It’s been 25 years since Puff Daddy changed hip-hop with his groundbreaking debut No Way Out.
In honor of the milestone, the rap icon reflected on the album’s legacy and the profound impact The Notorious B.I.G. had on his music.
“Biggie inspired me to become an artist and make this album, so it’s bittersweet to look back on such a pivotal turning point in my life and career that turned Bad Boy into an unstoppable dynasty and cemented our place in Hip Hop history!” Puff wrote on Instagram.
The project remains a classic to this day, spawning hits including “Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down,” “It’s All About the Benjamins,” “Been Around the World,” and the Biggie tribute “I’ll Be Missing You,” which became the first rap song to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it remained for 11 consecutive weeks.
“To have countless hit records from so many timeless artists that became global superstars, it will be hard for anyone to ever create a moment in music that changed the culture like No Way Out!” Diddy added.
No Way Out was released on July 22, 1997 via Bad Boy and Arista Records. Produced by the powerhouse production team known as “The Hitmen,” the 17-track set featured the Bad Boy family including Biggie, Ma$e, Lil’ Kim, The LOX, Faith Evans, and 112, plus JAY-Z, Busta Rhymes, Ginuwine, and Foxy Brown. It won the Grammy for Best Rap Album in 1998 and remains Diddy’s best-selling album, with over 7 million copies sold in the U.S.
The 52-year-old mogul is now gearing up for the next chapter of his career. Earlier this week, he premiered a video for his latest single “Gotta Move On” featuring Bryson Tiller off his upcoming album, which will be released via his newly-launched R&B label Love Records.
A special digital deluxe edition of No Way Out arrived at streaming services on Friday featuring the original album, plus 15 rare tracks, including remixes, radio mixes, and instrumentals.
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