Bad Boy for Life

Not to be confused with Bad Boys for Life.

"Bad Boy for Life" is a song by American rappers P. Diddy, Black Rob and Mark Curry, featured on Diddy's 2001 third album The Saga Continues.... Produced by Megahertz (Dorsey Wesley), it was released as the second single from the album in July 2001 and reached number 33 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.^[2]

"Bad Boy for Life"
Single by P. Diddy, Black Rob and Mark Curry
from the album The Saga Continues...
Released	July 10, 2001 (2001-07-10)^[1]
Genre	Hip hop, rap rock
Length	4:13
Label	Bad Boy Arista
Songwriter(s)	Dorsey Wesley, Mark Curry, Robert Ross, Jamel Fisher, Drayton Goss
Producer(s)	Megahertz
P. Diddy singles chronology
"Let's Get It" (2001) "Bad Boy for Life" (2001) "Diddy" (2001)
Black Rob singles chronology
"Whoa!" (2000) "Bad Boy for Life" (2001) "Let's Get it" (2001)

Background

“Bad Boy for Life” was produced in 1998, but later released in 2001. In reviews of the album, "Bad Boy for Life" has been identified as a declaration of strength by Diddy's label Bad Boy Records. Jason Birchmeier of music website Allmusic explains that the song summarises the claim "that [the] Bad Boy empire is in fact still an empire",^[3] while Entertainment Weekly reviewer David Browne similarly points out the lyric "It's official/I survived what I been through" as a declaration of strength.^[4] Soren Baker of the Los Angeles Times identifies "Bad Boy for Life", in addition to previous single "Let's Get It", as particularly important to the success of the album.^[5]

Music video

The music video for "Bad Boy for Life" was directed by Chris Robinson, filmed in June 2001 and released in early July, and features a number of cameo appearances including guitarist Dave Navarro, drummer Travis Barker, actor Ben Stiller, actor Richard Dunn, rappers Xzibit, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg and Fonzworth Bentley, boxer Mike Tyson, television host Pat O'Brien, basketball players Shaquille O'Neal and Baron Davis and rap rock band Crazy Town.^[6] The video was nominated for Best Rap Video at both the 2002 MVPA Awards^[7] and the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards.^[8]

In other media

The song was used in the 2015 comedy movie Get Hard, as well as part of a remix/mashup with Bad Boys by Inner Circle in the trailers for the 2020 film Bad Boys for Life, the third installment in the Bad Boys film franchise.

Tom Brady and the New England Patriots also heavily used the song during their Super Bowl LIII run.

Jesy Nelson's 2021 debut single "Boyz", featuring Nicki Minaj, prominently samples the baseline and the final lyrics of the song.^[9]

Mac Miller sampled the song for his 2015 song 100 Grandkids.

Track listing

12" vinyl (78612-79400-1)^[10]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Bad Boy for Life" (club mix)	Wesley, Curry, Ross, Fisher, Goss	4:09
2.	"Bad Boy for Life" (instrumental)	Wesley, Curry, Ross, Fisher, Goss	4:09
3.	"Bad Boy for Life" (radio mix)	Wesley, Curry, Ross, Fisher, Goss	4:09
4.	"Bad Boy for Life" (acapella)	Wesley, Curry, Ross, Fisher, Goss	4:09
Total length:			16:36

European CD single (Arista 74321 88431 2)^[11]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Bad Boy for Life"	Wesley, Curry, Ross, Fisher, Goss	4:13
2.	"Let's Get It"	Trevell Coleman, Jeremy Graham, Ross, Al Green, Mabon Hodge	4:16
Total length:			8:29

European maxi single (Arista 74321 88430 2)^[12]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Bad Boy for Life" (club mix)	Wesley, Curry, Ross, Fisher, Goss	4:13
2.	"Bad Boy for Life" (instrumental)	Wesley, Curry, Ross, Fisher, Goss	4:13
3.	"Let's Get It" (club mix)	Coleman, Graham, Ross, Green, Hodge	4:16
4.	"Let's Get It" (remix)	Coleman, Graham, Ross, Green, Hodge	4:01
5.	"Can't Believe" (club mix)	Sean Combs, Mario Winans, Mechalie Jamison, Michael Jones, Jack Knight, Andre Young, Chris Taylor, Nasir Jones, Jermain Baxter, Anthony Cruz	3:49
6.	"Hoodfellaz" (club mix)	Graham, Ronald Smith, Chris Moss, Kamau Herbert, Goss	4:03
Total length:			24:35

United Kingdom 12" vinyl (Arista 74321 88998 1)^[13]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Bad Boy for Life"	Wesley, Curry, Ross, Fisher, Goss	4:09
2.	"Bad Boy for Life" (instrumental)	Wesley, Curry, Ross, Fisher, Goss	4:09
3.	"Let's Get It" (remix)	Coleman, Graham, Ross, Green, Hodge	5:19
4.	"Let's Get It" (instrumental)	Coleman, Graham, Ross, Green, Hodge	4:30
Total length:			18:07

United Kingdom maxi single (Arista 74321 88998 2)^[14]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Bad Boy for Life"	Wesley, Curry, Ross, Fisher, Goss	4:09
2.	"Bad Boy for Life" (instrumental)	Wesley, Curry, Ross, Fisher, Goss	4:09
3.	"Let's Get It" (remix)	Coleman, Graham, Ross, Green, Hodge	5:19
4.	"Bad Boy for Life" (music video)	Wesley, Curry, Ross, Fisher, Goss	5:56
Total length:			19:33

Credits and samples

"Bad Boy for Life" Performed by P. Diddy, Black Rob and Mark Curry Produced by Megahertz Music Group Vocal production by Harve "Joe Hooker" Pierre "Let's Get It" Performed by Three The... featuring G. Dep, P. Diddy and Black Rob Produced by Yogi Additional production by Mario "Yellow Man" Winans Vocal production by Harve "Joe Hooker" Pierre Contains excerpts of "Love & Happiness" by Al Green

"Let's Get It" (remix) Performed by Three The... featuring Kain, Mark Curry, Loon, G. Dep, P. Diddy and Black Rob "Can't Believe" Performed by Faith Evans featuring Carl Thomas Produced by Sean "P. Diddy" Combs and Mario "Yellow Man" Winans Contains excerpts from "Phone Tap" by The Firm "Hoodfellaz" Performed by The Hoodfellaz Produced by Yogi

Chart performance

Weekly charts Chart (2001–2002) Peak position Australia (ARIA)^[15] 20 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[16] 41 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[17] 14 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)^[18] 7 Germany (Official German Charts)^[19] 6 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[20] 23 Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[21] 17 Scotland (OCC)^[22] 15 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[23] 32 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[24] 20 UK Singles (OCC)^[25] 13 UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)^[26] 3 US Billboard Hot 100^[27] 33 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)^[28] 13 US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)^[29] 5 US Rhythmic (Billboard)^[30] 15

Year-end charts Chart (2001) Position Australia (ARIA)^[31] 96 Belgium (Ultratop Wallonia)^[32] 71 Germany (Official German Charts)^[33] 76 UK Singles (OCC)^[34] 187 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)^[35] 74

References

1. Patel, Minal (July 21, 2001). "The Rhythm Section". Billboard. Vol. 113, no. 29. p. 24. Retrieved January 21, 2019.
2. "Billboard Singles". Diddy Charts & Awards. Allmusic. Retrieved January 13, 2012.
3. Jason Birchmeier. "Review". Diddy - The Saga Continues. Allmusic. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
4. David Browne (July 30, 2001). . Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 25, 2014. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
5. Soren Baker (July 22, 2001). "P. Diddy & The Bad Boy Family, "The Saga Continues ..."". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
6. "P. Diddy - "Bad boy 4 life"". mvdbase.com. Retrieved January 13, 2012.
7. "The Music Video Production Association Announces This Year's Nominees For the 11th Annual MVPA Awards". PRNewswire. April 4, 2002. Retrieved January 13, 2012.
8. "2002 Video Music Awards". MTV Video Music Awards. MTV. Retrieved January 13, 2012.
9. Deen, Sarah (2021-09-29). "Jesy Nelson and Nicki Minaj confirm collab on her first solo song Boyz". Metro. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
10. "P. Diddy, Black Rob & Mark Curry - Bad Boy for Life (Vinyl)". Discogs. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
11. "P. Diddy, Black Rob & Mark Curry - Bad Boy for Life (CD)". Discogs. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
12. "P. Diddy, Black Rob, Mark Curry - Bad Boy for Life (CD)". Discogs. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
13. "P. Diddy, Black Rob, Mark Curry - Bad Boy for Life (Vinyl)". Discogs. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
14. "P. Diddy, Black Rob, Mark Curry - Bad Boy for Life (CD)". Discogs. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
15. "P. Diddy, Black Rob & Mark Curry – Bad Boy for Life". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
16. "P. Diddy, Black Rob & Mark Curry – Bad Boy for Life" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
17. "P. Diddy, Black Rob & Mark Curry – Bad Boy for Life" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
18. "P. Diddy, Black Rob & Mark Curry – Bad Boy for Life" (in French). Ultratop 50.
19. "P. Diddy, Black Rob & Mark Curry – Bad Boy for Life" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
20. "Nederlandse Top 40 – P. Diddy, Black Rob & Mark Curry" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
21. "P. Diddy, Black Rob & Mark Curry – Bad Boy for Life" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
22. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
23. "P. Diddy, Black Rob & Mark Curry – Bad Boy for Life". Singles Top 100.
24. "P. Diddy, Black Rob & Mark Curry – Bad Boy for Life". Swiss Singles Chart.
25. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
26. "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
27. "Diddy Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
28. "Diddy Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
29. "Diddy Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
30. "Diddy Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
31. "ARIA Top 100 Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved September 14, 2022.
32. "Rapports Annuels 2001". Ultratop. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
33. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
34. "The Official UK Singles Chart 2001" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
35. "2001 The Year in Music". Billboard. Vol. 113, no. 52. December 29, 2001. p. YE-44. Retrieved May 20, 2021.