If you accept from the very beginning that Black Panties is as an album under the genre of ‘horny’, then 46-year-old R. Kelly’s 12th solo album is actually pretty damn good. An album which basically revolves almost exclusively about pussy, the only way he is getting away with it is probably due to his absolute commitment to delivering you with the smoothest of smooth R&B vocals over well produced beats when dropping lines like “Gonna go down on my knees/And ask that pussy to marry me,” on Marry The Pussy and album-standout line “lick the middle like an Oreo,” on Cookie.
Although R.Kelly loves using ‘clever’ metaphors, it can also be at times far too literal especially on Shut Up which addresses his 2011 vocal surgery and all the haterz. There are some honest moments on the LP and by honest, I mean the weird sexual thoughts you’d have about what you want to do to someone but would never actually admit to anyone unless drunk and exclusively to your best mate who won’t judge you for being a weirdo, but maybe that’s the R.Kelly appeal – he isn’t afraid to say (sing) the filthy things were thinking. Whilst it features a bunch of big-name guest vocals from Kelly Rowland, 2 Chainz to Ludacris, it’s just far too comical to be considered a serious love-making R&B album.
PETE DUNDA
Best Track: Legs Shakin’.
If You Like These, You’ll Like This: Trapped in the Closet saga R. KELLY, Jizz In My Pants THE LONELY PLANET.
In A Word: Dirty.
