R Kelly - R

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Music reviews of R

Music Review: This rating has nothing to do with his current scandal
Rating: 2 Stars

In my opinion, this album marked the beginning of R's musical downfall; the downfall being his new style. I liked him better when he wasn't hardcore, and anyway, being a good hardcore R&B artist is not an easy task: Bell Biv DeVoe hasn't had a hit since Poison, Ray J's new album isn't anything to celebrate, and when's the last time anyone talked about Olivia?

One main concern with this album is something that many artists at that time did: double albums with a lot of filler. But things are worse here. Disc 1 will probably having people arguing over which song is the WORST, while Disc 2 isn't even interesting. And most of the songs on both discs are either about making babies or making money. The money-making tracks are the most annoying because usually R is bragging instead of singing, like in "Only The Loot Can Make Me Happy" (an uncreative interpolation of Surface's "Happy") and "Did You Ever Think". Also, for some reason R thinks he's a good rapper, as you'll hear him spitting weak bars in a voice that makes him sound like a Harlem World wannabe. I think he needs to check himself.

Another problem with this album is that many of the songs drag on and on, especially on Disc 1. With the exception of "Home Alone", many of the fast joints are over in about three minutes but are then followed by two to three more minutes of wack chorus. Also, R does a bad job on updating his own songs from his much better self-titled album ("Down Low Double Life" is just dumb), and when he's not updating, he's making songs that sound similar to those on that album. "Get Up On A Room" is too much like "Step Into My Room", and "The Opera" (an opera take on "Half On A Baby"; I don't know WHY he did that) reminds us of that ridiculous voice he used to sing "Love Is On The Way". And on subsequent albums you'll find him doing sorry updates to THESE songs (e.g. "Spendin' Money" to "Get This Money" on The Best Of Both Worlds; "When A Woman's Fed Up" to "A Woman's Threat" on TP-2.com). By the way, does anyone know what "2nd Kelly" is about?

Since R wants to be hardcore now, you know there are plenty of rappers here. Keith Murray isn't exactly my favorite rapper, but he did make "Home Alone" entertaining. Too bad I can't say the same about some of the other rappers on here. I don't know what possessed R to put Crucial Conflict ("Ghetto Queen") on his album, and Foxy Brown (during her Lil'-Kim-biting days) helps bring down an already wack "Dollar Bill". The rapper posse cut "We Ride" is pretty decent except for when Vegas Cats rap (who are they, anyway?), but R is only singing the chorus. This is WHOSE album?

Completely good songs on this album include "When A Woman's Fed Up". "If I Could Turn Back The Hands Of Time" and "I'm Your Angel" with Celine Dion are also good, but on a hardcore album like this, those songs seem out of place. Same thing with "I Believe I Can Fly", but that song came out in '96, so why is it even on here?

It's bad enough to have a weak single disc, but to have a weak DOUBLE disc? Also, Disc 1 is 72 minutes long as it is, so that's another mistake right there. The bottom line is, if you put these CDs into your stereo, you won't be able to take them out fast enough. Sorry, R.

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