Sean “Diddy” Combs dedicated his performance at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards set to his late ex Kim Porter.
The rap mogul – who had three children with actress Porter – took to the stage during the event at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on Tuesday, Sept. 12, to perform a medley of his hits and he was joined by his 25-year-old son King. He stated Porter would have been thrilled to see the pair putting on a show together.
“Tonight was special. We going to do this for [King’s] mother, it’s the first one we did for his mom, we was thinking about her,” Combs told Etonline.com backstage at the event. “This was always a dream of hers. We’d be on stage together, like in a big way, in such a global televised event.”
“I’m proud of you,” he went on to tell his son before giving him a big hug.
During the set, Diddy – who was presented with the Global Icon Award – performed songs including “It’s All About the Benjamins,” “I Need a Girl” and “Mo Money Mo Problems.” The rapper was also joined on stage by Yung Miami and Keyshia Cole.
Porter was mom to the rapper’s son King – real name Christian Combs – as well as twin girls D’Lila and Jessie Combs, both 16. The music star is also a dad to four more children from other relationships.
The former couple dated on and off for 13 years before splitting for good in 2007. Porter died in 2020 at age 47 after suffering a cardiac arrest at her home in Los Angeles.
King followed his dad into the music industry after finishing high school and previously declared it was his only career choice. “It’s really always been something I wanted to do,” he told PEOPLE magazine last year. There have been times when my dad questioned me and asked: ‘What’s your plan B? Are you sure you want to do this?’ and I’m like: ‘There is no plan B.'”
When asked what he’s learned from his dad, King replied: “I would say the biggest lesson is never stop. Can’t stop, won’t stop. That’s what it is.”
