff continues to stay with the times, but he hasn’t forgot about the moments that made him.
Puff took fans down memory lane by bringing out Busta Rhymes as they performed the 2001 hit, “Pass the Courvoisier,” which is now, “Pass the Ciroc.” But one of the more favorable surprises of his past was an appearance by Lil Kim. The two performed “All About the Benjamins” and Lil Kim rapped her verse from the 1995 single, “Get Money.” The only disappointment was that Lil Kim didn’t perform “No Time.”
Puff also brought out Lil Wayne who performed “A Milli” and “Steady Mobbin.” Bad Boy acts French Montana and King Los also graced the stage.
When Puff released his solo debut, No Way Out, in 1997, he couldn’t compete with the lyrical giants such as Nas, Jay Z, OutKast or Wu Tang Clan. But he always stayed relevant because of his ability to add showmanship to his performance. That ability never left him, even though he’s a bit older and has 60 million reasons to step away from the stage.
