Before he faced multiple lawsuits and the disturbing allegations, P. Diddy was entangled in one of the most notorious feuds in hip-hop history—between the East Coast’s Notorious B.I.G. of Bad Boy Entertainment and the West Coast’s Tupac Shakur from Death Row Records.
What began as a rivalry expressed through song lyrics escalated into violence, culminating in the tragic murders of both rappers in drive-by shootings just six months apart. Sean Combs later reflected on this dark chapter in hip-hop, revealing why the situation deeply troubled his spirit.
P. Diddy Dismissed Threats Amid Bad Boy-Death Row Feud
The feud between Diddy’s Bad Boy Entertainment and Suge Knight’s Death Row Records broke out after the 1994 shooting of 2Pac, which was followed by several disses and later turned into a dark chapter in hip-hop history.
Following the 1994 shooting, which is believed to have ignited tensions, P. Diddy addressed the intimidating reputation of Death Row Records and whether he felt he was in physical danger because of the rivalry.
In the 1996 Vibe Magazine cover story, he shared, “I never knew of my life being in danger.” He argued that he never felt at risk, emphasizing that the real threats typically are not publicized.
I’m not saying that I’m ignorant to the rumors. But if you got a problem and somebody wants to get your a*s, they don’t talk about it. What it’s been right now is a lot of moviemaking and a lot of entertainment drama.
The rapper further noted, “If somebody wants to get your a*s, you’re gonna wake up in heaven. There ain’t no record gonna be made about it. It ain’t gonna be no interviews.”
Though he was assured that his life was not at risk amid the feud, he still expressed feeling disappointment with all the negative attention, saying that he hoped for a swift resolution to the conflict.
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Urged For an End to the Bad Boy-Death Row Conflict
Reflecting on the infamous rivalry, the president of Bad Boy Entertainment Sean Combs stated, “I’m hurt a little bit spiritually by all the negativity, by this whole Death Row-Bad Boy sh*t.”
In his interview with Vibe Magazine, the rapper shared his concerns surrounding how despite his achievements, everything was being overshadowed by the drama and violence amid the rivalry.
I’m hurt that out of all my accomplishments, it’s like I’m always getting my most fame from negative drama. It’s not like the young man that was in the industry for six years, won the ASCAP Songwriter of the Year, and every record he put out went at least gold … All that gets overshadowed.
“How it got to this point, I really don’t know. I’m still trying to figure it out,” he further stated. During the interview, Combs also shared that he wanted the feud to come to an end.
I’m ready for it to come to a head, however it gotta go down — I’m ready for it to be out my life and be over with. I mean that from the bottom of my heart. I just hope it can end quick and in a positive way, because it’s gotten out of hand.
There were reportedly attempts to reconcile after the death of Tupac Shakur, including a peace summit and Snoop Dogg and Sean Combs appearing together on The Steve Harvey Show and calling for an end to the feud.
However, despite these efforts, the Notorious B.I.G. was tragically murdered in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles in March 1997. While the rivalry’s impact is said to be still felt today, the intensity of the 90s feud largely dissipated with the deaths of Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur.
