Diddy Is Opening a Charter School in Harlem

There's no questioning whether Diddy puts on for his city, as the music mogul and hip-hop icon has long been a staple of the New York scene. Advancing that notion even further is news from the Associated Press that Puffy, who officially changed his name 15 years ago today, will be opening a new charter school in Harlem this fall. In a partnership with Capital Preparatory Schools, Capital Preparatory Harlem Charter School has been in the works for five years and will open at 1 East 104th Street.

In a press release announcing the partnership, Diddy said, "I want to impact the lives of young people in my community, and build future leaders. The first step is offering access to a quality education." Diddy himself was born in Harlem, and his Bad Boy label incorporated the New York City uptown neighborhood in such branding efforts as Mase's 1997 debut album Harlem World.

According to the AP report, the school will be overseen by Capital Prep leader Steve Perry, who founded Capital Prep Magnet School in Hartford, Connecticut in 2005. Combs, in conjunction with the school's board, has hired Orlando-based educator Danita Jones as principal.

Diddy calls his ability to help create the school "a dream come true." The Capital Preparatory Harlem Charter School is currently accepting applications for enrollment for the 6th and 7th grade before widening its scope to cover grades 6th through 12th.

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