Forever is the debut solo studio album (and second overall) by American rapper and producer Puff Daddy released on 24 August 1999 in North America by Bad Boy Entertainment, with a release in the UK the following day. Forever, at the time of its release, has received generally favorable to mixed reviews from most music critics, directed at the heavy use of sampling in Combs' work, as well as commercially changing hip-hop music simultaneously, which caused controversy at the time. Despite the mixed reviews, Forever debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, and entered at number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart for one week, before being knocked off the top spot by Mary J. Blige's fourth album, Mary, which topped the R&B albums chart for two weeks. To date, the album has received positive to mixed reviews from music critics, and has spawned three singles that have attained Billboard chart success.
[edit] Background and production
The album comes nearly two years after Combs joint collaboration album, No Way Out, which opened on the US Billboard 200 at number one, and won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album in February 1998, whereas Combs (under the name "Puff Daddy"), was nominated for Best New Artist, which he lost. He also collaborated with Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, for the single "Come with Me" for the 1998 poorly-received film Godzilla. The song had sampled "Kashmir" by Led Zeppelin, and reached #2 on the UK Singles Chart, whilst stalling at #4 on the US Billboard Hot 100. He was also obligated to star as Willie Beamen in the motion picture, Any Given Sunday, the role however went to Jamie Foxx.
Recording for Combs' debut album began in the fall of 1998, and would commence the following year. Around this time, Combs was spoofed by various American hip-hop artists, as well as critics, for watering down and commercializing the East Coast hip hop genre at the time, and was lampooned by various TV show sketch comedies, such as Mad TV, and Saturday Night Live, wherein he was parodied by Phil LaMarr and Tim Meadows, in a much broader and comedic light.
[edit] Chart performance
The album debuted on the US Billboard 200 chart at number two, selling an estimated 205,000 copies in its first week sales, while topping the R&B Albums chart at number one. In the UK, the album peaked at number nine on the UK Albums Chart. In Canada, the album opened at number four on the Canadian Albums Chart, becoming Combs' highest charting album. To date, the album has sold 1.4 million copies worldwide.
[edit] Track listing
| # |
Title |
Length |
Featured Artists |
Producer(s) |
| 1 |
"Forever" (Intro) |
1:51 |
|
Sean "Puffy" Combs & Mario Winans for The Hitmen |
| 2 |
"What You Want" |
4:30 |
Lil' Kim |
Zach White |
| 3 |
"I'll Do This for You" |
5:00 |
Kelly Price & Mase |
Sean "Puffy" Combs, Mario Winans, & Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence for The Hitmen |
| 4 |
"Do You Like It... Do You Want It..." |
3:54 |
Jay-Z |
Sean "Puffy" Combs for The Hitmen & Daven "Prestige" Vanderpool |
| 5 |
"Satisfy You" |
4:48 |
R. Kelly |
Sean "Puffy" Combs & Jeffery "J-Dub" Walker for The Hitmen |
| 6 |
"Is This the End (Part 2)" |
4:40 |
Twista & Cheri Dennis |
Sean "Puffy" Combs for The Hitmen & Dent |
| 7 |
"I Hear Voices" |
5:14 |
Carl Thomas |
Sean "Puffy" Combs, Nashiem Myrick, & Carlos "6 July" Broady for The Hitmen |
| 8 |
"Fake Thugs Dedication" |
3:14 |
Redman |
Sean "Puffy" Combs for The Hitmen |
| 9 |
"Diddy Speaks!" (Interlude) |
1:11 |
|
Sean "Puffy" Combs for The Hitmen |
| 10 |
"Angels with Dirty Faces" |
4:10 |
Bizzy Bone |
Sean "Puffy" Combs & Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence for The Hitmen |
| 11 |
"Gangsta Shit" |
4:42 |
Lil' Kim & Mark Curry |
Sean "Puffy" Combs & Mario Winans for The Hitmen |
| 12 |
"P.S. 112" (Interlude) |
0:59 |
|
Harve "Joe Hooker" Pierre |
| 13 |
"Pain" |
3:56 |
G-Dep |
Sean "Puffy" Combs, Nashiem Myrick, & Carlos "6 July" Broady for The Hitmen |
| 14 |
"Reverse" |
5:07 |
Busta Rhymes, Cee Lo Green, G-Dep, Redman, Sauce Money & Shyne |
Nashiem Myrick & Carlos "6 July" Broady for The Hitmen |
| 15 |
"Real Niggas" |
4:01 |
Lil' Kim & The Notorious B.I.G. |
Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie for The Hitmen |
| 16 |
"Journey Through the Life" |
4:55 |
Lil' Kim, Joe Hooker, Beanie Sigel & Nas |
Sean "Puffy" Combs, Nashiem Myrick, & Carlos "6 July" Broady for The Hitmen |
| 17 |
"Best Friend" |
5:32 |
Mario Winans & Hezekiah Walker |
Sean "Puffy" Combs & Mario Winans for The Hitmen |
| 18 |
"Mad Rapper" (Interlude) |
1:14 |
The Madd Rapper |
Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie for The Hitmen |
| 19 |
"P.E. 2000" |
4:55 |
Hurricane G |
Sean "Puffy" Combs for The Hitmen |
[edit] Samples
[edit] Charts and certifications
[edit] Singles
| Single Information |
"P.E. 2000"
- Released: 1999
- Hot Rap Singles: #6
- Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks: #34
|
"Satisfy You"
- Released: 1999
- Billboard Hot 100: #2
- Hot Rap Singles: #1
- Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks: #1
|
"Do You Like It... Do You Want It..."
- Released: 1999
- Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks: #67
|
[edit] See also
[edit] References
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| Studio albums |
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| Remix albums |
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| Singles |
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| Featured singles |
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| Related articles |
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