It's the end of an era for Sean Combs.
The rapper -- referred to over the years by a slew
of nicknames, including Diddy, but currently going by "Puff Daddy" – is
opening up about his retirement from music, opting to focus his
creative energy on acting. Combs is currently working on his final
album, No Way Out 2.
"I'm going to put out my last album and devote 100 percent of my time to doing films," he told Cigar Aficionado
magazine. "I want to stop at a great place. And a final album is a
great place to stop. I want to take a victory lap, to do a world tour
and really enjoy it one last time."
Perhaps with his own legacy weighing heavy on his
mind, the 46-year-old entrepreneur got candid about his drive to make
music that will stand the test of time.
"When I'm gone, only the songs will survive. I
know I'm making music that will live on," he said. "I don't go into the
studio just to be hot or to hear myself on the radio. Michael Jackson, Tupac, Biggie --
part of them lives on in their music, even though they're not here
anymore. That's really deep, man. The only other thing like that is
religion."
Combs released his debut album, No Way Out, in 1997. Since then, he's released a total of five studio albums and, most recently, one mixtape.
"The way I have to come back is exciting to me,"
he explained. "If you're not putting out albums all the time, you have
to come back in a way that grabs attention. People are always looking
for what's next - but the cream always rises to the top. I'm going to
make it the most honest and best that I can. If I can be fearless with
it, nothing can stop me."
In addition to building his professional empire, Combs is equally focused on raising his children.
"I have such a deep appreciation at being able to
be a father. My father didn't get the chance to be there for me. That
makes me appreciate the opportunity that much more deeply," he
confessed. "I stress the importance of that to my kids - that you can't
take having a family for granted."
Combs opened up even more about being a father in a recent interview with ET, when he re-teamed with his one-time mentee, Pharrell Williams, as a mentor on The Voice.
"We're so close, so they know me and they can read
me. I've been giving them advice so long, I guess it taught them how to
give advice," Combs said of his kids. "On a personal level, I actually
sent my girls some texts and I just asked them, I said, 'Can you tell me
how to become a better daddy?' That's the kind of relationship that I
have with them. They are the ones giving me advice now."
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