the album earned combs five nominations at the 40th grammy awards in 1998, winning the grammy award for best rap album. on september 7, 2000, the album was certified septuple platinum by the recording industry association of america for sales of over 7 million copies. in 1997, combs was sued for landlord neglect by inge bongo. combs denied the charges. by the late 1990s, he was being criticized for watering down and overly commercializing hip hop, and for using too many guest appearances, samples, and interpolations of past hits in his new songs.