Sean “Diddy” Combs is merging his two favorite things—love and music—with his newest partnership/business venture. The Bad Boy Entertainment mogul is launching his new R&B label, LOVE RECORDS, and is returning to music.
“Music has always been my first love, LOVE RECORDS is the next chapter is about getting back to the love and making the best music of my life,” Combs expressed in a statement. “For the Label I’m focused on creating timeless R&B music with the next generation of artists and producers. Motown is the perfect partner for my album and I’m excited to add to its legacy.”
In addition to his new label, Diddy will also be releasing a new album this summer under his recent deal with Motown. This marks his official return to the music scene and will serve as the first release under LOVE RECORDS.
Motown Records C.E.O. and Chairwoman Ethiopia Habtemariam shared in a statement, “This is a major moment for Motown, as Diddy is one of this century’s most important voices in music and culture; To be a part of his next evolution and album is nothing short of monumental.”
The rumors surrounding Diddy’s new album began in late April. The untitled LP will be his first project since 2006’s Press Play. The new label will not affect the forthcoming partnership Bad Boy has with Death Row Records.
The arrival of LOVE RECORDS was first teased when Diddy appeared on the September 2021 cover of Vanity Fair. He explained why he chose to create a label dedicated solely to R&B. “Yeah, all R&B label, because I feel like R&B was abandoned and it’s a part of our African American culture and I’m not signing any artists. Because if you know better, you do better. I’m doing 50–50 partnerships with pure transparency. That’s the thing. [The new label is so that] we can own the genre; we don’t own hip-hop right now. We have a chance to—and I’m going to make sure that—we own R&B.”
Up next though, he will host and executive produce the 2022 Billboard Music Awards—set to air live on Sunday, May 15 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.