S. Samuel
Diddy recently credited Jay-Z, Dr. Dre and Eminem with helping to bring hip-hop back.
From Diddy’s perspective, hip-hop is in a great space with the help of big, influential rap stars.
“Hip-Hop came back with a vengeance,” Diddy said in an interview. “You have incredible artists who have come back strong, Jay-Z, new artists like Lil Wayne and Drake, Kanye, artists like Eminem and myself who are still doing what we do. And Dr. Dre’s about to come back, it’s just a great time overall for hip-hop, it’s a lot of big stars that are out there, a lot of huge, huge names that are pushing the envelope. To me, it was important for me to push the envelope, you know, I’m my biggest competition and I think the artists I named are more as an inspiration to me than competition.” (BBC News)
Puff has also given props to artists like newcomer Jay Electronica and rap star Rick Ross for contributing to the current state of hip-hop.
“Jay Electronica is one of hip-hop’s dopest emcee’s,” Diddy said in an interview. “He represents Real Hip-Hop, which is like an endangered species right now; as far as that gutter gutter (sound). And Rick Ross has always been one of my favorite emcee’s since he started. We have many things in common from different styles to how we hear the music. We have a certain chemistry and friendship. It’s really organic. I think that he is a brand that should be bigger than he is now. We’ve already started being involved in his management to help make it happen for him.” (All Hip Hop)
As far as female emcees are concerned, Diddy recently shined light on Young Money‘s Nicki Minaj.
And now, Nicki Minaj is finalizing the paperwork that will allow the Last Train to Paris superstar to guide her career. The Young Money femcee has already been in the studio with Diddy, and he’s been singing her praises. “Nicki Minaj, she’s definitely one of the great ones,” Diddy told MTV News while promoting “Get Him to the Greek,” speaking publicly for the first time about his new signee. “She has a long way to go, but you know how we recognized LeBron [James] was a great one, Tiger [Woods] was a great one, and Kobe [Bryant] was a great one? Nicki is up there. Her story has just begun.” (MTV)
Diddy’s ghostwriter, Mista Raja, talked with SOHH earlier this month and applauded the rapper’s upcoming album, Last Train to Paris.
“Nah, I did submit and write a couple joints but it’s on a whole ‘nother direction so it’s not a lot of rap music so I did submit,” Mista Raja informed SOHH. “But it’s a whole ‘nother wavelength. I was over there the other night at the studio and they had a little private listening session and I heard it and am gonna say the album is incredible. It wasn’t every record but he had a solid eight that I was like, ‘Wow.'” (SOHH)
Diddy’s Last Train to Paris is scheduled to drop Tuesday, June 29th.
Check out Diddy speaking on his new album below:
