Bad Boy 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[1]
Genre	Hip hop
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

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

A song was used in 2015's "Get Hard" film by Etan Cohen. The song was also used as part of an 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 police action comedy franchise starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence.

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

Track listing

12" vinyl (78612-79400-1)[9]

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)[10]

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)[11]

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)[12]

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)[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.	"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 (2001–02) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[14] 20 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[15] 41 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[16] 14 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[17] 7 Germany (Official German Charts)[18] 6 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[19] 23 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[20] 17 Scotland (OCC)[21] 15 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[22] 32 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[23] 20 UK Singles (OCC)[24] 13 UK R&B (OCC)[25] 3 US Billboard Hot 100[2] 33 US Billboard Hot Rap Singles[2] 5 US Billboard Mainstream Top 40[2] 2 US Billboard Rhythmic Top 40[2] 15

Year-end charts Chart (2001) Position Belgium (Ultratop Wallonia)[26] 71 Germany (Official German Charts)[27] 76 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[28] 187

References

1. Patel, Minal (July 21, 2001). "The Rhythm Section". Billboard. 113 (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). "The Saga Continues... Review". Entertainment Weekly. 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. "P. Diddy, Black Rob & Mark Curry - Bad Boy for Life (Vinyl)". Discogs. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
10. "P. Diddy, Black Rob & Mark Curry - Bad Boy for Life (CD)". 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 (Vinyl)". Discogs. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
13. "P. Diddy, Black Rob, Mark Curry - Bad Boy for Life (CD)". Discogs. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
14. "Australian-charts.com – P. Diddy, Black Rob & Mark Curry – Bad Boy for Life". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
15. "Austriancharts.at – P. Diddy, Black Rob & Mark Curry – Bad Boy for Life" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
16. "Ultratop.be – P. Diddy, Black Rob & Mark Curry – Bad Boy for Life" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
17. "Ultratop.be – P. Diddy, Black Rob & Mark Curry – Bad Boy for Life" (in French). Ultratop 50.
18. "Offiziellecharts.de – P. Diddy, Black Rob & Mark Curry – Bad Boy for Life". GfK Entertainment Charts.
19. "Nederlandse Top 40 – P. Diddy, Black Rob & Mark Curry" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
20. "Dutchcharts.nl – P. Diddy, Black Rob & Mark Curry – Bad Boy for Life" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
21. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
22. "Swedishcharts.com – P. Diddy, Black Rob & Mark Curry – Bad Boy for Life". Singles Top 100.
23. "Swisscharts.com – P. Diddy, Black Rob & Mark Curry – Bad Boy for Life". Swiss Singles Chart.
24. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
25. "Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
26. "Rapports Annuels 2001". Ultratop. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
27. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
28. "The Official UK Singles Chart 2001" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved June 14, 2020.