It's 2026, and the image of Sean "Diddy" Combs holding a glass of Cîroc while overlooking a white-clad crowd in the Hamptons feels like a fever dream from a different lifetime. For decades, the answer to what does Diddy do for a living was simple: he did everything. He was the "Bad Boy" who built a music empire, the fashion designer who made streetwear luxury, and the spirits kingpin who turned vodka into a multi-billion dollar culture.
But things changed. Fast.
If you’re looking at his life today, the "living" part of his career isn't about private jets or boardroom takeovers. It’s significantly more restricted. As of January 2026, Diddy is an inmate at FCI Fort Dix, a federal prison in New Jersey. His "job" is no longer running a global conglomerate; it's a work assignment within the prison walls.
The 2026 Reality: A Chaplain’s Assistant
Honestly, the shift is jarring. Instead of overseeing a roster of multi-platinum artists, Diddy now spends his working hours as a chaplain's assistant.
This isn't just a random detail; it’s a specific, coveted role within the federal prison system. While most people might picture him in a cell 24/7, his day-to-day actually involves maintaining the prison chapel's religious library and cleaning the chaplain's office. It’s quiet work. It’s structured.
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Why would a former mogul want this job?
- The Environment: The chapel is one of the few places in a federal facility where inmates can move with a bit more freedom.
- Climate Control: At Fort Dix, the chapel office is often one of the few spots with air conditioning.
- Perks: It’s common for chaplains to share food from religious services with their assistants.
For a man who spent thirty years at the top of the food chain, being an assistant is a massive ego check. He’s also reportedly enrolled in the Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP). If he completes it, he could potentially shave up to a year off his roughly four-year sentence, which he received in late 2025 after a conviction on prostitution-related charges (specifically violating the Mann Act).
What Happened to the Business Empire?
You can’t talk about what does Diddy do for a living without acknowledging the smoking ruins of his former companies. He didn't just lose his freedom; he lost the levers of power that made him a billionaire-adjacent figure.
The Spirits Divorce
For a long time, Diddy's primary source of wealth wasn't music—it was booze. His 50/50 profit-sharing deal with Diageo for Cîroc vodka was legendary. But after the deluge of lawsuits and his 2024 arrest, that partnership ended in a "voluntary dismissal" of all legal claims. Diageo now solely owns DeLeón Tequila and Cîroc. Diddy walked away with a settlement, but he no longer has a seat at the table in the spirits industry. The checks still come in from the settlement, but the "mogul" status in that world is gone.
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The Media Exit
Then there’s REVOLT TV. Diddy was the face and the force behind this Black-owned multi-platform media company. However, by mid-2024, he officially stepped down as chairman and sold his shares back to the company. The network continues to operate, focusing on hip-hop culture, but Diddy is no longer the man in charge or the one profiting from its growth.
The Music Catalog
Interestingly, Diddy made a move in late 2023 that many saw as a desperate attempt to clean up his legacy before the legal walls closed in. He reassigned the publishing rights of Bad Boy Records back to the artists themselves. Legends like Mase, Faith Evans, and the estate of The Notorious B.I.G. now own their work. While Diddy still earns royalties from his own performances and certain producer credits, the "label head" income has been drastically reduced.
Passive Income: How He Still Has Millions
Even behind bars, Diddy isn't broke. Not even close. While his net worth reportedly plummeted from nearly $1 billion at his peak to around **$400 million** in 2026, that’s still a staggering amount of money.
Most of his "living" now comes from:
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- Music Royalties: Every time a Bad Boy classic plays on Spotify or is used in a commercial, a sliver of that money finds its way to his accounts.
- Real Estate Liquidation: He has owned some of the most expensive real estate in the world, from Star Island in Miami to Los Angeles mansions. Selling these off helps fund a legal team that costs millions per year.
- Investments: Over thirty years, he put money into tech, cannabis (like his attempted Cresco Labs deal), and various startups.
Why This Matters for the Future
The story of Sean Combs is a cautionary tale about the difference between "wealth" and "legacy." He still has the wealth, but the career is effectively over. In the eyes of the law, he’s an inmate. In the eyes of the industry, he’s a liability.
When people ask what does Diddy do for a living today, the answer isn't "he's a rapper" or "he's a CEO." He is a man navigating the consequences of a decades-long "freak-off" culture that finally caught up to him.
Actionable Insights for the Curious:
- Monitor Legal Appeals: Diddy is currently appealing his conviction. If successful, his "living" could shift back to private consulting or behind-the-scenes production by late 2027.
- Watch the Catalog: Keep an eye on the Bad Boy catalog. As legacy acts like The Notorious B.I.G. continue to trend on social media, the underlying value of those master recordings remains his most stable asset.
- Track the Settlements: Much of his remaining $400 million is likely tied up in civil settlements. His net worth is a moving target that depends entirely on how many more victims come forward in civil court.
He’s no longer the king of New York. He’s an assistant in a chapel, waiting for a release date in 2028.