No Way Out

No Way Out
Studio album by Puff Daddy & the Family
Released	July 1, 1997
Recorded	July 1996 - April 1997
Studio	Daddy's House Recording Studio (New York City, New York) D.A.R.P. Studios (Atlanta, GA) Caribbean Sound Basin (Trinidad, WI)
Genre	Hip hop, East Coast hip hop
Length	77:52
Label	Bad Boy Entertainment / Arista
Producer	Sean Combs (exec.), Christopher Wallace (also exec.), The Hitmen, Black Jeruz, Big Jaz, Rashad Smith

No Way Out is the debut studio album by American rapper and producer Sean Combs as Puff Daddy & the Family. It was released in July 1, 1997 under Bad Boy Entertainment and Arista Records. Recording sessions took place in July 1996 through April 1997 at Daddy's House Recording Studio in New York City, D.A.R.P. Studios in Atlanta and Caribbean Sound Basin in Trinidad. The album was produced by Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs, Black Jeruz, Big Jaz and The Hitmen (consisting of Stevie J, Yogi, Ron "Amen-Ra" Lawrence, Nashiem Myrick, Carlos "6 July" Broady and Jeffrey "J-Dub" Walker). The album contained features guest contributions from The Notorious B.I.G., Busta Rhymes, Mase, Ginuwine, Black Rob, Lil' Kim, The LOX, Jay-Z, Carl Thomas, Twista, Foxy Brown, Faith Evans and 112.

Puff Daddy worked extensively with The Notorious B.I.G. and The Hitmen when creating the album, which saw a change in direction following the former's shooting and death a few months prior to release. This greatly affected Puff Daddy, which he expands upon the album with a combination of aggressive and introspective lyrics, as well with the raw production to convey his varying emotional state before and after his friend's death.

No Way Out saw significant commercial success, debuting at #1 on the Billboard 200, selling over 561,000 copies in its first week of sales. The album's singles also saw commercial success, namely with "I'll Be Missing You", which became a worldwide hit, and the first rap song to debut at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" also peaked at #1, while "It's All About the Benjamins" and "Been Around the World" reached #2. The album also saw widespread critical success, with Puff Daddy being nominated for five awards at 40th Grammy Awards, winning the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. It remains Puff Daddy's best selling album, with over 7 million copies shipped in the United States, and is considered a classic rap album.

Track listing

1. "No Way Out (Intro)" - 1:22
2. "Victory" (feat. The Notorious B.I.G. and Busta Rhymes) - 4:56
3. "Been Around the World" (feat. The Notorious B.I.G. and Mase) - 5:25
4. "What You Gonna Do?" - 4:55
5. "Don't Stop What You're Doing" (feat. Lil' Kim) - 3:58
6. "If I Should Die Tonight (Interlude)" (feat. Carl Thomas) - 2:59
7. "Do You Know?" - 6:06
8. "Young G's" (feat. Jay-Z and The Notorious B.I.G.) - 5:25
9. "I Love You, Baby" (feat. Black Rob) - 4:03
10. "It's All About the Benjamins" (feat. The LOX, Lil' Kim and The Notorious B.I.G.) - 4:38
11. "Pain" - 5:08
12. "Is This the End?" (feat. Carl Thomas, Ginuwine and Twista) - 4:34
13. "I Got the Power" (feat. The LOX) - 4:05
14. "Friend" (feat. Foxy Brown) - 6:37
15. "Senorita" - 4:07
16. "I'll Be Missing You" (feat. Faith Evans and 112) - 5:43
17. "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" (feat. Mase) - 3:51