NEW YORK (AP) — A tribute to Andre Harrell, the influential music executive who discovered Sean “Diddy” Combs and died earlier this month, will air Sunday.
Harrell, who died at age 59, founded Uptown Records and shaped the sound of hip-hop and RB in the late 1980s and ’90s with acts such as Mary J. Blige, Heavy D the Boyz, Al B. Sure!
In the early ’90s, Diddy began interning for Uptown and quickly rose up the ranks after finding success with just-signed acts including RB group Jodeci and Blige, who was dubbed the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul with the release of her 1992 debut, “What’s the 411?”
Diddy often credits Harrell with giving him the tools to find success in music and life, even saying Harrell was like a father figure to him.
Diddy posted multiple tributes to Harrell on social media following his death.
