For all the credibility that Puff Daddy's Bad Boy Entertainment has lost since the death of Notorious B.I.G., there remains one light. Black Rob. The Lox left Bad Boy for Ruff Ryder Recorss. Ma$e left Bad Boy to start his own record label Harlem World, and then quit the rap game to seek spiritual fulfillment. Shyne is going to jail for the infamous Puff Daddy and Jennifer Lopez shooting incident. Aside from the wack rapper Puff Daddy, Black Rob remains.

Black Rob has a lyrical skill that at times defies all typical themes of the Bad Boy label. While Puff Daddy and Ma$e were all about money, guns, and the ladies, Black Rob can interweave a story with a dope beat. This is evident on the title track "Life Story", in which Black Rob summarizes his life. Also, Black Rob's raspy-voiced-rhymes interweaved with the way he makes his "th" sound like a "v" (e.g. weather - weava), provides an appealing sound. I can't stand Puff Daddy as a rapper or dancer (he stinks worse than a dumpster), but I respect him as a producer. This album, 'Life Story', is Black Rob's first album and with Puff Daddy, Harve Pierre and Deric Angelettie as executive producers, they provide good beats for album. Props must also be given to Yogi "Sugar Bear" Graham for producing two of the dopest tracks on the album: "Down The Line Joint" and "Spanish Fly". "Down The Line Joint" features Puff Daddy, Mark Curry, G-Dep & Ma$e. It sports the most original beat with a constant scratching and a violin-sounding overtone. "Spanish Fly" featuring Jennifer Lopez has definite latin dance appeal.

The album's first single, "Whoa!" is amazing! The only track produced by Buckwild, the catchy flow will snatch you up and has propelled the single to #1 on most rap charts. I expected that the overly repeated 'whoa' will get annoying, but I've been loving this song for two months, and just can't get enough. "Thug Story" takes Slick Rick's "Children's Story", and spices it up with a beat sounding like a combo of Montell Jordan's "This Is How We Do It" and Ghostface Killah's "Daytona 500". The album also features Black Rob's single, "I Dare You" from the Slam Soundtrack (1998) and "I Love You Baby" from Puff Daddy's 'No Way Out' album (1997).

This album was the best Bad Boy album since Notorious B.I.G.'s 'Life After Death'. Most tracks were quite impressive, while others fell below the threshold of average. Nonetheless, 'Life Story' may help Puff Daddy regain some of the charisma that Bad Boy Entertainment once had. This album is definitely a step in the right direction for Black Rob and his record label. Unfortunately Black Rob's skill is covered up by the enormous number of featured artists. He needs to ditch them, and do an album solo. If you're looking to pick up an album with raspy-voiced, thug styled lyrics combined with a hip hop/rap feel, then you'll enjoy this one.

www.brockwayent.com

(Originally posted on HipHopCanada.com)

This review was written April 5, 2000