This came out in 2000 — or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
Embattled Bad Boy bossman Sean (Puff Daddy) Combs apparently has big plans for his newest protege, rapper Black Rob. And he’s definitely keeping a close eye on his investment — not to mention stacking the deck to boost his expected returns.
For a virtually unknown, unremarkable talent, Black Rob’s 21-track debut disc has to be one of the most densely star-stuffed CDs of late. Of the 15 songs here, a full 13 feature guest appearances from everybody in Puffy’s Rolodex — Cheryl Pepsi Riley, Cee-Lo, Mark Curry, Mase, The Lox, Mario Winans. Puffy himself joins in on three tracks. Even Jennifer Lopez shows up. In the end, there’s barely any room for Rob on his own album. Which may be for the best. Although he has the rhyme skills to pay the bills, with his thin voice and soft-spoken, blasé delivery — I suspect he’s trying to sound menacing, but it just comes out as sleepy — Black Rob comes off more like Slack Rob.
