(AllHipHop News) For the majority of the 1990’s, Bad, Bad, Bad, Bad Boy Records made millions feel so good, except its employees. Sean Combs and a litany of former and current Bad Boy artists, along with executives, spoke on the formation and existence of Bad Boy Records.
Bad Boy Records begun after Combs’ mentore Andre Harrell fired Combs from Uptown Records because Combs “kind of embodied that hip-hop attitude and spirit, and I rebelled a little bit too much” according to Combs. One of Combs’ biggest signings was of Ma$e, however the Harlem spitter tell GQ that he was initially was looking to sign with another up-and-coming producer with a burgeoning record label:
Before I met Puff, I was sleeping on the floor of a one-bedroom apartment in Harlem, splitting White Castle. You know how small White Castle burgers are, right? My man Cudda sold his Acura so we could fly down to Jack the Rapper [an Atlanta hip-hop convention]. We was going to meet Jermaine Dupri, but they wouldn’t let us speak to him. Then I bumped into Puff on the dance floor.
GQ’s 20th anniversary oral history of Bad Boy Records is peppered with previously unheard stories. One of those is Combs reprimanding Total singer Keisha Epps during a recording session for messing up his money:
Of course, no singer should smoke cigarettes. But I did, and one day I took a break to sneak a couple puffs. He found out and damn near kicked down the restroom door. He was screaming not to mess up his money. I’m like, “Puffy, just wait. I’m not a child.” Finally I opened the door, and he said, in his most quiet voice, “Now, were you smoking?” I said, “Yes, but—” Before I could finish, he said, “Get your s### and go home. There’s no studio for you today. Orevvvverrrr, if I catch you smoking again.”
Check out the full oral history of Bad Boy Records here.