Music Review // The Real J Israel "For The Sake Of R&B"

https://open.spotify.com/album/0kV9sRUfymCbOWgBjnNUlr

When I first started listening to this album, I heard the acoustics, beats and vocals and my first thought was of R Kelly.  Then I wondered whether or not I should compare music with R Kelly because of the reputation which comes with that name.  Before I could decide whether or not that was a good idea, "When You Need Love" kicked in and I thought out loud "He's singing about fucking!"  This may seem like a bold statement to make but he literally is and even the lyrics support that.

Just on the first song alone we have the lines: "When you need love / I'll give you all the love you need / But tonight I need you to fuck on me".  This song also has one of those slowed down parts where The Real J Israel talks to us (which I think is like Boyz II Men) and within that he says his favorite view of you is from behind.   I think perhaps it is just this song, which is a somewhat abrasive way to begin an album, but with lyrics like "I swear I found heaven in between your thighs" on "I Need It" the album does not let up.

To be fair, a song such as "Missing" isn't as in your face but the overtly sexual content is still there.  I'm not sure why this album is called "For The Sake Of R&B" when it could have been called "For The Sake Of You Fucking Me".  Though the music is right now, due to the lyrical content of these songs this isn't something you're going to hear on the radio or really in that mainstream way.  Let's face it, this album has one purpose and one purpose only: to be played during sex.

This album is definitely too sexy for me but I also feel like it doesn't have an appropriate time to be played other than in the bedroom.  While that might benefit any number of people, it still limits the music as an artform the same way that putting out a holiday album can only be played during December.   This album isn't for me only because it is so overly sexual, but there is an audience for it and I hope that this album finds that audience.