Last month, I Am King, the second fragrance from rapper-actor-entrepreneur Sean P ‘‘Diddy’’ Combs hit the shelves.
Here’s what the multihyphenate Combs had to say about the clean, fruity concoction that includes notes of tangerine, orange, cranberry and a whisper of the kir royale cocktail: What’s with the name? It’s something that was instilled in me when I was younger … my grandmother used to call me her little king.
And your last NewYork Fashion Week show touched on royalty a little bit, right? There’s a king in all of us, that if we just answer the call it’s there for us to take.
This fragrance is dedicated to Martin Luther King (Jr), Muhammad Ali and Barack Obama. The best way to explain what I Am King is about is to look at a picture of Barack Obama.
Creating (your first fragrance) Unforgivable took 666 attempts before you found the right formulation.
Was it easier the second time out? This scent took longer — it’s like your sophomore album.
You’ve got to make sure it’s right. We went through something like a thousand variations.
So is it you in a white lab coat holding beakers? I’m not in there in a white coat, but I’m in there with the guys in the white coats.
It’s like a marriage. I was born to do this because I’m very anal-retentive and I’m a perfectionist and I think that’s what you really need to make a great fragrance.
Was there a particular note or scent in the mix that triggers something for you? Definitely the Imperial French berry; it was designed especially for this fragrance. It’s like when you see someone with the simplest black suit and white shirt on — it’s straight to the point and beautiful.
Someone mentioned James Bond was the inspiration behind the white tuxedo jacket and black tie you wear in the ad campaign.
Is it time for a black Bond? I think it’s time for a black guy to save the world. White people aren’t the only people that can save the world, I think we deserve a chance at least one time… get some equal opportunity, affirmative action going on over at the (spy) agency.
