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Press Play (by Diddy, Rap)

common sense media says

Diddy succeeds with some help from his Rolodex.

parents & educators say
See all 3 reviews | Review it

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this album contains some strong language (all the four-letter words) and sexual lyrics. It's also a project on which fine production and a generous assortment of special guests make the whole greater than the sum of its parts. For this reason, the edited version is better than most.

Positive messages: All over the map: Sexually predatory on some tracks, family-man sweetness on others.
Violence: Some violent imagery: "Tell me who shot Big … take the bullets out of 2Pac's ribs" on "We Gon' Make It."
Sex: Lyrics get quite sexual on songs like "Special Feeling": "You will feel the passion when I'm smashin' you/climaxin' the thrill is everlasting."
Language: Every four-letter word you can think of.
Consumerism: Several products are mentioned in the lyrics and advertised in CD inserts.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: A few references to drinking and getting high.
Our ratings and reviews are informed by child development guidelines. Learn more.

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What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about Diddy's reputation as a media star as well as a rapper. What qualities do you think make some artists more appealing as "stars" than others, regardless of actual talent?

What's the story?

What's the story?
PRESS PLAY shines because of the artist's greatest strengths: exceptional production standards and liberal use of his celebrity-studded Rolodex. A-list contributors include Christina Aguilera, Big Boi, Ciara, Scar, Timbaland, Twista, Mario Winans, Mary J. Blige, and Jamie Foxx, and they elevate what might have been a monotonous project to genuine artistry.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
The most successful tracks are those on which Diddy takes a back seat to his guests: "Everything I Love" (featuring Nas and Cee-Lo) and "Wanna Move" (featuring Big Boi, Ciara, and Scar). The lyrics of a few songs are violent ("Tell me who shot Big ... take the bullets out of 2Pac's ribs" on "We Gon' Make It"); and there's liberal use of four-letter words and sexy innuendo ("you will feel the passion when I'm smashin' you/climaxin' the thrill is everlasting" on "Special Feeling"). But these are tempered with some genuinely sentimental lyrics ("After Love" and "Partners for Life" are two examples). Ultimately, Diddy's greatest strength turns out to be his producers' instinct for collaboration, causing the whole to be greater than the sum of its parts.

Music themes & details

Music Details
Released on: October 3, 2006
Label: Bad Boy Entertainment
Genre: Rap
Parental advisory: Yes
Edited version available: Yes
This review was written by Kathi Kamen Goldmark
 
 

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Most useful reviews by all members

Mr. Strong
adult
 
Love it!
Both me & my son love this album!
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helped me decide (1) | had useful details | read my mind (1)
gemini4037314
adult
 
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ivanflores15
teen, 17 years old
 
I loved it !!
NO BAD LYRICS VERY GOOD EVEN FOR MY AGE.
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ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
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