Customer Reviews
this could double as a comedy album! 
2008-02-06
Wow. I heard "Real Talk" and tought to myself, "Wow, that's a bold move, putting out a comedy album now." Oops. I guess he's serious. I almost changed the song but decided to listen to the rest of it since it was so funny. What an idiot. Isn't this what people in the teens and 20's write about?
What happened to content in R&B? 2008-01-03
Let me start by saying I'm a huge R. Kelly fan. He's probably my favorite R&B artist and undoubtedly the best R&B artist of this generation. But this album was a joke. He's changing in a bad way with the rap industry. As rap gets more commercial and less meaningful Kellz has also. It seems to me he's trying to become a rapper, which isn't a good look.
1) The Champ...terrible a 2 minute song about how everybody is jealous of him and against him. It was nothing more than bragging about being on top and "singing" about how he's on top and everyone hates him due to it. If this was hip-hop, that'd be okay. But it's not, it's r&b.
2) Double Up...He needs to grow up! A song about getting girls "dizzy" in the club and bringing them and their friend home with you. This is a completely meaningless song. Plan and simple. Again, if this was hip-hop you could brag about stealing another mans women or "doubling up" but it's not hip-hop it's r&b.
3) Tryin' to get a number...a pure disgrace. He tried to go pop-ish. Nelly is featured and Kellz does his best to sound like Nelly but realistically it sounds like it's Nelly's song and not Kellz! It's insanely commercial and focuses mostly on "steppin outta Hummer". What happened to songs like Greatest Sex and Strip for You?
4) Get Dirty...a song which features Chamillionair and a horrible effort by both. Again, commercial and meaningless.
Rather than going through the bad songs, the only good song I found were "Sweet Tooth", "Sex Planet", and "The Zoo". Everything else is subpar to average. I hope he bounces back strong. Regardless I will probably buy his next album just because of his legacy. All artists have bad albums, this is on of them.
4
Double middle finger up 
2007-11-28
When R. Kelly first came out in the early `90s, he successfully extended the new jack swing movement for a short time. And from his second album on, he started making more mature music with impressive results. But then somewhere around, say, 1998, he started making songs that seemed better tailored for men half his age, and then when he tried to go back, he would try too hard and end up with songs that were corny and overtly sexual at the same time. Such is the case with his latest offering, Double Up.
Kells' last album, TP.3 Reloaded, was garbage, and frankly, this album isn't much better. Now, Double Up IS a suitable title for the album because it's exactly 80 minutes long, which means that some songs could have been left behind -- actually, a LOT of songs (hence the two-star rating). In fact, all the other two-star reviews are pretty accurate (especially K.J. Bryant's review). First you have the filler tracks ("Freaky in the Club", "Tryin' to Get a Number", "Ringtone"); then you have the stories: "Same Girl" is okay, but "Best Friend" (with Keyshia Cole and Polow da Don) is skippable.
There's also the "I'm a Flirt" remix, which is the same story as the "Ignition" remix: you like the song but you have no idea why. And "Havin' a Baby" is pretty self-explanatory, but toward the end when Kells starts talking through the delivery process, it gets a little hard to get into. The necessary we-are-the-world song "Rise Up" is also good, but it feels out of place when compared to the rest of the album (more on that in a minute).
As usual, there are a lot of bad sexual metaphors, like "Sweet Tooth", "Sex Planet" and especially "The Zoo", which is complete with orangutan (and eventually elephant) sound effects. But there are other songs with problems as well. "Real Talk" has Kells goin' off on his girl for suggesting that he's sleeping around, and he's swearing just for the sake of swearing (and why does he keep saying Milton?). The title track boringly details threesomes; and "Rock Star" (with Ludacris and Kid Rock -- although Rock is only playing, so that really shouldn't count as a guest spot) proves that R. Kelly and rock music are like oil and water.
I guess I should be used to Kells aiming at the younger crowd nowadays, but he just isn't as good at it as he used to be; and the sex songs are still way too corny. Yeah, he can still sing, but he should keep his best songs for himself like he did earlier in his career. In short, Double Up is about as good as The Best of Both Worlds, so leave it in the store.
Anthony Rupert
Hopefully, the next will be better... 2007-11-23
Honestly, i don't know how much can be useful to give to an artist the crown of "king" of a particular musical genre. The musical tastes are surely one of the more complex things to analyze in a public debate...and i could bet that if you gather into the same room ten R&B fans (above all, if they've different ages) probably they could suggest to you at least 20 differents R&B "kings"...in their own opinion.
Personally, i think that the trend of the modern music industry can create big difficulties to everyone try to become a good R&B singer. Another reviewer has mentioned the fact that the best contemporary R&B performers haven't usually a great success on the charts. This is a great truth, and the fact that the promotion of a POP album is an "easier" project to fulfill can be the best explanation about this sad but poignant remark. This explain even why many "potentials" great R&B performers (Beyoncè is the first that comes on my mind, but the list it's longer) have taken the decision to express their skills within a more safe "POP" context...even if their latest albums are still mysteriously stored into the "R&B" shelfs of the music stores (so, we can't complain about the fact that the younger listeners haven't many opportunities to listen and appreciate the traditional R&B singers).
This lack of "competition" into the modern R&B scene could be one of the reasons why R. Kelly can still release and sell albums which are a million miles far from the excellent level of his first productions. I can understand that someone that doesn't know the beginnings of his career can have a positive attitude about this new album...but i've some difficulties to understand how an "old" fan of R. Kelly can think that this material can be even partially compared to his earlier disks. My opinion isn't disrespectful for the many guests involved into this album (actually, i appreciate many of them) but it's simply my personal try to analyze in a quiet way the negative trend of the latest R. Kelly productions.
When i think about the songs that he's been capable to gift us during the first steps of his career, i really feel the need to express my current feelings...and say that, by now, "the king is naked!" (just to quote an old and popular fairy tale). I hope that my regrets will end after the next album...but i must admit that i'm not particularly optimist about this perspective.
The 2nd best child molesting musician of all time 2007-11-13
Apparently child molestation does not deter other musical artists from collaborating with R. Kelly. Aside from his fascination for underage girls, his lyrics express the same emotional depth of an Adam Sandler song.
Trying Too Hard to Be Young Again! 2008-05-18
He needs to give it up! R.Kelly's latest release DOUBLE UP, fails to bring that R&B feel to it. Yeah, it does bring more Rap than he usually does, and I can't lie..."I'm A Flirt," was a good song. But, as for the rest, it can all go some place else, so we don't have to hear it!
Double Up = Double Flop 
2008-05-07
It's impossible not to be in two minds about Double Up. It presents us with a reinvented, thuggish ruggish version of R. Kelly, who is reaching, following...not leading the pack as he so claims on 'The Champ'. Even so, this man is so talented that he can't help but impress us on occasion.
There are some GREAT songs here, like the sexy, swaggering title track, 'Freaky In the Club', with its cool reggae tones, 'I'm A Flirt' which is outrageously cocky and fun, 'Same Girl', 'Real Talk' which is an arresting, dramatised, one-sided conversation with R. Kelly's lover who accuses him of cheating, and 'Hook It Up'.
The rest of the songs teeter between disastrous and forgettable. Nelly didn't even have the right to be in the same room as R. Kelly, let alone record with him...and the same could well be said for Chamillionaire. I understand that this album was recorded in 2007, and that by then, hip hop was so pervasive that R. had to do what he had to do to stay relevant, but perhaps he could have atleast been more discerning when choosing rappers. 'The Zoo' is an amazingly embarrassing song about wanting to get 'wild' with a girl, literally. 'Sex Planet' is similarly embarrassing, which is a shame because it could have been a decent slow jam. 'Sweet Tooth' is forgettable, making this album devoid of quality slow jams -- what a thought!
I stand by R. Kelly as one of the greatest talents of our time, though this album doesn't convey that very often. Here's to the next album, and let's hope he lifts his 'game'.
Double up and check out his homie Devin the Dude's Latest 
2008-04-18
if you love R. Kelly, check out his homie Devin the Dude Smoke Sessions, Vol. 1- track 3 getting high is something to smoke to - whoah - this is the first album since Rapalot Days and the first album of Devin's to hit the Billboard Charts - Congrats
Double Up 
2008-03-25
R. Kelly never fell off. He just switched it up from the same ol early 90's R. Kelly.But with that said this album is more of the same. It's R. Kelly! He's been established long enough for people to know if they like him or not. If you are an R. Kelly fan this album will not disappoint with songs such as Leave Your Name, Double Up, Freaky In The Club (especially that one...oh yeah! Lol), The Zoo, I'm A Flirt RMX (gimme that back Bow Wow...I'll make it a hit!), Same Girl, Hook It Up , Rock Star, Rollin (extra hot), Sweet Tooth, Sex Planet. Those songs make this album a success. Some songs do hold the album back from being one of his best such as the collaborations with Nelly, Chamillionaire and surprisingly Keyshia Cole. Real Talk is kinda pointless but hilarious nonetheless. R. Kelly is a superstar and even though he was low on the MVP votes last year, he is still a force to be reckoned with.
He sinks into mediocrity 2008-03-10
One of the most versatile, creative and talented artists of this generation is Robert Kelly. Foremost, he has been apart of the music business for over fifteen years and is still very relevant. Too, there have been many male singers who have come and gone within the fifteen-plus years he has been known, but, sadly, they have come and gone. Not only is he one of the most successful talents within the last several years, but he is also a noted producer. He has produced hits for Celine Dion, Lil' Bow Wow, Janet Jackson and himself, just to name a few. His albums are usually decent at least, and "Double Up" falls into the decent category. This is an okay effort, but if one were to compare it to the superb "Chocolate Factory" or the solid "TP2.com", they would find that this album doesn't even truly compare to the two. Some of the production sound like throwaways from his previous works, the lyrics are good at best, and the cohesiveness is decent.
"I'm a Flirt", "Same Girl" and "Real Talk" are easily the album's best tracks, the first two mentioned were released to radio and received moderate success. This album has its ups and downs, but the only classic material here is "I'm a Flirt" and many would not consider that a classic, however, with its infectious beat, memorable hook and cocky lyrics, I consider it a classic and one of his better songs to date. The piano in this song is reminiscent of Elton John and it is really a musical work of art. "Leave Your Name" and "Double Up" are good tracks, but not memorable. In "Leave Your Name", Kelly is letting all his women know that he is too drunk to answer their calls, but if they leave a message, he will get back to them. The production is very basic but the lyrics are truly amusing for this slow tempoed track. Guest appearances include Nelly, Snoop Dogg, TI and T Pain. They all did well and added flavor to tha album.
I liked some of the material here but some of it was very corny and some was just plain laughable. I recommend this album to those who love R. Kelly, but no one else. There are three really nice songs, but the rest? After you hear them one time you'll forget all about them.
Mikeisha's Top 5
1. "I'm a Flirt"
2. "Real Talk"
3. "Same Girl"
4. "Hook it Up"
5. "Leave Your Name"
