Now, I haven't heard an R. Kelly album I didn't like since elementary school, and even then, it was because I was too young to really comprehend what he was talking about. I wrote a whole article not even three days ago about how much I love this man's music and anything he puts out, I'll buy, but that was before I heard this album. What in the world happened? This was disappointing all the way through. I thought he was just kidding at the "Best of Both Worlds" concert when he started singing a song he was working on and the chorus had animal noises in it. There was one song on here when he was just talking to his partner and his girl about her kicking him out. There was no singing; just him talking to a melody. No depth. No real romance. How romantic is a song talking about going to planets? No good material. No stellar lyrics. Why is there a song on here about rough toilet paper in jail and Wal~mart? This man said the b-word more times on this album than regular wack rapping; he's going waaaaaaay over the line of R&B. If R&B artists want to incorporate hip hop, then fine, but remember your audience base. "Same Girl" was cool but it reminded me too much of Brandy and Monica's song. I'm hoping this was a rush job before he dodges going to court again. R. Kelly is the last person I thought I'd not like an album from. Step your game up, dude, please. I enjoy your music too much to type this review, but it's got to be said.

Since Amazon won't let us review the Explicit Version yet, I'll have to post over here for now. Yeah, I got an advance copy of the CD and it's so-so IMO. Too many guest stars & negative thug ghetto lyrics prevented me from REALLY enjoying 'Double Up'. R.Kelly is a 40+ year old man and he's STILL talking about Rollin in da club, *itches this *itches That, Hoes This Hoes that, Nigg** this Nigg** that. After 16 years in the game, I expected MUCH more lyrical depth from R.Kelly, who does have talent (Or at least I thought he did at ONE time!), but he sounds silly tryin to be one of these 22 year old thugs, and personally I'm glad I didn't pay for this CD. There are a FEW (and I mean FEW!) decent moments on 'Double Up', but overall R.Kelly's new CD should appeal to VERY young fans who think the thug & pimp lifestyle are something to celebrate...R.Kelly also sings (AGAIN!) about Havin a Baby (nothing about marriage, etc). Also, if you consider the CONSTANT use of 'Nig** & Bitc*' or bragging about "bein in da VIP" as an illustration of talent, look no further! R.Kelly sounds crazy singing lyrics like..."when I be clubbin I be look fo a fine as* bit** to slow grind wid, etc.....". Get the idea ? Look for a large number of used copies of 'Double Up' to appear up with a quickness...If you just HAVE TO HAVE 'Double Up', DONT PAY MORE THAN $7.00!!
Enough already!!......NEXT!

4 of 5 Stars

The most difficult task a music lover and follower of R&B/Hip-Hop has when listening to the latest and greatest R.Kelly album is identifying which one of his multiple personalities will be the center of focus for his creative genius.

All of them have provided us with #1 hits and albums and all of them offer enough material to fill a double-disc project and then some.

In case you have a hard time remembering:

R.Kelly: The "bread-and-butter". He will bump and grind you and make you want to wax your Jeep!

The R: Smooth and silky. Like an assembly line at a Chocolate Factory.

Robert Kelly: The more human side. Spiritual, inspirational and uplifting.

The Weatherman: Put on your dancing shoes and "step to the left--step to the right".

Kellz: Hip-Hop with a vengeance! A fusion of smooth and calculated R-and-B with a shot of hip-hop.

His latest effort at making our Jeep speakers burst and our sexual energy peak is Double Up; where the personality "Kellz" runs wild. The artist who invented sing-rapping gives us flow and energy that some artists who classify themselves as rappers can rarely do. The flow between whatever catchy and infectious chorus the R in R&B has decided to infect our minds with is so calculated, so smooth and so rhythmic that on some phrases he doesn't even bother rhyming or connecting the phrases! But at that point, who cares?! R.Kelly's latest literally "has you at hello".

The system that this album works off of has become a staple for the 2000's era of R.Kelly releases. Why create an album based on each personality when you can include ALL of R.Kelly's platinum selling personas at different points in the album? Once he does this, all other R&B singers might as well pack their bags.

R.Kelly brings us lustful and dripping sexual metaphors that which can only come from a man who calls his unit a " giant rocket full of fuel" are found in cuts like Sex Planet, The Zoo and Sweet Tooth. They leave your leg shaking and eyes rolled back for the complete four to five minutes.

Kellz unleashes beasts of radio and windows-down-anthems like Im'a Flirt (Remix), Double Up, Rollin' and Hook It Up. Not only can these be found at your local club but they can also be found endlessly echoing in your head days after your first listen.

Somewhere in the midst of this musical orgasm you find yourself in the Caribbean dancing on the beach with cuts like Freaky in the Club and I Like Love. The Weatherman's taste for the international is only complimented by his taste for a Pina Colada!

The R in R&B's lyrical operas such as Best Friend, Same Girl and Real Talk are in a genre of their own. No one in modern music has been able to construct, compose, story-tell and touch audiences like R.Kelly's sinful and guilty pleasure soap opera music.

After sleeping off the club, sex and fights with his girlfriend we find Robert Kelly serenading us about the birth of his child in Having a Baby. Soon after that we are all driven to Rise Up out of the terrible Virginia Tech tragedy like only R.Kelly inspirational music can make us do.

A song that currently has no real R.Kelly personality tagged to it and is by far the most standout track is Rockstar. This monster of a song featuring Ludacris, Kid Rock and Kellz himself leaves your jaw somewhere by your all-white Air Forice Ones. The haunting electric guitar beat laced with Kellz sing-rapping and Luda's taste for the sexually outrageous is enough. But couple that with Kid Rock's 80's power ballad verse and ubiquitous screaming and you have somewhere R&B and Hip-Hop has NEVER gone before...and would be inclined to say it should go more often.

Double Up is new, fresh, innovative, constructive, risky, calculated and a top seller.

But that's just what R.Kelly does and has done for more than 15 years.

I will start by sayng that I am a 34yr old who was hooked on Kelly since his start with Public Announcement. I was 15 or 16 and Kelly was the bomb. Somewhere after You Remind Me, it went all wrong! I gues we, his initial audience, became to old for his interest so he aimed for the younger fans and got himself wrapped up.

Nevertheless, I supported him. I remember when Chocolate City was released with the bonus Loveland disc, I was the only person waiting to purchase it and got it for only $7.99. Best purchase I ever made as I still play it continously to this day.

Well, I have said all this to say it's been a long time for Kelly to still be in the game but it is time he realizes that a 40 yr old SHOULD NOT be still singing about being a babby daddy and tryin to get a number. I mean the same girl track, come on - he nor Usher is 15!

I rated this album 1 star because I am not a 13 yr old and two, zeros aren't a choice.

for all these people on here saying kellz have no depth it is totally unbelievable...yes we all remember at our middle school graduation we all were trying to sing i believe i can fly..but thats the beauty of kellz..the man reinvents himself on every album..he can sing...harmonize, rap..and it will be good no matter what..so this is not a tradtional chocolate factory or best of both worlds or The "R"..this album is suited for younger fans and loyal fans..i wouldnt expect a newly recruited R kelly fan to be excited to buy this album but he is a seller when it comes to his music...forget all his scandals and take the cd for its face value...he is the best in the game and he is over 40 thats says alot either about kellz or R&B in general...you figure it out..this album will go platinum or better i gurantee....