Forever is the second studio album of American hip hop recording artist Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs, released on August 24, 1999, by Bad Boy Records and Arista Records.[1] The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200,[2] received platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA),[3] and sold 205,343 units in its first week. Despite this, Forever was met with mixed to negative reviews and trailed the success of his previous album, No Way Out (1997).[4]
| Forever | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | August 24, 1999 | |||
| Recorded | 1998–1999 | |||
| Studio | The Hit Factory (New York City) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 73:04 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer |
| |||
| Puff Daddy chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Forever | ||||
| ||||
Forever was Combs' only album to be released under the name of "Puff Daddy", as his debut album, No Way Out was billed under "Puff Daddy & the Bad Boy Family". As with previous Bad Boy releases, much of the criticism was directed towards the over-commercialization of the hip hop genre and its incorporation of dance-pop, lower production quality and lackluster lyrics compared to its predecessor, many of which caused controversy at the time.
Background and production
editNearly two years following the release of his first collaboration album, No Way Out, which debuted 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 film Godzilla. The song reached number two on the UK Singles Chart and number four on the US Billboard Hot 100. During the summer of 1998, the recording for Forever began, and continued into the following year.
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [5] |
| Christgau's Consumer Guide | C+[6] |
| Entertainment Weekly | B-[7] |
| Los Angeles Times | [8] |
| Rolling Stone |  [9] |
| Sonicnet | [10] |
| The Source | [11] |
| Spin | 6/10[12] |
| USA Today | [13] |
Forever received mixed reviews from critics. Keith Farley of Allmusic called the album "a solid production, not quite as exciting as it should be" but praised Puff Daddy for an improved rapping style from his previous album.[5] For Sonicnet, Kembrew McLeod commented that the sampling "choices are a bit more subtle" than No Way Out.[10]
However, Tom Sinclair of Entertainment Weekly described the album as "brimming with megalomania, paranoia, and a comically solipsistic worldview" and Puff Daddy's rapping style as a "curiously dead monotone".[7]
In 2006, Q magazine included Forever in their list of the 50 worst albums of all time.[14]
Commercial performance
editForever debuted at number 2 on the Billboard 200, selling 205,343 copies behind Christina Aguilera's self-titled album with first week sales of 252,800 copies.[15] The album opened at the top spot of the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.[16] In the United Kingdom, the album peaked at number nine on the UK Albums Chart.[17] The album debuted at number one on the UK R&B Chart.[18] In Canada, the album opened at number four on the Canadian Albums Chart, becoming Combs' highest-charting album in the country. As of September 24, 1999, Forever has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for selling 1,000,000 copies.[19]
Track listing
editCredits adapted from the album's liner notes.[20]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Intro" |
| 1:51 | |
| 2. | "What You Want" |
| Zach White | 4:30 |
| 3. | "I'll Do This for You" (featuring Kelly Price) |
|
| 5:00 |
| 4. | "Do You Like It... Do You Want It..." (featuring Jay-Z) |
|
| 3:54 |
| 5. | "Satisfy You" (featuring R. Kelly) |
|
| 4:48 |
| 6. | "Is This the End? (Part Two)" (featuring Twista) |
| 4:40 | |
| 7. | "I Hear Voices" (featuring Carl Thomas) |
|
| 5:14 |
| 8. | "Fake Thugs Dedication" (featuring Redman) |
| Sean "Puffy" Combs | 3:13 |
| 9. | "Diddy Speaks (Interlude)" | Combs | Sean "Puffy" Combs | 1:11 |
| 10. | "Angels With Dirty Faces" (featuring Bizzy Bone) |
| 4:10 | |
| 11. | "Gangsta Shit" (featuring Lil' Kim and Mark Curry) |
|
| 4:42 |
| 12. | "P.S. 112 (Interlude)" |
| Harve "Joe Hooker" Pierre | 0:59 |
| 13. | "Pain" (featuring G. Dep) |
|
| 3:56 |
| 14. | "Reverse" (featuring Shyne, G. Dep, Cee-Lo, Busta Rhymes, Sauce Money, and Redman) |
|
| 5:07 |
| 15. | "Real Niggas" (featuring the Notorious B.I.G. and Lil' Kim) |
| Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie | 4:01 |
| 16. | "Journey Through the Life" (featuring Nas, Beanie Sigel, Lil' Kim, and Joe Hooker) |
|
| 4:55 |
| 17. | "Best Friend" (featuring Mario Winans) |
|
| 5:32 |
| 18. | "Mad Rapper (Interlude)" | Angelettie | Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie | 1:14 |
| 19. | "P.E. 2000" (featuring Hurricane G) |
| Sean "Puffy" Combs | 4:52 |
| Total length: | 73:04 | |||
Sample credits[20]
- "Journey Through the Life" contains a sample of "For the Good Times", written by Kris Kristofferson, as performed by Al Green.
- "I'll Do This for You" contains a sample of "Get Off", written by Carl Driggs and Ish Ledesma, as performed by Foxy.
- "Do You Want It... Do You Like It..." contains an interpolation of "Wanna Get Paid", as performed by LL Cool J and the Lost Boyz.
- "I Hear Voices" contains a sample of "Bamboo Child" by Ryo Kawasaki.
- "Fake Thugs Dedication" samples "Paper Thin", written by Lana Michelle Moorer and Freddie Byrd, as performed by MC Lyte, and "Shining Star", written by Maurice White, Larry Dunn, and Philip Bailey, as performed by Earth, Wind & Fire.
- "Angels With Dirty Faces" samples "Fantasy", written by Maurice White, Verdine White, and Eddie del Barrio, as performed by Earth, Wind & Fire.
- "Satisfy You" samples "I Got 5 on It", written by Jerold Dwight Ellis III and Garrick Husbands, as performed by Luniz, "Why You Treat Me So Bad", written by Denzil Foster, Jay King, and Thomas McElroy, as performed by Club Nouveau, and "Sexual Healing", written by Marvin Gaye and Odell Brown, as performed by Gaye.
- "P.E. 2000" contains a sample of "Public Enemy No.1", written by Carlton Douglas Ridenhour and Hank Shocklee, as performed by Public Enemy and "Blow Your Head" written by Fred Wesley and James Brown as performed by Wesley and the J.B.'s.
- "Best Friend" contains a sample of "Sailing", written and performed by Christopher Cross.
- "Pain (Forever)" contains a sample of "Benjamin", written and performed by Les McCann and "Children's Story"
- "Reverse" contains a sample of "Romeo" by the Dynamic Superiors.
- "Real Niggas" contains a sample of "Real Niggaz", written by Christopher Wallace, as performed by the Notorious B.I.G.
Charts
edit
Weekly chartsedit
|
Year-end chartsedit
|
Certifications and sales
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | — | 200,000[39] |
| Japan (RIAJ)[40] | Gold | 100,000^ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[41] | Gold | 100,000^ |
| United States (RIAA)[19] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
Singles
edit| Single Information |
|---|
"P.E. 2000"
|
"Satisfy You"
|
"Do You Like It... Do You Want It..."
|
"Best Friend"
|
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Puff Daddy: Forever. Bad Boy Records. 1999.
- ^ "Puff Daddy: Forever (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
- ^ "Puff Daddy: Forever". RIAA.
- ^ https://ew.com/article/1999/08/30/forever-puff-daddy/ [bare URL]
- ^ a b Farley, Keith. "Puff Daddy: Forever". allmusic.com. Archived from the original on June 23, 2018. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (2000). Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s. St. Martin's Griffin. p. 256. ISBN 0-312-24560-2 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ a b Sinclair, Tom (September 3, 1999). "Forever (Puff Daddy)". Entertainment Weekly. No. 501. pp. 67–68. Archived from the original on November 28, 1999. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
- ^ Baker, Soren (August 27, 1999). "No Cover for Puff Daddy". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 22, 2012. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
- ^ Powell, Kevin (September 16, 1999). "Recordings: Puff Daddy – Forever". Rolling Stone. No. 821. pp. 113–114.
- ^ a b McLeod, Kembrew (September 2, 1999). "Puffy Wins A Convert ... Almost". Sonicnet. Archived from the original on May 10, 2000. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
- ^ Ex, Kris (October 1999). "Record Report: Black Rob – Life Story / Puff Daddy – Forever". The Source. No. 121. pp. 219–220.
- ^ Jenkins, Sacha (November 1999). "Reviews: Puff Daddy – Forever". Spin. p. 181. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
- ^ Jones, Steve (August 23, 1999). "Puff Daddy's grooves go on 'Forever'". USA Today. p. 02D.
- ^ "The 50 Worst Albums Ever!". Q (238). Bauer Media Group. May 2006. Archived from the original on June 28, 2016. Retrieved December 13, 2016.
- ^ "Christina Aguilera Tops Puff Daddy With #1 Album In U.S." MTV News. September 1, 1999. Archived from the original on February 14, 2016. Retrieved June 15, 2016.
- ^ Hasty, Katie (October 25, 2006). "Diddy Scores First No. 1 Album In Nine Years". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Archived from the original on September 8, 2014. Retrieved February 3, 2009.
- ^ "R Kelly". The Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on June 3, 2016. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
- For Black Panties: "CHART LOG UK: NEW ENTRIES UPDATE". ChartsPlus. Archived from the original on December 24, 2013. Retrieved December 22, 2013.
- ^ a b "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
- ^ a b "American album certifications – P. Diddy – Forever". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ^ a b Forever (booklet). Bad Boy, Arista. 1999.
- ^ "Australiancharts.com – Puff Daddy – Forever". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
- ^ "Austriancharts.at – Puff Daddy – Forever" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Puff Daddy – Forever" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
- ^ "Diddy Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
- ^ "R&B : Top 50". Jam!. October 4, 1999. Archived from the original on October 7, 1999. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Puff Daddy – Forever" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
- ^ "Puff Daddy: Forever" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
- ^ "Lescharts.com – Puff Daddy – Forever". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Puff Daddy – Forever" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Puff Daddy – Forever". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Puff Daddy – Forever". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
- ^ "Diddy | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Official Charts Company. December 11, 1993. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
- ^ "Diddy Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
- ^ "Diddy Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
- ^ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Archived from the original on May 9, 2015. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
- ^ "Billboard 200 albums year end 1999". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 11, 2014. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
- ^ "Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums year end 1999". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 29, 2015. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
- ^ Wolfgang Spahr (May 13, 2000). Grammy's Two Way Street. Billboard. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
- ^ "Japanese album certifications – Puff Daddy – Forever" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved November 19, 2019. Select 1999年9月 on the drop-down menu
- ^ "British album certifications – Puff Daddy – Forever". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 7, 2016.