Q&A With Diddy Dirty Money
posted in: Exclusive Interviews • Features • Urban
Rapper, actor, producer, writer, designer “ Sean “Diddy” Combs is one of the busiest men in the music biz. And despite his already packed résumé, Combs shows no signs of slowing down. He recently teamed up with vocalists Dawn Richard and Kalenna Harper to form Diddy Dirty Money, a dance-infused hip hop trio who won fans over with their moving single “Coming Home.” OurStage got the lowdown on the new collaboration from singer Dawn Richard, who told us about the challenges of working with Diddy, the concept behind Last Train To Paris, and what sets Dirty Money’s soulful dance music apart.
OS: So how did Dirty Money come together?
DR: I had just came from Danity Kane, I was writing for Mya, Cassie and Day26 and sending records to Puff for his new project. He had asked me to come write on his new project he was starting. At the time he had no idea who was going to be in his group. I was writing and referencing records for him, and I think he just loved what Kalenna and I were writing and the hustle we had. I had that “hustle ˜til we win attitude” that Puff had. Four am one morning Puff called me and asked if I would be in his group. I was skeptical at first because of all the previous drama from my last group experience, but I knew this would be life changing for me”an opportunity to make great music and write an amazing story.
OS: Diddy has been involved in so many projects in the industry, what sets this group apart?
DR: The fact that Puff is in this group with two women. That alone sets this design apart from anything he has ever done.
OS: What are the challenges of being part of a band where one 
member is as well known as Sean Combs?
DR: The only challenge is people not being able to see there are three people in the group. Puff is such a huge entity they can’t see where we fit. But we aren’t the type to let that bother us. All we need is a mic and a stage and the rest is for the birds. People will see, one city and live show at a time.
OS: What does the band name mean? Some people have speculated that it’s about drug money.
DR: [Laughs] No, we just wanted a name that was as epic and different as “Vampire Weekend” or “Silversun Pickups.” Dirty Money was the perfect candidate.
OS: Did you write or co-write any of the songs on Last Train To Paris?
DR: Kalenna and I co-wrote on Last Train to Paris: Loving you no More, Ass on the Floor, Hate you Now, and more … That was one of the reasons I signed on to this project. It was the opportunity to use my pen on the project. Being the female perspective and voice of the ride.
OS: Can you describe the concept behind Last Train To Paris?
DR: The journey of finding love, losing love and getting it back again. Puff tells his story of love in the male perspective while me and Kalenna play the female conscience of Puff ‘s love interest. We are the right and left of her brain. I may be the part of the woman that wants love to work where K might be the woman scorned. It’s the emotional tug of war love takes you through.
OS: You collaborated with a ton of artists on the album “ Justin Timberlake, Usher, Wiz Khalifa “ how did you decide who you wanted to work with?
DR: We actually just played records for them. And they picked the records they wanted to be on. We were so blessed to have so many great people hit us up and say “yo can we get on” or “I can outdo the records you already got”. It made for amazing, organic features that added color to the album.
OS: What does Dirty Money bring to dance music that’s original and fresh?
DR: We bring soul, truth and rawness. We are the ones that will get you to dance a lil’ different than you are used to. That pelvic region will be the first to sway with our shit… [Laughs]
OS: What’s next for the group?
DR: The tour is at the end of March”The Coming Home Tour. I just released my mixtape AtellTaleheart … along with our V-Day mixtape Love Love vs. Hate Love. Basically taking over the world one day at a time.
Check out the video for Dirty Money’s smash single “Coming Home,” and don’t miss the trio on their upcoming tour!