Z. B. Hill - Sean Diddy Combs

Sean Diddy Combs

by Z.B. Hill

Superstars of Hip-Hop

Alicia Keys

Beyonc

Black Eyed Peas

Ciara

Dr. Dre

Drake

Eminem

50 Cent

Flo Rida

Hip Hop: A Short History

Jay-Z

Kanye West

Lil Wayne

LL Cool J

Ludacris

Mary J. Blige

Notorious B.I.G.

Rihanna

Sean Diddy Combs

Snoop Dogg

T.I.

T-Pain

Timbaland

Tupac

Usher

Sean Diddy Combs

by H.B. Hill

Mason Crest

Sean Diddy Combs

Mason Crest 370 Reed Road Broomall, Pennsylvania 19008 www.masoncrest.com

Copyright 2013 by Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher.

Printed and bound in the United States of America.

First printing
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Hill, H. B.

Sean Diddy Combs / by H.B. Hill.

p. cm. (Superstars of hip hop)

Includes index.

ISBN 978-1-4222-2514-1 (hardcover) ISBN 978-1-4222-2508-0 (series hardcover) ISBN 978-1-4222-9216-7 (ebook)

1. Diddy, 1969Juvenile literature. 2. Rap MusiciansUnited StatesBiographyJuvenile literature. 3.Sound recording executives and producersUnited StatesBiographyJuvenile literature. I. Title.

ML3930.P84H55 2012

728.421649092dc23

[B]

2011005424

Produced by Harding House Publishing Services, Inc.

www.hardinghousepages.com

Interior Design by MK Bassett-Harvey.

Cover design by Torque Advertising & Design.

Publishers notes:

All quotations in this book come from original sources and contain the spelling and grammatical inconsistencies of the original text.

The Web sites mentioned in this book were active at the time of publication. The publisher is not responsible for Web sites that have changed their addresses or discontinued operation since the date of publication. The publisher will review and update the Web site addresses each time the book is reprinted.

DISCLAIMER: The following story has been thoroughly researched, and to the best of our knowledge, represents a true story. While every possible effort has been made to ensure accuracy, the publisher will not assume liability for damages caused by inaccuracies in the data, and makes no warranty on the accuracy of the information contained herein. This story has not been authorized nor endorsed by Sean Diddy Combs.

Contents

Hip-Hop lingo

A marathon is a long raceabout 26 miles.

A fundraiser raises money to help people.

If you are an inspiration to people, you make them want to do something and make them feel good about themselves.

A publicity stunt is when someone does something just to get attention.

A charity is a group that gives time, money, or other things to help make peoples lives better.

It was Sunday, November 2, 2003. Sean Combs and thousands of other runners jogged quietly in place. Some listened to music on headphones. Others simply took deep breaths and tried to stay calm. They waited for the gunshot that would signal the races start. This was the New York City one of the biggest races in the United States.

Sean Combs, also known as P. Diddy, was not a professional runner. Hed never run a marathon before. The New York City race was 26.2 miles long. Even for the pros, 26 miles is a long way! Diddy was not running for exercise. He was using the race as a for others.

Diddys kids went to private schools. As a rich man, he was able to provide a good education for his kids. But he knew that not all children were so lucky. Many depended on public schools. Some public schools didnt have a lot of money. They struggled to help their students succeed. So Diddy made a promise. If he finished the race, he and his friends would give $1 million to New York City schools.

Diddy called his race Diddy Runs the City. He said he hoped people become more aware of the health and educational needs that face the children of New York City. He wrote on his website, Every child needs a high-quality education and proper health care in order to prepare for the Marathon of Life. On Sunday, November 2, I am going to run the New York City Marathon and truly take this cause to the streets.

By publicizing the Diddy Runs the City event, Combs was able to raise $2 million in pledges. However, this also placed pressure on him to complete the race. Failure would disappoint all the kids who could have benefited.

By 2003, Diddy had many rich and powerful friends. Actors Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck said theyd give $78,000. Rapper Jay-Z promised $25,000. Even the mayor of New York gave $10,000. Diddy was truly a starand the 2003 race proved it.

Under Pressure

Diddy was excited to have his friends support. But now he had to finish the race! The pressure was on. If he didnt finish, he would let down himself and his friends. Even worse, hed let down the children of New York City.

When the starters pistol fired, the runners sprang from the starting line. At first, Diddy smiled and waved at TV cameras as he ran. But the hardest part was still to come.

The Finish Line

Halfway through the race, Diddy felt like he couldnt go on. The finish line seemed so far away. Imagine running 13 miles and knowing you still have 13 more to go! But Diddy was prepared. Hed told TV reporters before the race, Its gonna be a rough one. Probably around the thirteenth mile, Ill really need your support. His chest burned. Sweat stung his eyes. For a few minutes, it looked like Diddy would drop out of the race.

But then something amazing happened. A few children began to run next to him. They were shouting, clapping, and cheering him on! The kids reminded Diddy why he was there in the first place. They were the reason he needed to finish.

At 4 hours and 18 minutes, Diddy crossed the finish line. The kids wouldnt let me stop, he told the New York Daily News. I .

The race raised over $2 million that day. Diddy gave half the amount to New York City schools. The other half he split between . These included Childrens Hope Foundation and Daddys House Social Programs.