Faith Evans and Notorious BIG - The King & I

The Guardian 60

(Rhino)

From Kurt Cobain’s basement tapes to Amy Winehouse’s leftovers, a posthumous release poses ethical problems at the best of times. Even more so when said release is a duet, which may feel ill-judged at worst, weird at best (see: Justin Timberlake teaming up with Michael Jackson). It’s a challenge Faith Evans tackles with class on this 22-track album featuring her late husband’s unmistakable flow – not always nimble but dominating and wry. With vocals smoother than a vat of cocoa butter, Evans moves from poignant duet (Legacy, One in the Same) to Juicy-style sexathon (A Little Romance) alongside him, although – naturally – it lacks a certain improvisation and cohesion. Features from Snoop Dogg and Busta Rhymes are highlights, the latter on the sleek-yet-emotional Somebody Knows, about Biggie’s death and its effects on Evans’ life. Less essential are the spoken interludes from Biggie’s mother, Voletta, on the phone with her daughter-in-law, and ad-libs from the actor who played him in the biopic Notorious. Perhaps these are necessary parts of a release that’s as much about the music as it is honouring a gangster rap heritage.