Editorial Reviews

A career-spanning compilation from Bad Boy could have come at a worse time -- like when Diddy was singing the praises of G. Dep, the man who ended up releasing the lowest-selling Bad Boy record ever -- but 2004 doesn't find a lot of love being thrown toward Diddy's music. Eminem passed on a guest spot on the newly recorded "Victory 2004," sending 50 Cent in his place, Puffy's Sean Jean clothing label had been outselling Bad Boy for a while, and the most exciting thing the label had done in some time is announce the signing of a reunited New Edition. Bad Boy's 10th Anniversary... The Hits ignores G. Dep (and unfortunately Faith Evans) and all of the other problems the label had suffered past the untimely death of the Notorious B.I.G. Of course all the drama doesn't matter as much as the music, and for that the collection works here and there. All of Biggie's cuts are still classics, Craig Mack and 112 still sound great, and Diddy's own "All About the Benjamins" will forever be the benchmark for crossover rap that saves face. Too bad the tracks are ordered haphazardly with too many bangers in a row and no interludes to tie it all together. Past criticisms of Puffy's oversampling are now proven when some productions come off as clever rather than inspired (in hindsight We Invented the Remix could have been We Invented the Mash-up). It might be callous to point how heavily the collection relies on Biggie, but the swiftly evolving world of rap demands that you move on. This collection never does, and only a couple differing tracks separate it from 1998's Bad Boy's Greatest Hits. If the collection had taken its name from Biggie's "Mo' Money Mo' Problems" it would have been more endearing and honest. Most of the reasons for the demise of Bad Boy were beyond Puffy's control, so a warts and all collection could have been enlightening. We like Puffy more than archenemy Suge Knight, so we want to know what happened. But not when he boasts and brags, ignores what we really want to know, and gives us nearly the same collection he did six years ago. David Jeffries, All Music Guide

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