Diddy gives label artists publishing rights back

A decision that cost him millions.

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has reportedly given back the rights to their works to several artists linked under Bad Boy Records, his own label founded in 1993, including the estate of The Notorious B.I.G., Faith Evans, The Lox, 112 and Mase, a move never before seen in the music industry.

Diddy is making an unprecedented gesture! https://t.co/0UDWsIUlrp pic.twitter.com/7nv64x3nO1

— TMZ (@TMZ) September 5, 2023

According to TMZ, Diddy’s move comes shortly after he refused to sell the music catalog attached to the Bad Boy Records label.

Bad Boy Records is a major American label renowned for its significant impact on the hip-hop and R&B music industries. It certainly played a key role in the development of hip-hop and R&B music in the 1990s and early 2000s.

But Diddy, via Bad Boy Records, has faced legal challenges and controversy over the years, including contract issues, disputes with artists and allegations of financial mismanagement… notably with Craig Mack, Shyne and Mase.

Mase accused Bad Boy Records and Diddy of preventing him from leaving the label and signing with others during his initial retirement. Mase claimed that he had to pay a substantial sum of money to buy out his contract with Bad Boy Records.

Although the details of these controversies have been disputed over the years, they have highlighted some of the challenges and complexities of the music industry, including contractual disputes between artists and labels, as well as the blurred boundaries between the music business and artists’ personal beliefs.

In contrast, there has been no major public controversy between Bad Boy Records and the estate of The Notorious B.I.G. In fact, Bad Boy Records has generally been associated with promoting and preserving the legacy of Biggie Smalls after his tragic death in 1997.

After the death of The Notorious B.I.G., posthumous albums such as Life After Death and Born Again were released via Bad Boy Records.

The label continued to release compilations, documentaries and special editions of his music to honor his memory and contributions to hip-hop.

Combs’ decision is reminiscent of other artists’ recent controversies over rights to their catalogs, notably singer Taylor Swift, who saw her early albums sold without her consent, including all master tapes, to Scooter Braun’s company.

Is this a first step towards changes in music rights management for artists, or an isolated case?

One thing’s for sure, Combs’ generous gesture has got people talking.