One Diddy celebration is over and another is on the way. Sean “Diddy” Combs will be honored with the 2020 Grammy Salute to Industry Icons Award. The Recording Academy states the honor is dedicated to his “continuous influence on the music industry and beyond.”
According to Variety, the award will be presented to Diddy at Clive Davis’ annual Pre-Grammy Gala on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020. The event will be hosted the night before the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards.
“For nearly three decades, Diddy has fused his boundless creativity and sharp entrepreneurial spirit to create timeless art and build brands and institutions that have shifted our global music culture,” said Deborah Dugan, President/CEO of the Recording Academy. “By bringing the music and lifestyle of East Coast hip-hop to the masses, he was an early reminder of music’s unifying ability to flip our perceptions and broaden our connections to all corners of the world. Over the years, Diddy has persistently empowered other music creators and we’re honored to celebrate his culture-shaping impact at this year’s Pre-Grammy Gala.”
“It’s personally so gratifying that Sean “Puffy” Combs is this year’s icon. He fully deserves this wonderful recognition,” said Clive Davis, co-host of the Pre-Grammy Gala, and whose Arista Records was distributor of Combs’ Bad Boy Records during its 1990s heyday. “From his past innovative and creative contributions right from the very inception of the hip hop revolution, to his many memorable appearances at the Pre Grammy Gala as both speaker and performer, it’s all come full circle. I couldn’t be happier for Sean as a dear friend and colleague.”
“Clive Davis and Arista Records gave me a chance when I was starting Bad Boy Records, he was one of the first industry executives to really believe in me. I’m forever grateful for him,” said Sean Combs. “To be honored at this year’s Pre-Grammy Gala and receive the Industry Icons Award is truly a blessing.”
