R. Kelly/Jay Z- The Best Of Both Worlds: I decided to do things a little different on this review and get 2 different perspectives on the album. This review will be from a hip hop point of view and the r&b point of view will be posted on our partner site, Funky Rhythms. Since this is titled the "Best Of Both Worlds", the question must be asked are we really getting what the title suggests? The answer, NO. Very little creative effort was put into this piece. The beats will definitely give your speakers a workout, but this album is strictly for the clubs. The titles of the song seem like they probably took 5 minutes to come up with, (ie. Pussy, Naked,Shorty). Lyrically, I think that as always, Jay Z comes and goes with his lyrics. As dope as "The Streets", "Green Light", and "Somebody's Girl" is, he comes REALLY wack on "Shake Ya Body" and "Take You Home".
I heard in a magazine article that both artists recorded their tracks separately and not together in the same studio. This does not surprise me in the least, but I must say that for many of the weak moments, there were many tight ones. Jay Z obviously has a chemistry with R. Kelly. Now it may not be on the level of a Daz & Kurupt, but you can tell that they have hit making talent. That is why this album puzzles me so. You get the feeling after listening to it that they really had a chance to make a dope album and they dropped the ball.
Now this album is solid, and it will defintely sell, but it is probably a album you will not hear much about in the next couple of months. Let's get more albums like Nas' that actually have thought and meaning behind it. And if they're gonna be party albums, than make the lyrics good and don't have "pussy" and "naked" as the names and chorus'. Rap wise, this album is more of a clubbin or crusin' type of album, or one that the fellas can play when their "shorty" is over for some lovin.
7.5 OUT OF 10
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