Puffy’s Epic Move

Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs’ legendary Bad Boy Entertainment imprint has inked an exclusive agreement with Epic Records, the Sony Music company announced yesterday. The partnership includes distribution of two forthcoming Puff Daddy albums and provides a base for Bad Boy artists covering traditional label services including promotion, marketing, sales and distribution.

Bad Boy comes to the Sony label following similar deals with (almost every other label) Warner Music Group, Interscope Records and Arista Records, but Epic Records chairman and CEO L.A. Reid, who founded R&B powerhouse LaFace Records and formerly headed Arista, sees it as a full-circle moment.

In a prepared L.A. commented, “Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs aka Puff Daddy and I have been musical collaborators since the 1990’s, when we both ran independent record labels. Over the years, we not only enjoyed incredible success together, but we also became lifelong friends. Today, of course, Puffy is truly in a league all his own, continuing to influence culture and ignite musical revolutions time and time again. He’s a true innovator and I could not be more excited to join forces once again.”

Combs added, “I have known L.A. Reid since the very beginning and together we have enjoyed countless successes over our long friendship.” “To now work with L.A. in this capacity feels more like a homecoming than a new beginning. Not only is he a fearless and smart businessman, he believes in artists and understands music better than anyone. He embodies hard work and true success, evident in all of his endeavors.  To collaborate with L.A. Reid is to collaborate with the very best.”

Puff Daddy is scheduled to debut new music at the BET Hip-Hop Awards scheduled to air October 13th.