Spinning Around Planet Puffy

Questions about Sean “Puffy” Combs, who appeared in concert Monday night at Madison Square Garden:

A) Is he the most successful producer-artist-entrepreneur in hip-hop today?

B) Is he a charismatic but undisciplined performer with megalomaniacal tendencies?

C) Is he a crass hedonist with a politically incorrect sense of humor?

D) Is he a humble, reverent man who is haunted by the ghost of a dead friend?

E) Is he all of the above?

Judging by the concert alone, the answer is E.

The show, which was filmed by both MTV and BET, was billed as “Puff Daddy and the Family,” referring to the pseudonym that the multifaceted mogul uses as a rapper and the “family” of acts he has produced and represented under his Bad Boy Entertainment umbrella.

A central member of that family was rap star Notorious B.I.G. (a.k.a. Biggie Smalls), who was shot to death in March, but whose presence loomed largely over the proceedings at the Garden--in the form of songs, video clips, and even, for this night, a poignant appearance by the late rapper’s mother and his young daughter.

But the main torchbearer for Smalls’ memory was ultimately Combs himself, who began his set with a pledge to “keep representin’ forever for the Notorious B.I.G.,” and who dedicated much of the next two hours to just that.

(This leg of the tour does not include a stop in Los Angeles, where Smalls was killed. A spokesperson for Combs would not comment on whether security concerns played any role in that decision.)

Concert promoters have often doubted the drawing power of hip-hop acts, but Combs is a figure who transcends hip-hop. In the past year, hits by Puff Daddy’s family have been a major presence on the pop charts and have virtually dominated the rap and R&B; charts, as the sold-out, multiracial crowd at the Garden evidenced.

After opening sets by baby-faced soul man Usher and the fledgling, feisty rap acts Jay-Z, Foxy Brown and Busta Rhymes, Puff Daddy took the stage to a reworked version of the R&B; classic “Shaft,” in which his name was substituted for that of the blaxploitation film hero.

The freewheeling performance that followed incorporated sexy female dancers, fireworks and appearances by artists who have helped make Combs a very rich man: rappers Mase (whose debut album, “Harlem World,” recently topped the pop chart), Lil’ Kim, Lil’ Cease, the Firm, the L.O.X. and the renaissance soul-harmony outfit 112.

Combs’ role was basically master of ceremonies--part preacher, part comedian, part proud Svengali. When he did rap, it was often over recordings of the hits he has been responsible for, several of them, including the percolating “Mo Money Mo Problems,” featuring vocals by Smalls.

But Combs devoted most of his time on stage to alternately exhorting the audience to live righteously and remember the fallen (Combs paid homage to slain rapper Tupac Shakur as well as Smalls) and glorifying the less-than-righteous lifestyle that is part of the gangsta rap ethic.

A low point was a comic sparring match between Combs and Lil’ Kim that exploited the most base stereotypes about relationships between African American men and women.

If Puff Daddy continues to flirt with a bad-boy image, he is also an unabashed pop traditionalist.

His biggest hit to date, the Smalls tribute “I’ll Be Missing You”--a No. 1 pop single for 11 weeks this year--liberally samples the Police’s “Every Breath You Take.”

Other Combs hits showcased Monday recycled riffs made famous by Phil Collins, David Bowie, Diana Ross and Lisa Stansfield. And some of the flashy effects and theatrical, self-indulgent antics included in this concert were not entirely dissimilar from those used by the Rolling Stones and U2 on their recent tours.

When Combs led a live gospel choir in an exuberant rendition of “I’ll Be Missing You,” some fans even began waving lighters. So it would seem that Combs is, in addition to everything else, hip-hop’s first arena rock star.