Double UP Tour - 4 Stars

To paraphrase a quote from my homeboy Aaron McGruder's Boondocks character Riley, never underestimate how much [we] love R. Kelly.

I'll admit it, I am a fan. Not of the man, but I am a huge fan of his music. Always have been. So yes, I went to his concert when I was in D.C. for Thanksgiving. We all remember the drama that ended the R. Kelly/Jay-Z tour. And then there is the latest drama that led to Neo's departure from the Double Up tour. Given this history I did not know what to expect from the concert.

Here's the deal. R&B artist J. Holiday, a D.C. native, opened the show. He was already performing when I arrived, which was maybe 10 minutes after the stated show time. I saw J. Holiday perform live here in Chicago at the House of Blues, so I figured he would do a similar set. Well, by the time I got some snacks and made a pit stop he was already singing "Bed," but instead of the 20 minute version I heard in Chicago he sang the abbreviated version and was out. I could not believe it! But thought, oh well, Keyshia Cole is next there will now be more time for her to perform. I know, you feel it coming... The concert was held at the Verizon Center, which is the sports arena where the Wizards play. My point is that the place is huge. I am also a big Keyshia fan (J. Holiday opened for Keyshia the night I went to see her at the House of Blues) and this is what I remember about her show:

1. Most people in the arena could not see her because they did not simulcast on the big screens.
2. The sound system was horrible.
3. She too only sang snippets of her songs and was out.

I started to get restless and began regretting purchasing these tickets. But, then the Rrrr did his thing. I won't spoil it, but all of sudden we had 3 big screens, the sound system was crystal clear, and R. Kelly performed hit after hit (17 years of hits) for over 2 hours. While I spent half the time laughing at how ludicrous his lyrics were or at the crazy things he was doing on stage, the other half of the time I marveled at how great he sounded.

R. Kelly, for all of his faults, is truly talented and has a rich voice. R. Kelly should not tour with other artists in the future as it seems he is unwilling to share the limelight. Lucky for Kells his fans will continue to support him whether or not he has an opening act.