Editing Sean Combs (section)

===2005–2009: "Diddy" and ''Press Play''===
[[File:ETalk2008-Diddy1.jpg|thumb|left|Combs performing in 2008 at the eTalk Festival Party]]
On August 16, 2005, Combs announced on ''[[Today (NBC program)|Today]]'' that he was altering his stage name yet again; he would be calling himself "Diddy". Combs said fans did not know how to address him, which led to confusion.<ref name="gnextinc August 2005" />

Combs starred in the 2005 film ''[[Carlito's Way: Rise to Power]]''. He played Walter Lee Younger in the 2004 Broadway revival of ''[[A Raisin in the Sun]]''<ref name="Variety April 2004" /> and the [[A Raisin in the Sun (2008 film)|television adaptation]] that aired in February 2008. In 2005, Combs sold half of his record company to the [[Warner Music Group]].<ref name="NY Daily News April 2005" /> He hosted the 2005 [[MTV Video Music Award]]s and was named one of the 100 Most Influential People of 2005 by ''[[Time Magazine|Time]]'' magazine.<ref name="Time April 2006" /> He was mentioned in the country song "[[Play Something Country]]" by [[Brooks & Dunn]]: the lyricist says he "didn't come to hear P. Diddy", which is rhymed with "something thumpin' from the city".<ref name="Cowboy Lyrics 15929" />

In 2006, when Combs refused to release rapper [[Mase]] from his contractual obligations with Bad Boy to allow him to join the group [[G-Unit]], [[50 Cent]] recorded a [[Diss (music)|diss]] song, "Hip-Hop". The lyrics imply that Combs knew the identity of [[the Notorious B.I.G.]]'s murderer.<ref name="MTV September 2006" /> The two resolved the feud, but it resurfaced in later years.<ref name="AllHipHop September 2006" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Murray |first=Conor |title=50 Cent Slams Sean 'Diddy' Combs Again—'We Can't Un See What We Saw'—As Feud Continues |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2024/03/27/50-cent-says-diddy-done-after-feds-raid-sean-combs-homes-but-their-beef-has-lasted-decades/ |access-date=July 29, 2024 |website=Forbes}}</ref>

Combs released his first album in four years, ''[[Press Play (album)|Press Play]]'', on October 17, 2006, on the Bad Boy Records label.<ref name="Billboard October 2006" /> The album, featuring guest appearances by many popular artists, debuted at number one on the U.S. ''Billboard'' 200 chart{{sfn|Traugh|2010|p=96}} with sales of over 173,009. Its singles "[[Come to Me (Diddy song)|Come to Me]]" and "[[Last Night (Diddy song)|Last Night]]" both reached the top ten of the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]].<ref name="Billboard Come To Me" /><ref name="Billboard Last Night" /> The album became available to preview on MTV's ''The Leak'' on October 10, 2006, a week before being sold in stores.<ref name="MTV Press Play" /> ''Press Play'' received mixed to positive reviews from critics,<ref name="MetaCritic Press Play reviews" /> and was certified Gold on the RIAA ratings.{{sfn|Traugh|2010|p=49}} On September 18, 2007, Combs teamed up with [[50 Cent]] and [[Jay-Z]] for the "[[Forbes]] I Get Money Billion Dollar Remix".<ref name="Hip Hop 2007" />

[[File:Sean "Puffy Daddy P Diddy" Combs.jpg|thumb|upright|Combs at the [[60th Primetime Emmy Awards]] in 2008]]
In June 2008, Combs's representative denied rumors of another name change.<ref name="nonamechange" /> Combs ventured into reality television in August 2008 with the premiere of his [[VH1]] series ''[[I Want to Work for Diddy]]''.<ref name="vh1.com" /> He appeared—credited under his real name—in two episodes of Season 7 of ''[[CSI: Miami]]'': "Presumed Guilty" and "Sink or Swim", in the role of lawyer Derek Powell.<ref name="IMDb" />