Bad Boy turns the big 1-0

The latest release from P.Diddy and Bad Boy record label camp is the type of cover-up of which any criminal would be envious.

With a big "thank you" to the late Christopher Wallace, a.k.a. the Notorious B.I.G., Diddy and his "family" have constructed their latest CD in the true form of a hits album, complete with easily recognized hip hop classics from the past ten years.

The problem is, nearly all of the songs included on "Bad Boy's 10th Anniversary ... The Hits" were hits at least five years ago. Bad Boy suffered a great loss in star power after the murder of the Notorious B.I.G. in 1997 and the exodus of talented rapper Mase to a life of the Lord in 1999. With the fizzling out of projected stars Black Rob and G. Dep, Diddy was forced to create a "best of" album that highlights the last 10 years with songs which would more aptly be titled "Bad Boy: Back in the Day."

The "back in the day" trend of this album is highlighted by the presence of its biggest star -- Brooklyn-born rapper Notorious B.I.G., also known to fans as Biggie. With Diddy's help, Biggie's reputation has grown and endured in the seven years since his passing, and his inclusions on "The Hits" prove no exception to his legacy.

Throughout the album, Biggie's well respected flow makes its way into the listener's ear, and Diddy's use of hit B.I.G. songs on this album illustrate the fallen rapper's lyrical repertoire. The big man's past smash hit "Hypnotize," included on the album, dominated the airwaves and the charts during its quest to establish B.I.G.'s greatness in the mainstream. Another one of B.I.G.'s solo tracks, "Big Poppa," showcases the rapper's tight, slow, smooth flow that is one word -- "ridiculous." Flip to any of the album's tracks with B.I.G. holding down a verse, and you have found a song that will get any party jumping.

Though B.I.G. appears in and steals the spotlight of eight of the thirteen tracks, there is a distinct drop-off in the hotness factor otherwise. The inclusions of cuts by two of Bad Boy's past "stars" offer only a slight amount of help in the process. Black Rob and Mase do their best to add some flavor to the mix, but with neither hip hop artist anywhere to be found today, these two hits are all they have in their claim to fame in the rap game.

Black Rob's "Whoa" offers a mediocre, monotonous flow over a tight beat with a deep, subwoofer friendly baseline. If you want your speakers to pound "like WHOA," switch to this track -- just keep your friends from hearing too much of the lyrics.

Mase's solo effort "Feels So Good" is a track with a tight chorus. Make no mistake about this club banger: it will get the "party people in the place" moving and singing along in between each of his verses. Like "Whoa," Mase's appeal borders on the realm of novelty. If you have not listened to their cuts in a while, you might just want to leave them on repeat, until they become lost in the shadow once again.

The inclusion of Carl Thomas's track "I Wish" may leave many listeners shaking their heads. By giving the nod to Thomas's work -- which is average at best -- Diddy has chosen to exclude tracks such as his and Mase's "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" or G.Dep's "Special Delivery." Both are considered legitimate hip hop hits, not a so-so R&B effort.

While "I Wish" lacks a true niche on this album, the recent hit "I Need a Girl Part II" proves to be a pleasant addition to the compilation's lineup. Reflecting the current trend in hip hop, the sort of pseudo love and/or lost love track, this work by Diddy, Loon, and Mario Winans hits you with an infectious beat, a smooth flow, and classic Bad Boy "Hip Pop" lyrics. The effectiveness and party appeal of tracks like this makes up for the questionable inclusion of Carl Thomas.

From top to bottom, Diddy uses tight flows from B.I.G., Busta Rhymes, Lil' Kim, and even himself and Mase to create yet another solid Bad Boy release. Diddy is graceful in his effort to create the best possible work, and the final product effectively hides the lack of productions from Bad Boy in the past five years with the inclusion of a few mediocre tracks that act as decent filler material.

In true Diddy fashion, the tone for the album is set with a new version of a past hit, this one entitled "Victory 2004." This hit track, pumped up with a new Diddy, 50 Cent, and Lloyd Banks verse, creates an arguably better hybrid of the original. Both the intro and beat are altered as Diddy declares that Bad Boy "still runs" the rap game, and closes out the song with an emphatic Biggie verse newly laced with a triumphant horn sound in the beat.

The true triumphs of Bad Boy may have become few and far in between in recent years, but Diddy has clearly not lost his ability to put out a hot album.