Album Review- Diddy Dirty Money- Last Train To Paris

So it's been well over a year since Last Train To Paris was supposed to be released. Remember "Angels" and the whole wtf factor for Puff when Jay-z released D.O.A.? Yeah it was that long ago so this album has been gestating for a long time and should be a banger, I mean it is Diddy right? But not necessarily, I mean the idea that Puff is going to spend parts of the album singing in auto-tune doesn't inspire much confidence.


Point blank, this album is party music, the first song is produced by Swizz Beatz and features Grace Jones vocals. The singing itself works. It's good solid r and b. The same with "Ass on the Floor" which is a good part song whose weakness is Puffy's verse. In Fact throughout the album, the weak point is Diddy himself. I especially like "Looking For Love" which features Usher. "Someone to Love Me" might be one of the few songs that Puff doesn't ruin or make skip-worthy.


Puff takes a page from kanye's book of overkill on "Shades" which features Lil Wayne, Justin timberlake, Bilal, and James Fauntleroy which accomplishes nothing for all of the talent assembled. Of Course, there is "Angels" which also features Rick Ross, and a totally out of place Biggie verse plus Puff on auto tune. Fail. "Strobe Lights" is the second song with Lil Wayne and it too doesn't find the sweet spot. "Hate You Now" would of course, be better if the ladies were allowed to carry the song by themselves. "I Know" with Chris Brown, Wiz Khalifa, and Seven of Richgirl is alright.


The strongest songs on the album all pretty much have been heard, "I'm Coming Home" is another song that almost over-exposes Puff but should have been the only other song he should have been on. "Loving you No More" with Drake is probably the best song on the album and shows where it could have been had it not been a forced ego-stroke of an LP. The album version of "Hello Good Morning" (wow this album has some old songs on it) only features T.I., and "Yesterday" with Chris Brown is decent too. Trey songz features on "Your Love" which has an outside chance to become a single though it is pretty explicit.


Look, this album is better than I thought by far. I am glad Puffy was pared back a lot but he is still too much of a part of this album. It's infuriating because it shows he can still direct and come up with a solid album but the thing is he needs to be directing and creating artists. This album has had 6 videos in the past 16 months, he has done every major show from SNL to American Idol to promote himself and this album. If I see one more damn Ciroc commercial I'm going to scream. Meanwhile, I couldn't even get to the Bad Boy website without being forced to watch the fucking Angel's video. It's this selfish shit that irritates me. Isn't Red cafe on the label? Janelle Monae? I mean what does it take to get something done over there other than having the last name Combs? If this album were from Danity Kane, or anyone else without Puff shoe-horning himself into the songs, it would be even better.



Rating: 2.5/5

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