Forever (Puff Daddy album)

Forever
Studio album by Puff Daddy
Released	August 24, 1999
Recorded	1998–1999
Studio	The Hit Factory (New York City)
Genre	Hip hop pop rap
Length	73:04
Label	Bad Boy Arista
Producer	Sean "Puffy" Combs (also exec.) Amen-Ra Anthony Dent Carlos Broady D-Dot Joe Hooker J-Dub Nashiem Myrick Prestige Yellow Man Zach White
Puff Daddy chronology
No Way Out (1997) Forever (1999) The Saga Continues... (2001)
Singles from Forever
"P.E. 2000" Released: July 17, 1999 "Satisfy You" Released: 1999 "Best Friend" Released: February 2000

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 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

Nearly 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

Professional ratings

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

Forever 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

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.^[20]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Intro"	Sean Combs Mario Winans Steve Coe Martin Smith	Sean "Puffy" Combs Mario "Yellow Man" Winans	1:51
2.	"What You Want"	Combs Ronald Greene Zach White	Zach White	4:30
3.	"I'll Do This for You" (featuring Kelly Price)	Combs Chauncey Hawkins Kelly Price Ron Lawrence Winans Carl Driggs Ish Ledesma	Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence Sean "Puffy" Combs Mario "Yellow Man" Winans	5:00
4.	"Do You Like It... Do You Want It..." (featuring Jay-Z)	Combs Shawn Carter Dave Vanderpool James Todd Smith	Dave "Prestige" Vanderpool Sean "Puffy" Combs	3:54
5.	"Satisfy You" (featuring R. Kelly)	Combs Jeffrey Walker Greene Price Robert Kelly Denzil Foster Jay King Thomas McElroy	Sean "Puffy" Combs Jeffrey "J-Dub" Walker	4:48
6.	"Is This the End? (Part Two)" (featuring Twista)	Combs Carl Mitchell Jack Knight Anthony Dent	Dent Sean "Puffy" Combs	4:40
7.	"I Hear Voices" (featuring Carl Thomas)	Combs Mark Curry Nashiem Myrick Carlos Broady Ryo Kawasaki	Nashiem Myrick Carlos Broady Sean "Puffy" Combs	5:14
8.	"Fake Thugs Dedication" (featuring Redman)	Combs Carter Reggie Noble Freddie Byrd Lana Moorer	Sean "Puffy" Combs	3:13
9.	"Diddy Speaks (Interlude)"	Combs	Sean "Puffy" Combs	1:11
10.	"Angels With Dirty Faces" (featuring Bizzy Bone)	Combs Lawrence Bryon McCane Zane Copeland Maurice White Verdine White Eddie del Barrio	Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence Sean "Puffy" Combs	4:10
11.	"Gangsta Shit" (featuring Lil' Kim and Mark Curry)	Combs Curry Kimberly Jones Winans	Mario "Yellow Man" Winans Sean "Puffy" Combs	4:42
12.	"P.S. 112 (Interlude)"	A.J. Johnson Harve Pierre	Harve "Joe Hooker" Pierre	0:59
13.	"Pain" (featuring G. Dep)	Combs Trevell Coleman Myrick Broady Les McCann	Nashiem Myrick Carlos Broady Sean "Puffy" Combs	3:56
14.	"Reverse" (featuring Shyne, G. Dep, Cee-Lo, Busta Rhymes, Sauce Money, and Redman)	Combs Jamal Barrow Coleman Reggie Noble Thomas Barton Trevor Smith Myrick Broady Nickolas Ashford Valerie Simpson	Nashiem Myrick Carlos Broady	5:07
15.	"Real Niggas" (featuring the Notorious B.I.G. and Lil' Kim)	Combs Christopher Wallace Kimberly Jones Deric Angelettie	Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie	4:01
16.	"Journey Through the Life" (featuring Nas, Beanie Sigel, Lil' Kim, and Joe Hooker)	Combs Nasir Jones Dwight Grant Myrick Broady Pierre	Nashiem Myrick Carlos Broady Sean "Puffy" Combs	4:55
17.	"Best Friend" (featuring Mario Winans)	Combs Winans Christopher Cross	Sean "Puffy" Combs Mario "Yellow Man" Winans	5:32
18.	"Mad Rapper (Interlude)"	Angelettie	Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie	1:14
19.	"P.E. 2000" (featuring Hurricane G)	Combs Curry Greene Hank Shocklee Carlton Ridenhour	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

Weekly charts Chart (1999–2000) Peak position Australian Albums (ARIA)[21] 17 Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[22] 19 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[23] 31 Canadian Albums (Billboard)[24] 4 Canadian R&B Albums (Nielsen SoundScan)[25] 3 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[26] 26 Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[27] 37 French Albums (SNEP)[28] 14 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[29] 4 Scottish Albums (OCC)[30] 26 Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[31] 40 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[32] 7 UK Albums (OCC)[33] 9 UK R&B Albums (OCC)[18] 1 US Billboard 200[34] 2 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[35] 1

Year-end charts Chart (1999) Position German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[36] 64 US Billboard 200[37] 92 US Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums (Billboard)[38] 51

Certifications and sales

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

Single Information
"P.E. 2000" Released: 1999 Hot Rap Songs: #6 Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks: #34
"Satisfy You" Released: 1999 Billboard Hot 100: #2 Hot Rap Songs: #1 Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks: #1
"Do You Like It... Do You Want It..." Released: 2000 Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks: #67
"Best Friend" Released: 2000 Billboard Hot 100: #59 Hot R&B/Hip Hip Singles & Tracks: #67

See also

• List of number-one R&B albums of 1999 (U.S.)

References

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2. "Puff Daddy: Forever (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
3. "Puff Daddy: Forever". RIAA.
4. Sinclair, Tom (August 30, 1999). "Forever (Puff Daddy)". Entertainment Weekly.
5. Farley, Keith. "Puff Daddy: Forever". allmusic.com. Archived from the original on June 23, 2018. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. Powell, Kevin (September 16, 1999). "Recordings: Puff Daddy – Forever". Rolling Stone. No. 821. pp. 113–114.
10. McLeod, Kembrew (September 2, 1999). "Puffy Wins A Convert ... Almost". Sonicnet. Archived from the original on May 10, 2000. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
11. Ex, Kris (October 1999). "Record Report: Black Rob – Life Story / Puff Daddy – Forever". The Source. No. 121. pp. 219–220.
12. Jenkins, Sacha (November 1999). "Reviews: Puff Daddy – Forever". Spin. p. 181. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
13. Jones, Steve (August 23, 1999). "Puff Daddy's grooves go on 'Forever'". USA Today. p. 02D.
14. "The 50 Worst Albums Ever!". Q (238). Bauer Media Group. May 2006. Archived from the original on June 28, 2016. Retrieved December 13, 2016.
15. "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.
16. 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.
17. "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.
18. "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
19. "American album certifications – P. Diddy – Forever". Recording Industry Association of America.
20. Forever (booklet). Bad Boy, Arista. 1999.
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24. "Diddy Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
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31. "Swedishcharts.com – Puff Daddy – Forever". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
32. "Swisscharts.com – Puff Daddy – Forever". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
33. "Diddy | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Official Charts Company. December 11, 1993. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
34. "Diddy Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
35. "Diddy Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
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39. Wolfgang Spahr (May 13, 2000). Grammy's Two Way Street. Billboard. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
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41. "British album certifications – Puff Daddy – Forever". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 7, 2016.