leak of the week

Leaked: R. Kelly’s New Album Even Dirtier Than We Expected

Photo: Getty Images


R. Kelly, 12 Play: Fourth Quarter

Official Release Date: TBA

The Verdict: While the sexual escapades on last year’s Double Up were cloaked in abstruse (and awesome) metaphors involving space exploration and visits to the zoo, the ones on R. Kelly’s new 12 Play: Fourth Quarter are pretty much left out in the open. In fact, Kellz makes his intentions clearer here than he has on any track since “I Like the Crotch on You”; he wants to romance you (“Whole Lotta Kisses”), see you naked (“Skin”), make love ("Freaky Sensation,” “Go Low”) in a way that’s satisfying to all parties involved ("Screamer,” “At the Same Time”), multiply ("Wanna Make a Baby”), and then dodge the paternity suit ("Might Be Mine”).

At first, it’s hard to tell if he’s been emboldened by his recent acquittal on child-pornography charges or if Fourth Quarter is just something he slapped together while staring down a possible fifteen-year prison sentence. The songwriting doesn’t seem to be up to his typically high standards, and the production is a little flimsy too, so we’re guessing it’s probably the latter — even though “Relief” (we can’t believe he called a song “Relief”) was clearly written post-verdict. Given his legendary discography, none of these tracks are in any danger of becoming greatest hits, but “Might Be Mine” is probably still ridiculous enough to earn a spot on our ever-growing iTunes playlist of completely insane R. Kelly songs.

Leaked: R. Kelly’s New Album Even Dirtier Than We Expected