For a while, Puff Daddy found himself in the middle of one of the biggest east coast/west coast fights: Bad Boy Records Vs. Death Row Records. Basically it was Puff Daddy & Biggie Smalls Vs. Suge Knight & Tupac Shakur. This started when 2pac was shot for the first time in New York. (2Pac blamed his shooting on Biggie Smalls among other East Coast rappers) Before this, 2Pac & Biggie Smalls were friends. This was a big incident in the east coast-west coast situation. In 1996, Tupac Shakur was shot & killed. Shortly after this, Suge Knight was thrown in jail for a probation violation. Death Row Records didn't turn out to be as "untouchable" as they said they were. (Puffy Daddy & Family made no direct involvement in this east coast-west coast fight and Puff Daddy now gives shout-outs to 2Pac saying R.I.P.
1997 was a big year for Bad Boy Entertainment. In early 1997, Puff Daddy was doing vocals for a change and Bad Boy had a new family member who went by the name of Mase. "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" was a huge hit from Puff Daddy & Mase. This track was blowin' up while a solo album by Puff Daddy called "Hell Up In Harlem" was expected to be released soon. Unfortunately, in March tragedy hit. Notorious BIG was shot & killed. The death of Notorious BIG was a huge loss for Bad Boy Records. Puff Daddy had lost his best friend. Puffy recorded a track entitled "Missing You" which was a sample of The Police's "Every Breath You Take" in memorial for Biggie Smalls. This track surprisingly went platinum bring in 3 million dollars for that one track. A memorial album was also created in dedication to the Notorious BIG. The 3 million dollars that this track made was generously given to the family of The Notorious BIG by Puff Daddy
In Summer of '97, Puff Daddy's solo album entitled "No Way Out" was released. This album quickly went platinum and was a major success. It featured such Bad Boy family members as Mase, Notorious BIG, Lil' Kim, 112, Faith Evans, Black Rob, and The Lox. Major hits from this album are "Can't Nobody Hold me Down", "Missing You", "It's All About The Benjamins", and "Been Around The World".
Puff Daddy was now working with such artists as Busta Rhymes, KRS-One, Lil' Kim, Boyz II Men, and Mariah Carey. He was seen in tons of rap videos and his name was printed on many new albums. In fall of '97, Mase's solo album was released which was entitled "Harlem World". In winter of '97, the entire Bad Boy family started their tour. This rap/r&b music tour featured the entire bad boy family plus other artists like Jay-Z, Foxy Brown, Busta Rhymes, and Usher. The tour was ahuge success with sold out crowds everywhere. A portion of the money gained from this tour went to the family of Notorious BIG.
Puff Daddy was born & raised in New York City. He now has a son named Justin. Puff Daddy runs a charity called "Daddy's House" which gives money to the kids of New York for computer camps, trips to Africa, ETC. Puff Daddy even owns a restaurant located in New York which is called "Justin's" (named after his son).
Friend
Puff Daddy & The Family Lyrics
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because there's work to be done
but i'd rather be poor and live with my friends
than be rich and die all alone
the lust for money has turned people numb
their obsessions over power the fright
they don't even know or care what they've done
they'd kill if the price was right
and make the hard times quickly pass
a life full of pleasure and good times
a feeling of love that will last
a life without worry of power or greed
it's the only life we've got
there's much more to life than increasing it's speed
too precious to every be bought
and so you lost all your friends
because of this game
think you'll buy more later on,
but the friends that you bought
aren't even the same
'cause all yuor real friends are gone
These emotionally charged lyrics by Puff Daddy & The Family speak to the importance of friendship and the destructive nature of greed and materialism. Puff Daddy begins by acknowledging that society often tells us to prioritize work over relationships, but he rejects this notion, valuing his friendships over any monetary gain. He emphasizes the numbness that can come with a lust for money and power, and how this can lead people to lose sight of what's truly important. Puff Daddy warns of the dangers of greed and the lengths that some people will go to for financial gain, including murder.
Despite these dark themes, the song ends on a hopeful note. Puff Daddy reminds us that friends can work through their problems and provide a support system during difficult times. He emphasizes the importance of living a life full of pleasure, good times, and love, without worrying about the accumulation of power or possessions. The final lines of the song are a poignant reminder of the true cost of greed and the loss that it can bring: "all your real friends are gone." In these lyrics, Puff Daddy urges us to prioritize our relationships and reject the empty promises of materialism.
Line by Line Meaning
they tell us that our friends aren't important
Society, in general, emphasizes that work is more important than friends.
because there's work to be done
Work is considered more valuable than friendship in contemporary society.
but i'd rather be poor and live with my friends
The singer values familial relations more than materialistic things or wealth.
than be rich and die all alone
The artist believes that wealth cannot replace the feeling of happiness and love that comes from having good, trustworthy friends.
the lust for money has turned people numb
People have lost their empathy and concern for others because of their obsession with money.
their obsessions over power the fright
People's urge to control, dominate, and have power over others is greater than their fear of being alone.
they don't even know or care what they've done
People's ambition to acquire wealth and power at any cost adversely affects their ability to sympathize with others.
they'd kill if the price was right
People are willing to go to great lengths, even commit heinous acts, to get what they want.
but friends can work out their problems
Friends are capable of resolving their disagreements and getting over difficult periods with time.
and make the hard times quickly pass
Friends can turn challenging circumstances into a better time by supporting each other.
a life full of pleasure and good times
Having friends provides continuous enjoyment, real fun, and laughter.
a feeling of love that will last
The emotional bond between friends is so strong that it will last a lifetime.
a life without worry of power or greed
A life spent with true friends is spent without concern for power or selfish interest.
it's the only life we've got
We must value the present moment and prioritize the things that truly make you happy, such as friends.
there's much more to life than increasing it's speed
Life has more to offer than the desire to accumulate wealth and power quickly.
too precious to every be bought
The worth and value of good friends cannot be measured by any amount of money.
and so you lost all your friends
The obsession for power and money can make us lose our true friends.
because of this game
The singer refers to ambition, success, and competition as a game in this context.
think you'll buy more later on,
The singer implies that wealth and power cannot replace the genuine companionship that comes from having loyal friends.
but the friends that you bought
The artist implies that one cannot buy true friends by offering cash, riches, or material benefits.
aren't even the same
Fake or bought friends may not be genuine, trustworthy, and loving friends that the artist initially lost because of the obsession with power and money.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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