Diddy is one of the biggest icons of hip-hop. As a performer, he has a wealth of bangers as well as fourth top-two albums, including two number-ones. He has three #1 singles. But of course, he comes into his own as a producer. So many artists owe their start or their rise to Diddy's work behind the scenes. But more than that, he is purely an iconic part of the genre. He's been kicking in the center of the scene since the 90s and it's hard to imagine what hip-hop would be like without him.
Additionally, as hip-hop turns 50, many artists have been posting their tributes to the genre that made them. While it is undoubtedly a time for celebration, it is a time to reflect and take in the monolith that hip-hop has become. Furthermore, it's a genre that went from a New York party to a global staple. However, Diddy has shared a particularly heartfelt tribute to the genre on X/Twitter.
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Diddy Posts Heartfelt Tribute To Hip-Hop
“Dear Hip Hop, I remember the first time I met you. As a young man growing up in Harlem in Espanard Gardens. Seeing B-Boys carrying boomboxes and hearing your sound for the first time. You were a part of my childhood. We grew up together. I was born three years before you. And since the day that we met, you changed my life. You gave me the audacity to dream and imagine a reality that didn’t exist. You made me feel like I mattered. You let me know that with you, I could change the world. I didn’t understand the meaning of culture until I met you. You have been there through my ups and downs, my tragedies and triumphs," Diddy began his post. Furthermore, the post continued. "You saved my life. You gave me an opportunity with Andre Harrell and Uptown Records."
The post went on. "You gave birth to Bad Boy. You gave birth to Puff Daddy, P. DIDDY, DIDDY. And you led me to LOVE. You gave me the chance to be an executive. You gave me the chance to be a designer. You gave me the chance to be a media mogul. You gave me the chance to be a philanthropist. You have been my therapist, my BFF, my ride or die. You are the most powerful art form in the world. There is no me without you. Today we celebrate you for everything you mean to us. For giving us a voice when nobody would listen. For giving us light where there was no hope. For all who came before me and all that will come after me. Happy Birthday. Hip Hop I will always love you." Few people could have said it better than Diddy.
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