Diddy Explains Name Change With Wise Words From Kendrick Lamar

Diddy uses some wise words from Kendrick Lamar to justify changing his name.

BYAron A.
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Diddy has been hinting at a name change for a while. There've been a few false alarms but last week, he finalized it. He shared a photo of his Florida driver's license which now reads, "Sean 'Love' Combs." Diddy's had a few name changes over the course of his career but Love was the least expected. 

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If you're wondering where the inspiration behind the name came from, Diddy's allowed the wise words of Kendrick Lamar to explain it. The music mogul took to Instagram where he shared footage from an old Kendrick Lamar interview where the Compton star explains what he feels is the meaning of life.

"When are we going to understand that we are put on Earth to love," Kendrick says in the clip. "That’s all it’s about. Everybody want to figure out how complicated life is and break it down. This is what I truly think. I really think that it’s going to keep going on, war’s going to keep going on, frustration’s going to keep going on, anger’s going to keep going on until we finally go back down to the simplest word. Love."

Diddy, or Love, if you will, declared that the name change marks a new chapter in both his career and his life. "Welcome to the LOVE Era!! Have a love filled day! LOVE," he wrote. 

Check out Diddy's post below. 

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About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.