Diddy spent the five years since the release of his previous solo album making (and shelving) a gospel album, dabbling (or flailing) in dance music, running in the New York City Marathon, developing a perfume called (almost unbelievably) Unforgivable, and undoubtedly doing many other important things. His Bad Boy empire settled into a severe lull until the summer of 2006, when Yung Joc's "It's Going Down," Cassie's "Me&U," and the Danity Kane album revived the label. Press Play is well timed, and it's also well endowed: the roster of collaborators and guests is both extensive and impressive enough to entice the severely Diddy-resistant. Peculiarly enough, Diddy's practically the opening act on his own album. During the first several tracks, he's the dominant voice, dishing out the expected variations on his wildly hubristic boasts of old, and that includes a baffling gritted-teeth threat like "America, fall back, you can't stop me/Got a thing for pigeon-toed chicks who walk knock-kneed." On his own, he does not deliver. Around track six, the guests begin to take over the 80-minute program, and the album morphs into a theatrical examination of love and romance that is partly randomized but mostly tremendous. Apparently inspired by his relationships with ex-girlfriend Jennifer Lopez and his wife, Diddy and his shifting cast of fellow songwriters/producers pen a series of songs -- you could almost call it a suite -- emboldened by a round of knockout performances from several women. Multi-threat up-and-comer Keri Hilson (watch for her), Brandy, Keyshia Cole, and Mary J. Blige all take lead roles and make up the heart of the album. This last half-hour of the album, with the exception of a couple instances where Diddy could've left everything in the hands of the vocalists, teeters on the edge of brilliance. Timbaland (with partner Nathanial "Danja" Hill) and Mario Winans (with Diddy) deliver robust, imaginative productions that lay the majority of modern-day R&B tracks to waste (glints of left-field dance music and the new wave that inspired it are incorporated to great effect), while Rich Harrison expectedly and thrillingly blends the blaring with the lush behind Blige. The rest of the album is worth talking about, as it involves noteworthy appearances from Christina Aguilera, Ciara, Nas, Big Boi, Cee-Lo, and several others, but it's less risky and not nearly as remarkable as the closing stretch. All told, the number of memorable hooks on display here is surprising. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide
Tracks
Track Title
Composers
Performers
Time
Testimonial (Intro)
Curt Smith, Sean "Puffy" Combs, Roland Orzabal, Leroy Watson
Betty Wright (Vocals), Betty Wright (Vocal Arrangement), Betty Wright (Vocal Producer), Katreese Barnes (Horn Arrangements), John Blackwell (Drums), Emilio Castillo (Sax (Tenor)), Brian Gardner (Mastering), Shannon Jones (Vocal Arrangement), Stephen "Doc" Kupka (Sax (Baritone)), Rob Lewis (Arranger), Rob Lewis (Conductor), Rob Lewis (Producer), Rob Lewis (Fender Rhodes), Rob Lewis (String Arrangements), Rob Lewis (Vocal Producer), Rob Lewis (String Conductor), Peter Mokran (Mixing), Peter Mokran (Vocal Mixing), Sharon Tucker (A&R), Mario Winans (Drums), Mario Winans (Keyboards), Mario Winans (Producer), Mario Winans (Overdubs), Mario Winans (String Arrangements), Mario Winans (Vocal Producer), Mario Winans (Instrumentation), Mario Winans (Additional Music), David Woodford (Sax (Tenor)), Andrew Wright (Engineer), Brandy (Vocals), Ken Ifill (Mixing), Jeff Lane (Engineer), Sarah Rosete (Vocals), Sarah Rosete (Model), Mike Patterson (Mixing), Havoc (Producer), Diddy (Executive Producer), Timbaland (Producer), Tower of Power Horn Section (Performer), Kevin Crouse (Engineer), Chris Athens (Mastering), Ethan Farmer (Bass), Ethan Farmer (Arranger), Deborah Mannis-Gardner (Sample Clearance), Francesca Spero (Executive Coordinator), Francesca Spero (Executive), Ervin Pope (Keyboards), Duro (Mixing), Andrew Coleman (Engineer), Adolfo Acosta (Trumpet), Bill Pettaway (Production Coordination), Jack Knight (Vocals), Jack Knight (Vocals (Background)), Jack Knight (Vocal Arrangement), will.i.am (Keyboards), will.i.am (Producer), will.i.am (Engineer), will.i.am (Vocal Producer), The Neptunes (Producer), Brian Frazier Moore (Drums), Shannon "Slam" Lawrence (Vocals), Shannon "Slam" Lawrence (Engineer), Shannon "Slam" Lawrence (A&R), Shannon "Slam" Lawrence (Vocal Producer), Kanye West (Producer), Oscar Ramirez (Engineer), Anthony Kilhoffer (Engineer), Fredrick "Toxic" Taylor (Engineer), Christina Aguilera (Vocals), Patrick Viala (Mixing), Just Blaze (Producer), J.D. Andrew (Engineer), Marni Senofonte (Wardrobe), S.C. (Producer), Rich Harrison (Producer), Nicole Scherzinger (Vocals), Brian "Big Bass" Gardener (Mastering), Charile "CSUN" Bereal (Guitar), Ed Goldson (Bass), Chris Carmouche (Engineer), Conrad Dimanche (A&R), Conrad Dimanche (Artist Coordination), Warren Bletcher (Assistant Engineer), Warren Bletcher (Assistant), Marcella Araica (Engineer), Gwendolyn Niles (A&R), Pierre Medor (Vocal Producer), Angela Hunte (Vocals), Eric Wong (Marketing), Keenan "Kee Note" Holloway (Bass), Padraic Kerin (Engineer), Robert Gold (Art Manager), Mike Bogart (Trombone), Mike Bogart (Trumpet), Andrew Geel (Engineer), Andrew Geel (Assistant Engineer), Andrew Geel (Mixing Assistant), Andrew Geel (Overdub Engineer), Andrew Geel (Assistant), Eric Ogden (Photography), Sean Garrett (Vocal Producer), Patrick Fong (Art Direction), Patrick Fong (Design), Geneva Randolph (Production Coordination), David Brown (Engineer), Jon Spurgeon (Engineer), Victor Abijaudi (Engineer), Victor Abijaudi (Mixing), Mabvuto Carpenter (Vocals), Capricorn Clark (Production Coordination), Geno Sims (Vocal Arrangement), Geno Sims (Production Coordination), Joel Pargman (Contractor), Joel Pargman (String Contractor), Daniel Mitchell (Digital Editing), Kristal "Tytewriter" Oliver (Vocals), Kristal "Tytewriter" Oliver (Vocals (Background)), Cheri Dennis (Vocals), Kae Dee (Producer), Kae Dee (Engineer), Marcella "Ms. Lago" Araica (Engineer), Marcella "Ms. Lago" Araica (Mixing), Harve "Joe Hooker" Pierre (Executive Producer), P. Diddy (Producer), P. Diddy (Vocal Arrangement), P. Diddy (Vocal Producer), Jim Beanz (Engineer), Jim Beanz (Vocal Producer), Khalil Edwards (Mixing Assistant), Mike Daddy Evans (Production Coordination), Venus Brown (Production Coordination), Devon Barber "Press" (Engineer), Katrinia Carson (Vocals (Background)), Chally Dogg (Drums), Neysa Comacho (Project Manager), Iyanna Dean (Vocals), Iyanna Dean (Vocals (Background)), Steve Dickey "Rock Star" (Engineer), Steve Dickey "Rock Star" (Assistant Engineer), Steve Dickey "Rock Star" (Mixing Assistant), .....The Chairman Of The Boards Duro (Mixing), Duroceo (Mixing), Christopher Gilbert "Fly" (Engineer), Giz (Engineer), Giz (Mixing), Jessica Gomez (Model), Grind Music (Producer), Precious Harrison (Vocals), Michael Carlos Jones (Vocal Arrangement), Pierre Jones (Vocal Arrangement), Arden Keys (Keyboards), Mika Lett (Vocals), Ms. Mia (Harp), Stacey Lamont Sydnor (Percussion), Neo Tanusakdi (Mixing Assistant), Matthew Testa (Mixing Assistant), Leroy Watson (Vocal Arrangement), Kevin Wilson "Kev O" (Engineer), Kevin Wilson "Kev O" (Assistant Engineer), Kevin Wilson "Kev O" (Mixing Assistant), Shay Winans (Vocals), Shay Winans (Vocals (Background)), Jordan Young "DJ Swivel" (Mixing Assistant), D. Woods (Vocals), Mike Winans (Vocals), Mike Winans (Vocal Producer), Rob Gold (Art Manager), Andrew Wright (Engineer)
Press Play debuted at number 1 on the US Billboard 200 chart with sales of over 173,009. In the UK, the album debuted at number 11. Its singles "Come to Me" and "Last Night" both reached the top–ten of the Billboard Hot 100. The album became available to preview on MTV's The Leak on October 10, 2006, one week before being sold in stores.[12]Press Play received generally positive reviews from music critics, based on an aggregate score of 62/100 from Metacritic.[13] As of November 21, 2008, the album has sold 700,000 copies in the United States.[14]
The limited edition version of this album includes a story of photos on how Diddy met a woman in a club. The album is located in a pocket on the last page. As well as that, exclusive versions have been released from Target and Best Buy, Target having a bonus DVD and Best Buy having a bonus track called "Get Off".
