Diddy: Behind the Boards

Editors’ Notes Leveling dance floors with their glossy bangers, transforming the grimiest street rappers into crossover-ready stars, The Hitmen were the platinum-plated architects of the jiggy era, dropping millions on samples as they fused glittering hooks with raw beats. Assembled by Diddy during his rise from backroom playa to flossy icon, this wrecking crew of producers laced the Bad Boy family with endless anthems, whether that meant the fizzy disco-revival bounce of Ma$e's "Feels So Good" or the menacing funk throb of Biggie's "Hypnotize.” But they also slid from roughneck hip-hop to soulful pop with ease, launching a hit-making sideline in candied R&B jams for divas like Mariah Carey and Jennifer Lopez.