R. Kelly - Double Up (Review)

Robert Kelly Double Up Jive Buy 'Double Up' from itunes When you are dealing with a dude that makes you sign a confidentiality agreement to attend his record release party, you are dealing with a serious dude. R.Kelly travels in his own orbit and exists in a world somewhere around Phil Spector, Kool Keith, and Howard Hughes. Try and keep up. Mike Jackon is too obvious a comparison. The main difference between Kells, or Kellz or whatever he is today, is that he has clearly lived with and loved women. That separates him from most of the other R&B chart toppers who sing about woman, but don't sound like they know women. Most of the competition sound like they are haven't every really been with a woman. They sound like they are singing about cars they haven't driven or guns they haven't shot. Well Kells has driven all the cars and his experience is his authenticity. The ups, the downs, Kells feels it and puts it out there. To me the standout moment is "Real Talk". This is song that all real men can relate to. Who hasn't been there? And as far as the rushed delivery, is there a chorus? Who cares? "What they eat don't make us shit". Real talk. Want R.Kelly as a midwife? Well you can come close on "Havin a Baby". Kells is constantly contradictory and conflicted like 2 other great lovers of women 2 Pac and ODB. Think about it. Ever wonder what his phone message sounds like? Check "Leave Your Name". You wish you did it like this I don't think that any of the guest stars really push it to the next level and I can definitely ride out the rest of '07 without this whole hip hop discovers the rock star life trend. Kells drops one of a kind jams whether they are stories or novelty tracks and after all this time you know what you are in for and you either already bought it or can't stand it. At the end of the day, the songs are almost irrelevant. It is the trials and tribulations of R.Kelly are truly compelling and that's what keeps us coming back. For instance the most amazing and creepy thing in here is the "To my kids" thank yous on the tray card. WTF? Daddy is proud of you for "not crying when and being a big boy when they trapped you in the closet"??? Is that a coded message or parenting via thanks list??? "Haters start your engines" Buy or listen to 'Double Up' at itunes Thanks to HOG from What We Do Is Secret for the review.