CD - Duets: The Final Chapter - The Notorious B.I.G.

From the archive, first published Wednesday 18th Jan 2006.

EIGHT years after rapper Christopher Wallace was shot dead, Duets pays tribute to the big man of hip hop.

Eminem, Snoop Dogg and Missy Elliott are some of the stars to perform alongside the Brooklyn drug dealer who turned to music when serving nine months in jail.

The 22-track album also includes messages from his children and Love is Everlasting - a touching finale from his mum.

The remainder are fairly hardcore rap tracks that lack the humour or more accessible lyrics of Eminem. That said, a number are worthy of a second listen including the more soulful Hustler's Story and Hold Ya Head which includes the vocal talents of Bob Marley.

Rap fans are sure to delight in having so many top performers together on one album and producer Sean "Diddy" Combs has done a slick job stitching together the MC's work with tracks put down by his famous friends.

But the nature of the album means it has something of a manufactured quality making this "final chapter" somewhat disappointing.

DL

Archive Home