Sean “Diddy” Combs is doing his part to help others.
The rapper and entrepreneur, 53, had a busy Friday that culminated in him donating two $1 million checks to charities close to his heart.
First, the “I’ll Be Missing You” hitmaker headlined Atlanta’s Invest Fest, where he announced a $1 million investment fund in collaboration with Earn Your Leisure (EYL) and its founders, Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings.
According to its website, the media platform “gives rise to emerging and established content creators from the world of business, finance, and entrepreneurship whose perspective, expertise and in-depth insight has been undervalued and overlooked.”
In a press statement from Diddy’s investment portfolio, Combs Global, the proceeds from the sale would go toward financial literacy efforts, “[putting] the investment strategies discussed on EYL into action” and “providing a practical model for economic empowerment.”
“I’m thrilled to join forces with Earn Your Leisure,” Combs stated in the release. “We’re going beyond discussing finances and taking action to demystify the world of investing for our community.”
Diddy also stated that the revenues from the “special” fund will go toward his three Capital Preparatory charter schools in New York and Connecticut, including one in his home neighborhood of Harlem, in a video of the rapper handing out the check.
@EarnYourLeisure posted a short clip of the Invest Fest receiving 60K+ Views:
An Invest Fest moment in history. Invest Fest #investfest pic.twitter.com/2czLkUdVbC
— Earn Your Leisure (@EarnYourLeisure) August 27, 2023
Later that day, the famed producer attended a football game at Georgia State’s Center Parc Stadium, where he made a significant contribution to the latter team, South Carolina State versus Jackson State University.
Diddy gave $1 million to the HBCU football team in Jackson, Mississippi, through his organization, the Sean Combs Foundation.
The grant, like the EYL fund, is “geared towards fostering economic empowerment and upholding the legacies of historically Black institutions,” according to the statement.
Combs made the donation during his acceptance speech for the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2022 BET Awards, saying it reflects his “responsibility” to give back to HBCUs.
“If it wasn’t for HBCUs, I wouldn’t be here,” Combs, a Howard University graduate, told ESPN during the game on Friday.
“Supporting HBCUs is not just my honor, it’s my responsibility,” he went on to say. “You know, my grandmother raised me to make sure I sow my seed in my community and that’s what I’m going to continue to do.”
Diddy posted to Instagram on 27th August, 2023 which got 70.5K+ likes:
View this post on Instagram
Combs also stated in the interview that HBCUs are “under-resourced” and that he is “here to do something about it.”
In the press announcement, the producer provided additional context for the $1 million funding.
“Supporting historically Black colleges and universities is crucial to preserving their legacy and ensuring they continue to change lives,” he added in a statement. “This donation to Jackson State is not just a financial contribution, it’s an investment in the future of our culture.”
@1400Klub’s tweet included a short clip of Diddy’s speech at the Invest Fest which garnered 2.9K+ Views:
Diddy 🤝🏾 Jackson State #THEEiLOVE pic.twitter.com/TyAZFcuGT1
— The 1400 Klub (@1400Klub) August 27, 2023
