CD Review : P Diddy - Press Play

Its been nearly half a decade since the CEO of Bad Boy dropped his last all new album. Despite guest featuring in a number of hit singles throughout the last 5 years (ie, Mase's "Breathe, Stretch, Shake" Mario Winans "I Don't Wanna Know", and Shake Ya Tailfeather" with Nelly & Murphy Lee), it's clear that Diddy (formerly P Diddy, previously known as Puff Daddy, aka Sean Combs) would need to knock some hip hop album rust for his latest (and some would say "comeback" album).

And Diddy does so and with as much success and aplomb as his previous efforts. Please note that Mr. Comb's previous work wasn't the most critically acclaimed.

There is no question that the man is talented in many aspects of his life - and he reclaims his mantle as one of the Hip Hop's elite royalty. But his weakness as a rapper is as evident as the bling on his Jacob watch encrusted diamond.

Press Play is an updated album that doesn't stray far from the paths burned previously. Many of the tracks can seemingly be misidentified as coming from his earlier work. The most interesting tracks are the ones where he tries something new. Of particular interest is the way he takes back Kanye West's sound with the first track of the album, "We Gon Made It". As a side note, I always thought that Kanye was a second rate Diddy, who just took his gimmick and ran with it.

Despite the radio flop of "Come To Me", which features the Pussycat's Dolls Nicole Sherzinger (yeah, I have no clue which one she is either), the next single should be a top ten hit. "Tell Me" features Christina Aguilera and a hoTT bass beat. This song will be pumping through the clubs and bars well into Holidays.

I know that Diddy owes his music career (and quite possibly, his entire career) to the Christopher "Notorious B.I.G." Wallace, there really is no need to keep dropping his name on every other track. Maybe Diddy is trying to keep Biggie fresh in our minds, with the upcoming 10th anniversary of his death (Biggie was shot in LA on March 9, 1997).

Despite the ho-humness of this album, there is very little doubt that Diddy will move 1M units - he's savvy enough to be able to con the newest generation of TRL and 106th & Park viewers out of $13. Its just a shame that he couldn't put out an album filled with potential hit singles that made Bad Boy the stuff of legends.