Diddy has shared the origin story behind his signature “Diddy Bop” dance move, revealing it all began with his failed dream to make it to the NFL.
The Bad Boy boss was honored with the Global Icon Award at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards in Newark, New Jersey on Tuesday night (September 12), which recognized his impact and success in music, business and culture over the last 30-plus years.
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During his acceptance speech, Diddy opened up about being a paper boy in his youth and how he once dreamed of playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers — until an injury got in the way.
“This is a dream come true for me,” he said while flanked on stage by Mary J. Blige, his son King Combs and three daughters. “I grew up watching MTV like, ‘Man, I wish one day I could be up there.’
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“I didn’t know I was gon’ be here. I started out as a paper boy at 12 and then I was gon’ be an NFL football player for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t know this, but I planned on being a football player and my leg got broke the last year.”
In a twist of fate, Puff’s crippled leg inadvertently gave birth to his famous dance move, which led to him earning his first opportunity in the music industry.
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“I got depressed and I would be in the clubs dancing in New York doing my ‘Diddy Bop,’ and then people would see me and they would cast me for videos,” he continued. “That’s how I fell in love with the music industry.
“I saw the executives and I wanted to chase that dream. So I wanna thank every executive, every producer, every songwriter. I gotta thank the Bad Boy family ’cause without them I would not be up here. I love y’all from the bottom of my heart.”
The “Diddy Bop” became popular in the 1990s, with Diddy (who at that time went by Puff Daddy) pulling it out in various Bad Boy music videos. It arguably inspired several other dances that followed including Bobby Shmurda‘s “Shmoney Dance.”
Prior to his VMAs acceptance speech, Diddy performed a medley of some of his greatest hits, including “I’ll Be Missing You,” “Bad Boy for Life,” “I Need a Girl” and others. He was joined throughout the set by King Combs, Yung Miami and Keyshia Cole.
The star-studded collaborations — and hits, potentially — are set to continue on Puff’s new solo album, The Love Album: Off the Grid, which drops on Friday (September 15).
The R&B-heavy project boasts appearances from The Weeknd, 21 Savage, French Montana, Mary J. Blige, Busta Rhymes, Justin Bieber, Burna Boy, Fabolous and many more.
