P. Diddy: Slow Daddy

Having shown his seriousness and been praised for his screen work, Combs might understandably look to cash in a bit by taking the kinds of films that's paid millions to other hip-hop musicians like DMX (Exit Wounds) and Ja Rule (The Fast and the Furious), but that's not what he's after. "I'm definitely trying to be indie heavy," he says. "I really don't have any plans to go make a lot of money in the game. I feel like a lot of those big, commercial films are short-lived. I'm in it for the chance to entertain people in a timeless fashion."

Combs reels off phrases like "respect for the art form" without the slightest hint of irony, which actually seems in keeping with his gut-level, fan's love of the movies. He grows markedly animated when discussing the actor he'd like to work with most ("Denzel Washington--as a movie fan, he's never let me down"), the last DVD he bought (Moulin Rouge), the last movie that made him cry ("The Rookie. I saw it with my son. I was tryin' to fight back the tears, and I couldn't") or the actress he thinks he'd have the best chemistry with (get ready: "I'd have to say Jennifer Lopez. What was her first movie? Selena? I liked her in that"). The bottom line is that he's determined not to be just another musical face signing up for a major motion picture and then simply phoning it in.

"Just because you can sing doesn't mean you can act, and just because you can act doesn't mean you can sing," he says. "That's a given, but at the same time, that means you have more pressure to prove yourself, because you have had success, and you are known for something in another industry. I don't really mind that obstacle, but that's why I've been taking my time."

Combs is determined to keep the two genres separate. "I will never let my movie career and my music career be cross-marketed," he vows. "One has nothing to do with the other." Surely, though, there are similarities between the two industries. "Yeah, whole lotta bullshit," Combs laughs, then adds, "Naw! Naw. I'm just joking."

Pages: 1 2