Music Review: R. Kelly - "Untitled"

R. Kelly makes his return to the music scene with his latest project titled Untitled. Untitled is unmoving and in a word, boring.

R. kicks things off with “Crazy Night”, a party track that is extremely over doused in auto-tune and sounds identical to Ron Browz' “Pop Champagne.” Kellz chooses to skip his years of stellar penmanship and instead goes for lines like,

“We ain't gon leave till four maybe later….Swag so punk it make, it make ya make a ugly face uh….Run that back, it means start that over. Shawty get closer, hot like a toaster. “

Following that, Kelly's back to his usual antics relinquishing raw sexual imagery all over the album. While it's what you'd expect from R. Kelly, it gets old quick.

On “Echo,” R asks for an all day sex session and features him on the hook yodeling, yes yodeling. Then there's “Banging The Headboard”, “Go Low” and “Number 1” featuring Keri Hilson all with the same tired theme.

Did I mention he released an album dripping with sexual innuendos like this on “World Aids Day”? Now that was inappropriate.

A few tracks sound way too immature for a seasoned singer like Kellz, “I Love The DJ” in particular.  With the hook, “I love the DJ, I love the DJ, she's so sexy,” the song sounds so basic that it sounds more fitting for someone with less clout and less tenure. The song would've been more fitting for a Timberlake or a Beiber, not a Kelly.

Despite all the sexually laden hits and odd song selections, leave it to R to throw in a little inspiration. “Religious” tells the story of a woman so good, he has to sing her praises like he's in church.

After that of course he wants to take you home and rip your clothes off again however a la “Pregnant,” the last track and current single from the album. Why the song was picked as a single is beyond me.  In my opinion the add-ons of Tyrese and the Dream are futile in saving the song. In fact listening to the trio whine about getting someone pregnant just feels wrong.

Overall Untitled feels like R. Kelly's desperate attempt to step back on the scene and defend his crown from new crooners threatening to take him down. (Insert Trey Songz here)

For a man that's been absent in music you'd expect something better, much, much better. Untitled feels rushed and ill planned. Hopefully on his next album he'll really take his time and release a project that he really believes in.

If you love R. Kelly, get it. If you're not a big Kellz fan, dish it. I know I will….

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