combs became an intern at new york's uptown records. while working as a talent director at uptown, he helped develop jodeci and mary j. blige. in his college days combs had a reputation for throwing parties, some of which attracted up to a thousand participants. in 1991, combs promoted an aids fundraiser with heavy d held at the city college of new york (ccny) gymnasium, following a charity basketball game. the event was oversold, and a stampede occurred in which nine people died.