Sean John Combs (born November 4, 1969), known professionally as Diddy (formerly Puff Daddy and P. Diddy), is an American rapper, record producer, record executive, and dancer. Born in Harlem, Combs worked as a talent director at Uptown Records before founding his own record label, Bad Boy Records, in 1993. He is credited with the discovery and development of musical artists such as the Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, and Usher, among others.