On most nights, Diddy’s suite at The W Hotel in downtown Atlanta is probably a pretty lonely place. With a list price of over $2,000 dollars a night—even on a Wednesday—it’s fairly easy to assume that the suite the hotel simply calls the “Wow Suite” doesn’t have many occupants on nights when it’s not Designated for the likes of Diddy. Situated on a floor most CEO’s room keys couldn’t access, Diddy’s suite employs the type of lavish largesse more fitting of an exhibit than a place to sleep. Walking in, you get the feel that the suite is there more for show than anything—it’s the kind of hotel room that all new employees get to see on a tour their first day at work, but probably won’t ever witness again—and of course, Diddy brought his own show along with him. There are video cameras, a staff photographer, a few managers, publicists, body guards, company reps, and a slew of other employees who all look busy. And then there’s Diddy. Amidst the quiet commotion, three things stand out: A long boardroom-type table adorned with hundreds of promo bottles of Ciroc Vodka in tall white gift bags with blue tissue paper, a tall model chick who methodically escapes to the bedroom as if it’s the only place she’s allowed in the spacious suite, and the window. Not just any window, this is the window. It’s mesmerizing, impossible not to look out of as it overlooks I-75 and the city of Atlanta at rush hour, directly centered over the contrast of white headlights and red taillights that create a kind of art that could only be taught about. As Diddy emerges from the bedroom, leaving his company behind, he walks past the huge window without even taking a glimpse at city of Atlanta below. He sits on a couch in the corner of the living room, glances at his blackberry and gets ready for the part of job his doesn’t seem to care for very much: interviews. You spend a lot of time down here in Atlanta. What is it about the South, or Atlanta in particular that keeps you here so much? It’s just the people. I just love their vibe, their energy, the Southern hospitality, really just the whole Southern swag. Your life has been well-documented in the tabloids, television, and even movies, but what’s something that we don’t know about you? Do you have any bad habits? I’m a workaholic, and it’s hard for me to sleep. I can’t think of too many bad habits, but I’m a regular human and I make mistakes. Some days I’m good, some days I’m not the best person in the world. I think we all have similar traits, I don’t think nobody’s above making mistakes or being a human. In terms of bad habits, there’s not any one specific thing I can think of—and I’m nowhere near perfect. I just can’t think of any bad habits. You’ve been going hard with the Ciroc promotions lately and it seems to be a very successful endeavor. Of course, there were a number of artists before you that tried to promote various
brands of their own liquor, but none have really succeeded. What were you able to differently with Ciroc? I think it’s really in the product of Ciroc. I mean, Ciroc is the star. It’s just a great, quality product. You can make people try something once, but to keep people continually coming back, it has to be the product. And we gon’ really take over the game once we drop these different flavors, because we’ve done something that’s never been done in the industry, which was to produce some great tasting flavors, in raspberry and coconut. Once we get all of these things on the shelves I feel we’re really gonna take off. In what ways does Ciroc enhance sex appeal, or sex in general? Ciroc is known for it’s smoothness and I think ladies are especially attracted to a cat that’s smooth and confident with what he’s about—as long as he ain’t really extra about it. I think the uniqueness of Ciroc is sexy. People get tired of going with the flow of what everybody has been drinking the last ten years, so when you’re with that young lady and you’re ordering that Ciroc, I think she’s taking notice that at least you’re going against the grain with things. Did Ciroc help fuel the 36-hour tantric lovemaking session you were talking about on Twitter? (laughs) Naw, that’s not really alcohol-induced, that’s more just like a natural gift and part of me being a Scorpio. Everybody may not be into that type of thing, but that was just something I was expressing with everybody on Twitter, because that’s what I do when it’s time for me to focus on sex—not all the time, but once in a blue moon, if I’m in that mood. I know it probably takes too much concentration with all the breathing techniques and whatnot to have music playing during something like that, but for a normal session what would you say is the best love-making music? You can never go wrong with Jodeci’s Diary of a Mad Band or R Kelly’s 12 Play would work. I think you can really get busy off those two joints right there. You’re always working on multiple projects at once. You have Ciroc, Dirty Money, and I know you’ve said that “movies are [your] next shit,” but what areas of your business are you most passionate about right now? I would say it’s still music—Dirty Money, that and really coming in and making my mark in the spirits industry, the liquor industry. We’re starting we Ciroc and when the time is right, we’re gonna also expose you to some other brands. I thought the Dirty Money project was kind of atypical of Diddy. What made you go that route? I think at the time it was important for a reinvention of me and the way I present my music to people as a recording artist. I think that I play best on a team and I’ve always been a fan of the three-member groups like Guy, but I’ve never seen a group with 2 females and one male, so I thought it would be unique and it could tell a good story. So it’s kind of like the concept you did with the Unforgivable ads with you with the two naked girls? Naw, that was just a reflection of something that’s happened in my life before.
In terms of the female-female-male concept in your music, how has that experience been so far? I think the approach to the music is so refreshing and different for me as a producer and an artist. It’s not going to be an album full of dumbeddown radio records. These records are very experimental, they mean things; they have a lot of edge to ‘em but they’re dope enough that they will eventually be played on the radio. How are you able to adapt and keep your music relevant after all these years? I think you just have to stay true to yourself, but you also have to listen and pay attention to what’s out there. It takes so skill to do. In order to stay relevant you can’t be out there sounding like yesterday, you gotta be make sure that you’re sounding like today but in your own way. In your opinion, who is the best rapper out today? Um, I don’t wanna just give it up to just one person, but I would say my two favorite rappers out today are Jay-Z and Lil’ Wayne. I can feel comfortable saying those are two of the best rappers in the game right now. As a label owner, why don’t you think there are more female emcees succeeding right now? I really don’t have an answer for that question. But I think Nicki Minaj is gonna come and heat it back up, and I think Lil’ Kim is definitely still relevant—I wouldn’t sleep on her. She has a great album. And I’m actually on one of Trina’s new singles; I know Trina’s got some good stuff. I think maybe [female rappers] just took a little break, to be honest. Do you think there’s truth to the notion that a lot of female artists use sex for leverage with producers or whatnot? I don’t really know about the whole fuckin’ for tracks thing. I never really heard about that shit. As a producer I don’t know if some ass will make you go in the studio and spend three days making a track for chick. I can’t really see that working. It takes too much time to produce a track the right way for you to give it away for some ass. We used to have a section in OZONE called “Groupie Confessions” where some of our more ambitious readers would write about their exploits with different stars. Would you ever be concerned about any of your friends of the program writing about you? I know you’ve had— No, I’m not concerned about that. I don’t really have a lot of experience with groupies. What advice you have given your sons about women? Just to be respectful with women. And also I’m teaching them to make sure that the woman is treating them right. Don’t let no woman not treat you like the king that you are, and make sure you’re treating her like a queen. I have a cousin who is planning on proposing to his girlfriend pretty soon. I know you’ve been able to avoid popping the question thus far, but do you have any advice for someone who wants to propose with the extravagance of Diddy without having the budget? If I propose it probably wouldn’t be in a big “fly her to the top of the mountain” type way, it would probably be more in a sincere way. Women love surprises though, so I would suggest finding a really good way to surprise her without spending too much money. // OZONE MAG // 63