The legacy of Bad Boy Entertainment is back in the news, but not regarding hit records or its iconic moments in hip-hop. Instead, at the center of a lawsuit filed by Kirk Burrowes, the label's co-founder and former president, against Sean "Diddy" Combs and that company's longtime chief executive is Janice Smalls, the mother of Mr. Combs. Mr. Burrowes says he was physically pushed out of what was rightfully his share of the company.
Diddy used intimidation tactics, including a baseball bat, to get Burrowes to sign away his 25% ownership of Bad Boy Entertainment back in 1996, according to legal documents the Daily Mail got their hands on. Burrowes says he was ambushed in his New York City office by Diddy and the label's lawyer, Kenneth Meiselas. In a panic and devastated, he says he was compelled to sign over his shares in tears.
The lawsuit claims that the ownership stake was transferred to Smalls, who Burrowes states was the strategic mastermind behind the whole thing. Though she wasn't personally involved in the purported altercation, Burrowes says she later behaved as though she had no idea what occurred when he went to her for advice.
Now, decades later, Burrowes is battling to regain what he says is rightfully his and charging that Smalls was part of a campaign of "intimidation, violence, fraudulent misrepresentation and financial concealment."
Burrowes, who says he's homeless as a result of being blocked from the music industry, is looking for financial restitution. His lawsuit seeks to have himself reinstated as a 25 percent owner of Bad Boy Entertainment, an audit of the company's financial records, and a portion of the profits. He's also seeking $100,000 in damages, alleging that he was financially sabotaged after being fired from the company.
The lawsuit against Smalls comes amid ongoing scrutiny of Diddy's business dealings. Until last year, Bad Boy's mogul made his education hit the internet after giving up publishing rights for some of his former label mates Ma$e, The LOX, and 112. But not everyone regarded this as a magnanimous gesture. Former Bad Boy artist Mark Curry expressed his disappointment with the gesture, claiming that the value of the rights had decreased significantly over the years to the extent that some are worth less than $500 a year. "Diddy handed the publishing back … So? None of it has value," Curry said, implying that something monetary would have been more meaningful.
For Burrowes, this lawsuit isn't only about money and reclaiming a legacy he feels was stolen. Whether the court will rule in his favor is yet to be determined; the history of Bad Boy Entertainment is far from over.
As Diddy and his mother continue to recover from what have become mounting legal challenges, the case raises broader questions about the nature of power, loyalty, and the long-term impact of any music industry disputes. And with Burrowes taking her fight to the courts, this is one Bad Boy saga that is far from done.
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