P. Diddy takes fresh outlook on life

P. Diddy: "Whether you love hip-hop or never owned a hip-hop record, this is the type of record you would want because it has a real carefree attitude."

(CNN) -- He started the year 2001 as Puff Daddy -- the CEO of Bad Boy Records, a hip hop mogul, and a person in the spotlight for his relationship breakup and courtroom appearances.

But after being acquitted of bribery and gun possession charges in March, the rap star emerged a free man with a new name, a new album, and a whole new outlook on life.

Sean "P. Diddy" Combs says his July release "P. Diddy and the Bad Boy Family... The Saga Continues..." is exactly that -- a release. It's a big sigh of relief, a welcome carefree toss of the head and a happy frolic forward.

"It's like getting a piece of me after the trial," he said. "It's back to the basics about just good music." World Beat recently caught up with P. Diddy to talk about his return to his rapping role.

World Beat: How have the events of the last year affected your musical career?

P. Diddy: I was able to leave that in the past and I was able to start new. And I was able to appreciate the opportunity just to make music, the opportunity to have fans, to be in the music industry and to be a music artist and to do something that I love. And I think that you can feel that through the music and through this album. It has that carefree attitude. Nothing of it is angry. Nothing of it is too tense or too hard.

World Beat: How has your musical style evolved?

P. Diddy: I think it's gotten better as far as performance wise. In all honesty I think it's gotten a little rawer... a little more rough around the edges. Instead of getting too refined it went more back to the basics.

World Beat: Tell me what's involved on this album.

P. Diddy: I don't want to hear a whole album of just me. I want to give people new players, new flavors. I want to be a part of a team and I want to play my position. So I played my position as a producer. And I perform on most records, but I don't overdo it.

I was able to take some criticism over the last couple of years of me being an artist... And (I) enjoy getting criticism, to be able to make me better. I think that I've handled it and digested it, and I think I've gotten a little bit better. I can't say a lot but I can say that on this album I think I got a little better. But I would like everybody else to judge it for themselves and to take the time to get the album and enjoy it.

World Beat: Your newest video ("Bad Boy For Life") is more like a mini-movie. Tell us about that.

P. Diddy: I like doing things big, and even though we're coming out a little rough around the edges this time, I'm still going to be me... So I have this video where I go take over the whole suburban neighborhood -- me and the whole bad-boy family, myself and new artists, and some of the veteran artists, we go and take over this suburban neighborhood.

It's perfect town USA, and your worst nightmare is P. Diddy and the family moving into the neighborhood... The whole video is about bridging the gaps. And that's the type of artist that I pride myself in being. Whatever country you come from whether it's Germany, Italy or Russia, I can give you music and give you my point of view of what's going on here in the U.S. as a young black man and you can relate to it...

World Beat: How important has hip-hop become as a genre when compared to blues, jazz, etc.?

P. Diddy: I think that hip-hop is the epitome of all of that -- jazz, blues, rock and roll. It's the most radical of all the forms that there is right now. And it's not just the music; it's a lifestyle and a culture. And it's a true epitome of musical expression. The diversity of it is second-to-none. I know I'm bragging about hip-hop but I'm from the world of hip-hop. I'm proud of it and this is just something (where) I want people to feel the passion.

World Beat: Tell us what came out of the Hip-Hop Summit?

P. Diddy: I think that is was a historical moment as far as you finally saw this musical style, this culture, this art form, finally growing up, and thinking and taking the time out to make the decision "let's get together, let's talk about our experiences. Let's set new goals for ourselves."

We're doing this because we care about this art form and we want it to continue to grow and we feel like this is not just music, it's a lifestyle and a culture and in order to preserve that we have to assess what's going on. We have to know where we came from to know where we're going to in the future.

World Beat: Can you tell me about the name change and how that came about?

P. Diddy: I'm not crazy, so if you see me out on the street, or in concert you can still call me Puffy or Sean or whatever. P. Diddy, is just a new addition to the arsenal of names, and it's just another level of flavor. It's just another mood, another vibe, and it's just starting it fresh, and starting it new.

I've been happy and blessed to be in the music industry for 10 years. And on my 10th anniversary, my 10th birthday, I decided that I was going to change my name and come out with some new flavor -- P. Diddy.

World Beat: You're referred to as P. Diddy on some of the tracks of "No Way Out".

P. Diddy: Yeah, so it's not something that's new, but it's something that's very personal -- it's something that my close personal friends call me. And I felt like I wanted to share it with the world. So now my close personal friends call me Sean.

World Beat: Tell us about the gospel album.

P.Diddy: The gospel album is definitely coming out at the end of October, November. And a lot of times when you say gospel, people get nervous... But it's more of an inspirational album. We're not into religion; we don't care if you're Jewish, Catholic, Protestant, Baptist. It's just about if you believe in one God and you believe in giving thanks for all your blessings and being here.

It comes from the perspective of a sinner. I'm still making mistakes in life. I'm still learning but I'm on the right path. It comes from the perspective of a sinner that's on the right road, and who's walking the right road and trying to get better every day. It helps AIDS in Africa, the children's defense fund, and also Daddy's House Social Program, which is my charity.

World Beat: What would you say to younger artists coming up?

P. Diddy: I would say appreciate things... Take time to smell the air and appreciate God, and keep God first. And keep your family first. And know that it's busy and hectic but bring them along for the ride. Set up the playpen at the studio.

But I'm also saying go into your kids' world -- don't always bring your kids and family into your world. Sometimes you've got to just strip down and leave your artist and your name in the studio and go back home to the name, the person that you were born into this world as.

World Beat: What's the best advice you've been given?

P. Diddy: I've been given so much advice. I think the best advice is don't be too big to listen. You have to be able to listen to what people feel and what people think. You also have to be able to listen to the new movements that are going on. You could be the leader of an era but not for so long.

To me it's not about leading the pack or the race all the time. I mean, I'm trying to win the marathon at the end of the day... but I'm always looking and listening to what's going on with (what) the other runners are saying. But I know, when it comes time to go to that Coliseum, I know that I'm going to be giving them a run for their money to the finish line.

World Beat: What are the most exciting trends in the music business at the moment?

P. Diddy: What excites me about the music industry at the moment is that it's ever changing. And you see music finally coming together. You see radio stations starting to be programmed with rap, rock, hip-hop, soul and pop music. You see artists getting together from other musical genres. But you also see that evolvement in music just constantly. And you see dance music coming back in to play.

World Beat: When can fans around the world expect to see your show?

P. Diddy: I would say expect to see me in the next six months. I'm going to start things off with a small run, an intimate run. We're going to call it the warm up. We're going to go into clubs and do a stripped down version of our show, and we're going to bang you in your head for about an hour and a half of hits and crowd participation. And then probably next year you can see the big show. And hopefully next summer I'll be on some of those summer festivals to really bridge the gap on some of those rock and dance festivals.

Word Beat: Tell me about an album people might be surprised to hear that you're a fan of?

P. Diddy: I'm a big Cold Play fan. "Yellow" brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it. I don't know if people know that.