Janice Combs revealed one decision son Diddy made that 'disappointed' her in resurfaced interview
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Sean 'Diddy' Combs and his mom Janice Combs have been through a lot together. After his dad passed away, it was just the two of them and Janice raised him as a single mom with grit, love, and tons of hard work.
She’s been his biggest fan and has stood by him through thick and thin, including the tough times he's facing of late. But despite her pride in her son’s success, there was one decision he made that just didn’t sit right with her — and she’s never been shy about sharing it.
Janice Combs wasn’t thrilled when Diddy dropped out of college
According to Janice Combs, Diddy was a hustler from a young age. “He came home one day and told me he wanted to start a paper route,’’ she told The New Yorker in 2002. “That is how he started. He always wanted to work and make his money. We had a Cadillac car and a house, and he liked life like that.”
When Diddy got into Howard University, Janice was over the moon. She called it “the Black Harvard” and felt he was on the path to something big. But soon, Diddy’s focus started to drift. He saw an opportunity to work at Uptown Records under music mogul Andre Harrell — and he decided to take it. This meant leaving school early, something his mom couldn’t get behind.
“I really was so disappointed about that,’’ Janice said. “A person works day and night just to educate a kid, and to be able to have a roof over your head and a school uniform. He was a fine student, and when he left college it was hard for me.’’
Over the years, Diddy has expressed his gratitude for his mom and all she sacrificed to give him a good start. He opened up about their bond in a 2006 interview with Oprah.
“[My mom] loves me so much, and she’s so proud of me,” he gushed at the time. “She almost killed herself to make sure I went to private schools, to expose me to travel. She made sure I never looked down on other people. She also ignited a fire in me.”
And it wasn’t just about the basics. She stayed with him even during some of his darkest days, like his 2001 trial after a nightclub shooting. “She wanted me to be bigger than my circumstances,” he shared. “During the trial, she walked by me every step of the way.”
Janice Combs speaks out amid latest allegations against Diddy
Just as she stood by him during his 2001 trial, Janice Combs is now speaking up for her son amid some serious allegations. Diddy is currently facing a slew of disturbing charges including s*x trafficking and racketeering, and this has left Janice “devastated and profoundly saddened.”
She's heartbroken by what she sees as a public rush to judgment. “It is heartbreaking to see my son judged not for the truth, but for a narrative created out of lies,” she said in a statement.
Janice admitted that Diddy isn’t “perfect” but insisted he isn’t “the monster they have painted him to be.” In fact, she even hinted at past mistakes her son may have made.
“My son may not have been entirely truthful about certain things, such as denying he has ever gotten violent with an ex-girlfriend when the hotel’s surveillance showed otherwise,” she explained.
“Sometimes, the truth and a lie become so closely intertwined that it becomes terrifying to admit one part of the story, especially when that truth is outside the norm or is too complicated to be believed. This is why I believe my son’s civil legal team opted to settle the ex-girlfriend’s lawsuit instead of contesting it until the end, resulting in a ricochet effect as the federal government used this decision against my son by interpreting it as an admission of guilt," Janice added.
