Diddy’s latest victory: Dirty Money “Last Train to Paris”

I’m not ashamed to say that I’ve enjoyed more of Sean Combs’ career work than I’ve not enjoyed it. I enjoy his colognes, I enjoy most of his music, I even enjoy his Tweets.

But I am ashamed to say I completely missed the clumsily named Diddy-Dirty Money’s debut album in 2010, “Last Train to Paris.” The fact that this album is spinning out singles for top 40 airplay is a good thing, overall, for the state of music.

This isn’t so much a Diddy/Puff Daddy esque album as it is a mogul who apparently has been to Berlin and Ibiza a few times in his life getting some people together to make what’s arguably America’s most quality high-profile techno/dance album of the last several years. Dirty Money is a couple of well-appointed chanteuses by the names of Dawn Richard and Kalenna Harper. Diddy shows up to rap on most of the songs, but his biggest contribution to the end product is a creative vision and a large Rolodex of top music talent. Usher, Swizz Beatz, Justin Timberlake, Lil Wayne, T.I., Trey Songz and Grace Jones are included on the guest list, but ultimately none of the songs sound like anything any of these people would put together independently of each other.

I’m sure you’ve heard the hauntingly beautiful “Coming Home” on the radio if you’ve turned a radio on in the last month. Also of note, though in a completely different mode with its buzzing, throbbing club bassline, is “Hello Good Morning,” which frankly would have blown the mind of 13-year-old me as I rapped and danced along with “Mo Money, Mo Problems” on MTV.

Let Diddy into your life. He might just make you dance.

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