Who Is Misa Hylton? All About Diddy's Ex-Girlfriend and Justin Combs' Mother

Misa Hylton, who dated Diddy in the early 1990s, is a renowned stylist who has worked with Lil' Kim and Mary J. Blige

Diddy’s first public relationship was with stylist Misa Hylton.

The “I’ll Be Missing You” rapper dated Hylton in the early 1990s and together they welcomed their first and only child, Justin Combs, in December 1993. Though the couple broke up shortly after, they remained close and Hylton has accompanied him at events since.

In addition to being a parent — she later welcomed two more children with record executive JoJo Brim — Hylton has had a prolific career as a stylist, dressing iconic hip-hop and R&B artists from Lil’ Kim to Mary J. Blige.

Related: A Look at Diddy's Past Girlfriends, From Jennifer Lopez to Cassie

After Diddy’s Los Angeles home was raided in March 2024 following allegations in a lawsuit accusing the rapper of sex trafficking, Hylton criticized the Homeland Security agents’ use of “overzealous and overtly militarized force” against Justin and his brother Christian “King” Combs, who were handcuffed during the raid.

“[The force] used against my sons Justin and Christian is deplorable. If these were the sons of a non-Black celebrity, they would not have been handled with the same aggression,” she wrote on Instagram. “The attempt to humiliate and terrorize these innocent young BLACK MEN is despicable!”

Here’s everything to know about Diddy’s ex-girlfriend, stylist Misa Hylton, and her relationship with the artist.

They started dating in the early 1990s

Hylton and Diddy first got together before either of them were famous. During their relationship, Diddy had an internship at Uptown Records and was scraping money together to get pizza or catch the train home, Hylton shared on The Premium Pete Show in October 2018.

“I knew that he could have what he has now, I just didn’t know what it would look like,” she said of their humble beginnings.

He helped her get her big break

After his internship, he was promoted to A&R at Uptown Records and started working with Jodeci, ultimately hiring Hylton to work on their style.

“We were dating at the time and he had just went from intern to A&R,” she told BET in March 2023. “He had a new position at Uptown Records and he was in charge of putting together the album musically but also for their look.”

Hylton added that she would finish high school early and sit at the company’s headquarters to step in and work as Diddy’s assistant. Her first project was Jodeci’s “Gotta Love” music video where she took a risk and styled the band in streetwear, which wasn’t the norm for male R&B singers at the time.

“That look took off, it went crazy and it sort of set the tone for how male R&B singers would dress and how they would look going forward,” she said. “It really shook up the industry.”

She styled hip-hop icons including Lil’ Kim and Mary J. Blige

Hylton’s career took off soon after, leading her to work with icons in the industry. One of her closest relationships was with Lil’ Kim, which began in the early days of the rapper’s career. The two worked closely with one another, sharing ideas on looks and complementing their styles.

“Misa was so motivated for me because she got it, I was like her little doll baby,” Lil’ Kim shared in an interview with Complex in December 2019. “I always knew I was in good hands, so I could come with something I want to wear, she’d be like ‘Ok I know exactly what to do with this,’...we would say we have telepathy.”

Hylton also had a close relationship with Mary J. Blige, whom she also styled.

“I just bring [Mary’s] ideas to life and add my style aesthetic to it,” Hylton told 101.1 The Mix radio station in April 2021. “We both just love everything about both of our creativity. Her music inspires me to just who she is. I mean, she’s the illest. She’s the best.”

She is a mother of three

Hylton welcomed her first child, Justin, on Dec. 30, 1993, with Diddy. The couple split shortly after as Diddy didn’t want to settle down while his fame was taking off, Hylton said on The Premium Pete Show podcast.

She later married record executive JoJo Brim with whom she welcomed her son Niko on March 14, 1997. Her daughter, Madison, was born shortly after on Nov. 6, 1998.

In 2016, Justin graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles with a degree in sociology, becoming the first “Combs male” to receive a college education. He since has made some TV appearances, including a role in season 3 of Power Book II: Ghost and as a host of the 2021 TV series, Respectfully Justin.

Related: Sean 'Diddy' Combs' 7 Kids: Everything to Know

Niko, for his part, has followed his mom’s footsteps in the hip-hop industry as a burgeoning rapper. He told Spin in January 2024 that he got his start thanks to his mom who was styling the rapper Rapsody for an event and called him to ask for a “video person.”

“I went down on the train to the hotel with my boy. I was telling [Rapsody] I rap, and she was like, ‘If you rap, then spit something,’” he said. “I started rapping for her, and then after that she was just impressed. She took my number down, and then we just started building from there.”

Like her brother, Madison has also started making music following her 2020 graduation from Howard University. A self-titled multihyphenate, Hylton’s youngest child not only sings, but she also is a designer.

She and Diddy remained friends despite their split

Though Diddy and Hylton split once his fame began to take off, the two stayed close through the years as they co-parented their son.

“We’ve had our ups and downs and our fights too and we had our rough patches, but I think ultimately it’s always about the children,” she said on The Premium Pete Show. “We were really close at one time and were really good friends."

Hylton even attended Diddy’s 50th birthday party in 2015, and the two have shown up in support of their son at various events, including his Sweet 16 party in 2010.

She criticized Diddy for one of his business partnerships after their son was arrested

After Justin was arrested and charged with a misdemeanor for a DUI in June 2023, Hylton shared some disdain for Diddy on her Instagram Stories, writing that "this [is] where the buck stops" for her after "sit[ting] around for years and act[ing] like there isn't anything wrong with you."

She then seemed to refer to Diddy’s lawsuit against Diageo, an alcohol company he partnered with to become the face of Ciroc in 2007, though the marketing agreement has since been terminated. They also partnered again in 2013 to launch DeLeon. He sued them for racial discrimination in June 2023, alleging they failed to promote the two brands.

"How [do] you go from one of the greatest to ever do it to making all your money off alcohol and suing the damn alcohol company," Hylton wrote on her Stories. "Sell something healthy that builds people up. I’m sick of it!!!!! NOT MINES."

The two seemed to make up shortly after, with Diddy responding to a positive comment Hylton left on one of his posts, writing, “I love you queen. Stay in the light."

She defended her son after he was handcuffed during a raid of Diddy’s home

Weeks after Diddy’s home was raided in March 2023, Hylton posted video footage of Justin and Christian being handcuffed by Homeland Security agents.

Related: A Timeline of Sean 'Diddy' Combs' Sexual Assault Allegations and Lawsuits

She alleged that the “force” used against the men was “excessive,” and that she had hired an attorney to investigate the case and represent her son.

“Enough is Enough! Did Justin need several laser beams from firearms pointed at his chest?? Did Christian need a gun pointed at the back of his head while he was handcuffed??” she wrote in the caption.

She continued, “How many times have we seen young UNARMED BLACK MEN not make it out of these types of situations alive??”

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