The Notorious B.I.G. - Duets (The Final Chapter)
2006-03-30 17:57
Well, you kind of expect things like this to come out every now and again don't you?
There's more than a fair trade to be made from dead hip hop stars these days, and better for you if you can call everyone in the gangsta's rolladex to join in for a bit of a cameo.
But ultimately these things - in this case Duets: (probably not the) The Final Chapter - descent into a crapfest of epic proportions. Diddy ought to be told by someone that he doesn't need to continuously declare his love for his friend by setting his memory up for a backlash you know is going to come. You feel for the guy because he seems sincere, but as pro-wrestler Shawn Michaels would say: "It's time to move on."
Sooner or later, some kid from Detroit or something is going to break out and declare that "Biggie weren't nuthin special", or something to that effect. From the evidence at hand on this release, they'd have an argument. The alleged "greatest rapper of all time" hardly gets a look-in on his own album, packed as it is with celebrity guest turns from EVERYONE.
Of all those, only maybe Eminem and Nas do the opportunity justice... and really that's the best thing you can say about Duets. As for the rest, well... Biggie's best turn comes on "Hold Ya Head". There. It's over. Rest in peace. Once and for all.
- Anton Marshall