As 2016 has called quite a few home one phrase continues to be uttered. “Give people their roses while they can still smell them.” 2016, I got the message loud and clear. Let me pay homage to those I love. Cause one day they here and baby the next day they gone. Today’s bouquet goes to one of my favorites, Sean Puffy Combs.

Puff makes me happy. He elevated us, all of us. He paved the road to luxury and wealth that hadn’t been displayed or welcoming to the culture before him. From being impeccably dressed and being honored as a CFDA award recipient to owning stakes in alcohol, Puff’s reach has benefited us all. He showed us how high we could go. But I remember him from the beginning, and I love him from the gate.

There’s something about an overbite that I appreciate. It’s determined yet humbling. He brought us Mary. He brought us Jodeci. He brought us Big. He brought us ballin. How powerful is the line “don’t worry if I write rhymes I write checks.”? He may not have even written that line…clap for him y’all.

His motivational shit talking brings a smile to most people’s faces. He’s talented and he’s gifted. The sound of him telling us we cannot multi-task like him. When he tells us to dream big while showing us the fruits of his big dreams. Show him some love!

Puff also is a dancing machine. I contend the smurda dance is in fact the diddy bop. How often do you go out to a function and see a dude setting the dance floor on fire? It doesn’t happen. People don’t dance no mo all they do is this. But not Puff. He’s gonna dance so hard he falls in a hole in the stage but pops back up and doesn’t miss a beat. Do you know why? Because he loves us. He loves all of us.

To think there was a time when the mention of his name was almost a joke. When he went from Puffy to Puff to Diddy to Sean Combs and back to Puff or maybe he went back to Diddy. I don’t know, I’ve stayed at Puff. “Mainstream” lauded him for his big personality, painted him in the role of jester. But he was no jester, he was king. He was expanding his portfolio. Solidifying his position on the Forbes top-earners lists. God bless him.

A dedicated bachelor and highly visible lover of ladies I find his role as a father touching. It’s beautiful to see him with his franchises of children. All together, Christmas cards, birthday parties, sporting events. It’s endearing and a pleasure to watch him mature in a culture that doesn’t place aging in the highest of regards.

While he has matured there is one thing we all know about him. If you start some shit with him he will hit you. He will. I may be in the wrong but that’s a redeeming quality in my book. He’ll apologize after he hits you too, but you started it.

One of Puff’s greatest traits? His sense of style. Pound for pound he may be the best dressed men out there. He understands fit and looks good in everything he wears. I’m convinced he’s paid for the best quality resolution available for pictures because even in a white tee he exudes personal style. A treasure!

Here’s to you Puff, thank you for everything. For showing us we can go anywhere. Informing us we can pay someone to carry an umbrella for us to shield us from the sun. Exposing us to the possibility of people walking extreme distances to retrieve dessert. Discovering the best MC of all time. Dylan, Dylan, Dylan.

Thank You.

Snuka