R. Kelly – Write Me Back

I was expecting some nasty-ass sex metaphors in R. Kelly’s newest release, but the closest thing I got is some oral sex in the end of the album. “One Step Closer” recounted blow-by-blow the minute he clocked out of work and headed straight home to his lover. Before he got to the door, I was predicting something dramatic would happen like he would find another guy or girl making out with his woman in his bed, but nothing happened. She was just waiting for him with nothing on. He went down and didn’t want to come back up.

Write Me Back is more of a sequel to his 2010’s retro Love Letter than his freakiness signatures. Kellz brings back the good old ’70s soul like the disco joint “Love Is” and Smokey Robinson’s smoothness “Fool for You.” He even makes an convincing impression of Michael Jackson on “You Are My World.” Yet Kellz does best when he does his own style. “Believe In Me” sounds like a message from a soldier to his lover:

I’ll be gone for a minute
I know you can’t take it
The Lord’s walking with me
So I am going to make it.