Sean “Puffy” Combs has transferred his publishing rights back to his Bad Boy artists and songwriters to coincide with Bad Boy Entertainment’s 30th anniversary this year.
Combs’ stellar career has been plagued with accusations that he stole his artists’ masters and left them broke.
Bad Boy Records artists who already received their publishing rights include singer Faith Evans, and rappers Ma$e, The LOX, 112 and the Estate of the Notorious BIG, according to Billboard.
Over the years, Bad Boy’s legendary roster has included Craig Mack, Carl Thomas, Shyne, Dream, Danity Kane, Total, Black Rob, Machine Gun Kelly, French Montana and Janelle Monáe.
Sources tell Billboard the process of reassigning publishing rights back to artists began in May 2021 after Combs turned down billion-dollar offers to sell the Bad Boy catalog.
In a since-deleted Instagram post, Ma$e revealed he’d offered Combs $2 million to buy back his publishing but it was declined. In the post, Ma$e wrote:
“Your past business practices knowingly has continued purposely starved your artist and been extremely unfair to the very same artist that helped u obtain that Icon Award on the iconic Badboy label. For example, u still got my publishing from 24 years ago in which u gave me $20k. Which makes me never want to work w/ u as any artist wouldn’t … This is not Black excellence at all.”
In an interview on the Breakfast Club, Combs claimed Ma$e owed him $3 million for an advance on an album that he never recorded.
But they squashed their beef before Combs transferred ownership of his publishing to Ma$e last month.
Rapper Cam’ron made the announcement in an Instagram post on August 30: “My n-gga murder [Ma$e] had to sit this one out. He just got his publishing back from Puff. Just finished the paper work for that yesterday.”
The news comes as MTV VMAs announced Combs will be honored with the Global Icon Award “for his unparalleled career and continued influence that has achieved unrivaled global success in music and beyond.”
Combs is nominated for four awards for his work with other artists including “Creepin” (Remix) and “Gotta Move On.”
Combs will also perform during the VMAs for the first time since 2005. He has won VMAs for best R&B video for “I’ll Be Missing You” (1997) and Viewer’s Choice Award for “It’s All About the Benjamins” (1998).
