Time was when producer, record executive, and socialite Sean "Puffy" Combs was a one-man sure-shot. But the game of hip-hop is a fickle one and Puffy's brand of pop-rap, heavy on recognizable party-hearty samples and Italian designer name-dropping lyrics, was already falling from favour by the time of the release of his second "solo" album. These days the market demands a tougher, leaner (if no less status-conscious) breed. So it's no surprise from a commercial … mehrstandpoint that many of the 19 tracks on Combs's second effort reflect this au courant street sound. Of course, the notion of Combs adapting a thuggish posture is laughable: he's about as threatening as the Tasmanian Devil, which is probably why he leaves the truly down and dirty rhymes to guest rappers such as Busta Rhymes and Redman. It's hard to argue with Puffy's talent as a producer; even with his love for the blatant he can still cook up a sizzling cut. But as a rapper he's a would-be at best, and what he has to say is even more pointless. The constant references to himself as a Christ-like figure, the non-stop paranoia, his insistence that he's a wanted, dangerous public enemy are self-indulgent nonsense. In the end, Forever is a star-studded ego trip from an artist who should stick to making dope hits for other people. --Amy Linden weniger

1 - Forever - Puff Daddy
2 - What You Want - Puff Daddy
3 - I'll Do This For You - Puff Daddy & Kelly Price
4 - Do You Like It Doo You Want It - Puff Daddy & Jay-Z
5 - Satisfy You - Puff Daddy & R Kelly… mehr
6 - Is This The End - Puff Daddy & Twista
7 - I Hear Voices - Puff Daddy & Carl Thomas
8 - Fake Thugs Dedication - Puff Daddy & Redman
9 - Diddy Speaks - Puff Daddy
10 - Angels With Dirty Faces - Puff Daddy & Bizzy Bone
11 - Gangsta Shit - Puff Daddy & Lil' Kim/Mark Curry
12 - PS 112 - Puff Daddy
13 - Pain - Puff Daddy & G-Dep
14 - Reverse - Puff Daddy & Shyne/G-Dep/Cee-Lo/Busta Rhymes/Sauce Money
15 - Real Niggas - Puff Daddy & Notorious BIG/Lil' Kim
16 - Journey Through The Life - Puff Daddy & Nas/Beanie Sigel/Lil' Kim/Joe Hooker
17 - Best Friend - Puff Daddy & Mario Winans
18 - Mad Rapper - Puff Daddy
19 - PE 2000 - Puff Daddy & Hurricane G weniger