I'm a big fan of R. Kelly. His ability to stay relevant and be a prominent artist for over 20 years is something to behold. He has switched it up a number of times, from his new jack swing influenced debut, his soul ballads, his feel-good music, gospel, pop rap, slow jams, throwback albums, to his hip hopera Trapped in the Closet series, the man has changed it up a lot. As he passes 45 years of age, what hasn't changed though is his voice. Check out any live performance he has done throughout the promotional lead up to this album and he is still one of the true vocal talents in R&B. He doesn't get enough credit for his vocals if you ask me.
With his latest effort, Kelly is back doing what he is probably most well known for to many - writing sexually explicit R&B. In promoting this album he has often said that this is the new 12 Play, an album that I am very fond of. However, he has a habit of comparing his upcoming albums with his past projects, when in reality they aren't that much alike. There may be some similarities with the sexually explicit lyrics, but Kells was a lot more subtle in '93 than he is here. 'I Like the Crotch on You' to 'Marry the Pussy' is the progression we have seen.
The beats are the main difference though. There are a couple of relatively normal R. Kelly slow jams like Genius, but there are a number of songs with trap rap influenced production as well. Due to that, it doesn't feel like his earlier music. While Kells compared it to 12 Play, in that sense it is probably more similar to Double Up, which includes a number of hip hop influenced songs and also some tongue in cheek metaphorically sexually songs as well like 'Sex Planet'. With the hip hop influence we also get some average features. 2 Chainz adds nothing to 'My Story', Future is unnecessary, and 'Show Ya Pussy' is one of the worst songs here with some trap rappers.
There are some good songs present here, some of which have had to grow on me though. I wasn't feeling any of the singles much at all when I first heard them and they still aren't favourites, but I like 'My Story' and 'Cookie' more now than I did at first. One of my favourite joints here, 'Right Back', is one that is the lyrical opposite to most of the album being about his struggle, hardship and friendships coming up. 'Throw This Money on You' is also a favourite with Kelly singing extremely passionately, albeit about being at a strip club. While I like it, oddly 'Shut Up' is on the album as it leaked in 2011, being the first song he recorded after throat surgery.
I don't blame the man for wanting to mix it up again, especially after stepping back in time with his last two albums, but the critical consensus is about right with this. It's a so-so album and Robert's weakest solo effort. For me it has nothing to do with his age like some have been saying. Men a lot older than Kells love gettin' some. The song quality just isn't very consistent. Here he returns to the present, but as I have said in other reviews, the man does the straight up R&B better than anyone, and when he plays around with hip hop the results aren't as noteworthy.
Best Tracks: Throw This Money on You, You Deserve Better, Genius, Right Back, Best At It (Japan Bonus Track)
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