Sean "Diddy" Combs, who elevated hip-hop in American culture while building a music and clothing empire that made him a billionaire, faces a sex trafficking trial starting with opening statements on Monday that could cement the rapper's shattered reputation - or offer him a shot at redemption.

Combs, who then performed as Puff Daddy, released his 1997 debut album, “No Way Out,” on his Bad Boy Records label. According to Diddy, the album was heavily inspired by the March 9, 1997 shooting death of Diddy’s close confidant and Bad Boy artist Notorious B.I.G.