This Bad Boy is an icon.
Sean "Diddy" Combs proved just that when he hit the stage at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards on Sept. 12, performing a medley of his biggest hits—including "I'll Be Missing You" and "Bad Boy for Life"—before being honored with prestigious Global Icon Award. The musical celebration, which looked back at his decades-long career, marked the first time Diddy performed on the VMAs stage since 2005, when he hosted the award show. (See all the stars at the MTV VMAs here and the complete list of winners here.)
Following the performance, Diddy was joined by his kids, with 17-year-old daughter Chance handing him his golden Moon Person trophy.
"Love wins, y'all," he told the crowd. "This is so surreal. I appreciate you all coming, and just even giving me my flowers and celebrating me."
He continued, "I grew up watching MTV wishing, 'Man, I wish one day I could be up there.'"
And in what he called "true Diddy fashion," the music mogul made sure to note that his new musical project, The Love Album: Off The Grid, is out on Sept. 15. He then invited his 16-year-old twin daughters D'Lila and Jessie to step forward and hold up copies of the record.
Diddy—who is also dad to Quincy, 32, Justin, 29, Christian, 25, and Love, 6 months—added, "If you love that love-making R&B, that dancing R&B and you wanna feel good...The Love Album: Off the Grid."
The rapper's new award joins his already impressive collection of Moonmen, including 1997's Best R&B Video for "I'll Be Missing You" and 1998's Viewer's Choice for "It's All About the Benjamins (Rock Remix)."
This year, Diddy's collab with Bryson Tiller, "Gotta Move On," is up for Best Rap and Best Collaboration. Meanwhile, his "Creepin'" remix with Metro Boomin, The Weeknd and 21 Savage is also nominated in the Best Collaboration and Best R&B categories.
Ahead of the show, Diddy—who has also gone by the stage names Puff Daddy, Puffy and P. Diddy in the past—said being recognized for his impact on the music industry as both a performer and producer is "surreal."
"It's a dream come true, but I never thought it would happen." the Bad Boy Records founder told MTV. "It's a wow moment for me."
He continued, "Now, to come and bring my whole history with MTV to one stage for one night is a blessing."
Keep reading to get to know Diddy's children and the next generation of superstars.
Diddy adopted Quincy—whose parents are Al B. Sure! and the late Kim Porter—in the late '90s while dating Kim.
Today, the 32-year-old has followed in his dad's footsteps, dropping songs like "Friends First" with French Montana and, more recently, tracks "On Your Time" and "Day & Night."
"I think I've been a sponge, and now I do so much," Quincy, who also acts, told People earlier this year about watching Diddy work. "Just seeing how he's able to handle and juggle all these things, I took that from him as my most major takeaway."
If Diddy and Misa Hylton's son looks familiar that's because you remember him from the 2010 episode of My Super Sweet 16. (Yes, Nicki Minaj did attend his celebration.)
Since graduating from the University of California, Los Angeles, where he played for the school's football team, the 29-year-old has acted in Power Book II: Ghost and hosted the series Respectfully Justin.
At 25, Diddy and Kim's son has made it clear he's an artist in his own right. Not only is the rapper, known as King Combs, signed to dad's label Bad Boy Entertainment but he's also dropped the EP Cyncerely, C3 plus songs like "Can't Stop Won't Stop" featuring Kodak Bear, "Love You Better" featuring Chris Brown and "Flyest in The City" featuring A Boogie Wit da Hoodie, Fabolous and Jeremih.
"I had to work for it," Christian said on an October 2022 episode of The Breakfast Club. "It wasn't easy to just come out and everybody just receive my music or think that. I have the worth ethic that it takes."
Chance—her mom is Sarah Chapman—came into the world in July 2006 while Diddy was also expecting twins with Kim.
Today, the 17-year-old has her eyes set on Hollywood.
"Zendaya is one of my biggest inspirations," she told Laverne Cox on the red carpet at the 2022 Oscars, "and someone that I really want to work with in the future."
Five months after Chance's birth, Diddy welcomed now 16-year-old twins Jessie and D'Lila Combs. And the trio may as well be triplets. Together, they've attended the Billboard Music Awards and Daily Front Row's Los Angeles Awards together. They even walked in Dolce & Gabbana's fashion show in Italy back in 2021.
Diddy announced in December 2022 that he and Dana Tran welcomed a baby girl named Love Sean Combs. And she's ready to be a star. At 10 months, she already has her own Instagram account—run by her parents, of course—where her mom and dad post adorable photos of the little one as well as videos of all her major milestones.