Midway through Tuesday night’s MTV Video Music Awards (September 12), Mary J. Blige walked on stage to introduce her good friend Diddy, who would be receiving MTV’s prestigious Global Icon Award. However, before he accepted his trophy and gave his speech, he decided to deliver a lengthy performance of many of the songs from his legendary catalog.
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Approaching the stage draped in a shiny all-red suit, Diddy opened his performance by rapping a currently unreleased song, which he first previewed in the August trailer for his upcoming LP The Love Album: Off The Grid.
All I am is a man with ambition to be the best
When I failed, it just gave me the vision to see the rest
Wasn’t even ready when God gave me the test
So I pray you find love in the pieces of me that’s left
Throughout the rest of the set, Diddy would be joined on stage by his son King Combs, his girlfriend Yung Miami (who is one-half of female trap-rap group City Girls), and Keyshia Cole, as they would assist him in performing songs like “Mo’ Money Mo’ Problems,” “Bad Boy For Life,” “I’ll Be Missing You,” “Last Night,” and “Gotta Move On (Queens Remix).”
Once the set wrapped up, Mary J. Blige returned to the stage joined by Diddy’s youngest daughter Chance Combs to present the Global Icon Award. Accepting the hardware surrounded by his children, Chance, King, D’Lila Star, and Jessie James, Diddy gave a heartfelt speech reflecting on his career.
“This is what’s up. Love wins y’all, love wins,” he started. “This is so surreal, I appreciate y’all comin’ and giving me my flowers and celebrating me. Of course, I’ve got to thank God, that’s my secret weapon… This is a dream come true for me. I grew up watching MTV like, ‘Man I wish one day I could be up there.'”
[RELATED: Diddy Announces Release Date for Comeback Album ‘The Love Album: Off the Grid’]
Diddy would continue by remembering how his career started out. Recalling how he once wanted to play professional football for the Pittsburgh Steelers, then transitioned to a career as a dancer and entertainer, the now 53-year-old explained why he wouldn’t change anything about his journey, and why his label Bad Boy Records is the best in the business.
“I want to thank every executive, every producer, every songwriter,” he added. “I gotta thank the Bad Boy family because without them I would not be up here, everybody from Baaaaad Booooooooy, Baaaaad Booooooy! Baaaaad Booooooy! Baaaaad Booooooy! I love y’all from the bottom of my heart… You just gotta keep dreaming. I know sometimes you get hit with those hard things, as I said. I thought I was gon’ be playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers but God made another choice and I thank God for this choice that he made for me to be able to touch you with my music, give you a good time, make you dance, make you feel good. That’s the only intention… When we came in the game, we came in as bosses, came in as kings, we came in as queens, and that’s what’s up. This is to 30 years! I pray to God you get to do something that you love for 30 years consistently. It’s truly a gift from God, but you can’t do it alone.”
Check out clips from Diddy’s performance and speech below.
Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images for MTV
