Did Diddy stay in touch with you as a mentor afterward or even now?

“No, he didn’t. That’s the only thing I didn’t like about it. He treated me well while I was at the music company, but once you’re not useful to him, he’s done with you.”

This is the story of Lil’ Jerome, an 11-year-old R&B sensation who mysteriously vanished after signing with Diddy’s Bad Boy Records. It all started when Bad Boy Records dropped their first album, *Ready to Die* by The Notorious B.I.G., which was a massive success.

Around that time, Lil’ Jerome, a young talent from Akron, Ohio, signed with the label and released his single “Too Old for Me,” which became the lead track for Bad Boy’s Greatest Hits Volume 1.

The single even got a remix featuring the rapper N.O.R.E., with Diddy adding his signature ad-libs. Jerome also covered Stevie Wonder’s “I Never Dreamed You’d Leave in Summer” for the *Belly* soundtrack.

But after that, Lil’ Jerome vanished.

In an interview with Bad Boy Blog, Lil’ Jerome revealed that leaving the label wasn’t really his decision. He described the intense pressure of the music industry and how it led to a nervous breakdown. Diddy decided to cut ties after Jerome’s voice changed during puberty, and the label lost interest. Jerome recalled how the situation escalated, leading to a panic attack during the filming of his “Dear Evet” music video. Despite being on set, ready to shoot, he couldn’t continue, and the project was abruptly dropped.

Jerome didn’t hear from Diddy again.

Despite the challenges, Jerome moved on with his life. He earned a degree in International Business, completed a Master’s in Marketing, and learned several languages, including French, German, Spanish, Italian, and a bit of Chinese. Although Diddy’s rejection may have felt like a blow at the time, it could have been a blessing in disguise.

Others in Diddy’s circle haven’t been so lucky. Take Carl Thomas, who left Bad Boy Records after Diddy showed little concern for his grief over his brother’s death. Then there’s Biggie, who, according to Diddy’s ex-bodyguard Gene Deal, was planning to leave Bad Boy before his tragic death. Another ex-bodyguard, Uncle Ron, claimed that Diddy offered him money to carry out a hit on Biggie—a claim that adds to the dark cloud surrounding Diddy’s legacy.

In addition to Jerome and Biggie, several other artists have mysteriously disappeared from Bad Boy Records without much explanation. Mase, once a rising star under Diddy’s label, abruptly left to become a preacher. Years later, Mase publicly called out Diddy for exploiting him and other artists, claiming Diddy held onto his publishing rights for over 20 years. Mase even offered $2 million to buy them back, but Diddy allegedly responded with unreasonable demands.

The story of Lil’ Jerome is just one chapter in a much larger narrative of artists who were caught up in the whirlwind of Bad Boy Records. For many, leaving the label may have been their only way to survive. Whether Diddy’s intentions were malicious or simply the result of a ruthless business mentality, the fallout from his decisions continues to haunt those who once looked up to him as a mentor.