S. Samuel
Dirty Money's Kaleena and Dawn have discussed what their experience has been like being in Diddy's hip-hop group.
Kaleena says she has learned that Diddy has multiple personalities.
“The crazy thing for me I have yet to understand what’s really going on I’m so caught up in my craft; I have these blinders on that I forget who I am. I forget that I’m Kalenna in Dirty Money. Puff has had a lot of his personal biz out there but there are still some things that he holds dear. There is a fine line but there is a balance that we keep. Certain things that are kept behind closed doors. Puff isn’t always Diddy. Sometimes he’s Sean. It’s a fine line and a learning lesson. This whole process has been a sped up version of college…Dirty Money is something I wanted to be a life long thing.” (VIBE)
Dawn, former “Making the Band” participant, revealed how the group came together.
“My call with Diddy went like this: ‘So yeah, baby girl look, I feel like you…met Kalenna…I think it would be good if you would be in my group. I know how you feel about it I didn’t know how you feel about being in a group with another chick. We could do your solo project or we could do this group thing.’ It was 7 months since Danity Kane ended. I love what I’m hearing with his new music. I wanted to be part of the bigger picture.” (VIBE)
In April 2009, Dawn talked with SOHH about the group’s focus.
“It’s not a solo project. I’m in a group called, Dirty Money. It’s another girl and Puff and me,” Dawn revealed. “Her name is Kaleena. She’s a writer. She’s amazing. She’s wrote for every person you could ever imagine and now he’s giving her the opportunity. It’s not a background [situation] where it’s two girls in the back. We’re singing on all the joints. It’s very different then what you’re used to. It’s a different thing. You’re going to be proud of it.” (SOHH)
Last March, the group performed on “American Idol.”
As a sort of inverse to Usher’s performance earlier in the show, Diddy arrived on a staircase dressed in all white, at first bathed in a heavenly light from above while live violins and timpani kicked off the rocking new single from the upcoming album Last Train to Paris. Diddy was then met on a smoky stage by his Dirty Money mates Dawn Richard and Kalenna, who impressively kept up with their energetic frontman. Halfway through the song, the light show was introduced with an address to those watching at home. (MTV)
Check out some past footage of Dawn down below:
