Maps of Music

Double Up (2007)

Where the lyrics of Double Up take you, and where it was really made.

The Virginia Tech tribute "Rise Up" was left off most international editions because it was reportedly meant mainly for North American listeners.

Key places

Main recording room in Chicago (2007)

Recording site Chicago Recording Company — Most tracks on Double Up were recorded at The Chocolate Factory in Chicago. The point is placed at city-center level, since the source gives only the city. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Strings recorded in Philadelphia (2007)

Recording site Scottish Rite Temple — Strings for several tracks were recorded at The Studio in Philadelphia. The point is placed at city-center level, since the source gives only the city. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Snoop Dogg's verse recorded in Regina (2007)

Recording site Touchwood Studio — Snoop Dogg recorded his part for Blunt Bros. at Touchwood Studio in Regina, Saskatchewan. The point is placed at city-center level, since the source gives only the city. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Nelly's verse recorded in St. Louis (2007)

Recording site Notifi Studios — Nelly recorded his vocals at Derrty Studios in St. Louis. The point is placed at city-center level, since the source gives only the city. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Chamillionaire's verse recorded in Los Angeles (2007)

Recording site Motown Recording Studios — Chamillionaire recorded his vocals at Encore Studios in Los Angeles. The point is placed at city-center level, since the source gives only the city. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

T.I.'s vocals recorded in Atlanta (2007)

Recording site DARP Studios (Atlanta) — T.I. recorded his vocals for the "I'm a Flirt" remix at Echo Studios in Atlanta. The point is placed at city-center level, since the source gives only the city. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Huey's vocals recorded in Knoxville (2007)

Recording site Castle Acoustics — Huey recorded his vocals at Castle Acoustics in Knoxville. The point is placed at city-center level, since the source gives only the city. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Kid Rock's vocals recorded in Clarkston (2007)

Recording site Allen Roadhouse — Kid Rock recorded his vocals at Allen Roadhouse in Clarkston, Michigan. The point is placed at city-center level, since the source gives only the city. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Part of the album recorded in Las Vegas (2007)

Recording site Studio at the Palms — Track 18 was recorded at Studio at The Palms in Las Vegas, along with The Chocolate Factory and Chicago Recording Company. The point is placed at city-center level, since the source gives only the city. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Double Up: eighth studio album by American singer-songwriter R. Kelly
• Released by Jive Records on May 29, 2007 in the United States
• Distribution handled by Zomba Label Group
• Produced by R. Kelly along with Swizz Beatz, The Runners, Snoop Dogg, Khao, Nelly, Chamillionaire and Polow da Don
• Album features many guest appearances
• Lead single: remix of "I'm a Flirt" with guest vocals from T.I. and T-Pain
• Double Up is Kelly's final studio album to top the Billboard 200

Background

• Kelly spoke on YouTube about his success and about collaborating with artists such as Young Jeezy and Ludacris
• He said 70 percent of the record would be uptempo
• He assured fans that there would be some slow jams on the album
• Before release, three songs leaked online: "Same Girl" with Usher, "Rise Up" and "Blow It Up"

Recording

• Most tracks were recorded at The Chocolate Factory in Chicago
• Strings were recorded at The Studio in Philadelphia
• Mixing and co-mixing were done at MixStar Studios in Virginia Beach
• Guest vocals were recorded in several cities, including St. Louis, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Knoxville, Clarkston and Regina

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Born Robert Sylvester Kelly on January 8, 1967, on Chicago's South Side, Illinois.
• Began performing in the subway under Chicago "L" tracks, busking at the Jackson station on the Red Line.
• Joined the group MGM (Musically Gifted Men) formed in 1989, which won a $100,000 prize on the TV show Big Break in 1991 before disbanding.

Career

• Signed with Jive Records in 1991; debut Born into the 90's (1992, with Public Announcement) yielded hits including "She's Got That Vibe".
• Solo album 12 Play (1993) produced the number-one hit "Bump N' Grind", which spent a record 12 weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart.
• "I Believe I Can Fly" (1996) won three Grammy Awards in 1998.
• Wrote and produced "You Are Not Alone" for Michael Jackson, which debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100.
• Sold over 75 million records worldwide; Billboard ranked him the 9th greatest R&B artist of all time.
• Convicted in 2021 and 2022 on child sex offences and sentenced to a combined 31 years; his career ended after these convictions.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• AllMusic editor K. Ross Hoffman wrote that when Kelly sticks to his lush, laid-back, mid-tempo grooves, he is both unmistakable and untouchable
• Nathan Rabin wrote that Kelly's grooves make his exuberantly stupid lyrics seem strangely charming, but the album has its share of filler
• Pitchfork's Ryan Dombal wrote that Kelly sometimes sounds like a man too old for the club but too stubborn and horny to turn away
• The New York Post's Dan Aquailante wrote that Kelly's singing is at full power, but he could not keep excellence across this many songs
• Entertainment Weekly's Chris Willman wrote that the album has moments of unhinged sexual mania
• The New York Times' Kelefa Sanneh called it the most cocksure album of Kelly's career
• The Guardian's Alexis Petridis compared the reaction to the album to the audience at the end of Springtime for Hitler in The Producers
• Billboard's Gail Mitchell noted a very sexually explicit Kelly greeting fans on this album
• Rolling Stone's Robert Christgau wrote that the album piles on the bump'n'grind

Records

• Debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 386,000 copies
• Kelly's sixth and final album to debut at number one
• Sold 1,200,000 copies in the United States to date
• Entered the UK Albums Chart at number 10 on June 3, 2007
• Certified platinum in the United States (1,000,000 units)

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• "Rise Up", a tribute to the Virginia Tech massacre, was omitted from most international versions in favor of bonus tracks
• "Blow It Up" leaked before release but was dropped from the final track listing because its mood clashed with the Virginia Tech tribute
• The explicit version went on sale on iTunes on May 25, 2007, four days before the release date
• The extended version of "Get Dirty" with a longer Chamillionaire verse was released on Kelly's MySpace page
• On all versions of the album, "I'm a Flirt" appears in its censored form while the other songs do not
• "Double Up" samples "Iceberg" as performed by Tweet

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com

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