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Every fan of R&B and soul will love this smooth laidback music. I mean who can forget classics like "Your Body's Callin'" and "Bump N' Grind". Songs that just make your head bounce. Don't forget The Best R&B-Song of 1993 "Sex Me", for its seductive, made-for-lovers-in-bed sound. Other very good low-tempo songs are "It Seems Like You're Ready", "For You" "12 PLAY" and "Sadie". The other songs are just outdated hiphop songs. But that doesn't stop me for giving this album 5 stars. It's R&B that he stands for and it shows. It was with the album "12 PLAY" that he acknowledged his real music and showed the world his enormous talent. Everyone who doesn't have this music are making a big mistake. You've been warned.


Good solo debut   January 17, 2001
 7 out of 8 found this review helpful

R. Kelly is a master of taking a completely juvenile, sexual song title like "I Like the Crotch on You" and flipping it with his smooth voice into some kind of bizarre love song. "12 Play," his first album without the assistance of Public Announcement, proves that he could hold his own rolling solo. And while it isn't as polished or as popular as his later hit-making LPs, it's a solid release nonetheless.

The album kicks off with the smooth-groovin' "Your Body's Callin'." From there it's on the hit single "Bump-N-Grind," the hip-hop-inflected "Homie Lover Friend," and the first of many slow, sticky ballads, "It Seems Like You're Ready."

The back half of the album has most of the better songs. Tracks like the flossy "Summer Bunnies" and the uptempo "Back to the Hood of Things" are perfect for riding around on a hot summer's day, watchin' honeys. Also, "Sex Me, Pts. I & II" succeeds, despite the fact that it's one song followed IMMEDIATELY by a remix of the exact same song. That was kind of a bone-headed move on the part of the producer, but it works, nonetheless.

However, the pinnacle of the album comes in the form of a complete departure from the rest of the album. "Sadie," an ode to Kelly's mother, is a beautiful mid-tempo ballad that makes you forget that he spent the rest of the album trying to get in your woman's panties.

All in all, the sound of this album is a little dated. It's definitely early '90s R&B with some hip-hop thrown in for effect. But it was a step towards defining the R&B giant that would soon be R. "I Wish I Could Fly" Kelly.


955-bone and baby gets with it   May 22, 2005
 7 out of 10 found this review helpful

r kelly is the musical genius of our times, and this is his classic debut 12 play. 12 play used to be my favorite cd of his, but now it's probably "happy people/u saved me." r is the greatest.


Probably My All Time Favorite CD   April 18, 2002
 5 out of 6 found this review helpful

R. Kelly is my favorite singer and has been since the release of this album. The first cut off of this album, Sex Me, was impressive but when the second cut off the album was released (Bump N' Grind) I was hooked because it was off the hook.

With some of the old school sensuality, such as a Marvin Gaye or Teddy Pendergrass mixed with todays upbeat tempos R. Kelly's 12 Play is a unique blend of senuality and soul. Other great tracks on this album include, Your Body's Callin, Summer Bunnies, Sadie, and the title cut 12 Play. It's my favorite R. Kelly album and probably my favorite album of all time.

The most impressive thing about R. Kelly is that he writes and produces his own music. How many artists can say they do that? If your a fan or R. Kelly or a fan of sensual, soulful music you will most definitely enjoy R. Kelly's 12 Play.


R. Kelly invents himself on 2nd album.   October 4, 2005
 5 out of 5 found this review helpful

He's Kels, he's the R in R&B, he's R, R. Kelly, and Robert Kelly. And this, ladies and gentlemen, is the album that made him. It's called "12 Play". It was released in 1993, which was a very good year for Kelly. This is a must have album for any R&B fan, because R. Kelly did such a great job.
I enjoy listening to this album, the slower songs in particular. In fact, the faster songs sound very dated, and they are the key reason I could only give this album 3 stars. If this album was built on only his slower, sexier stars, it would easily be 5 stars. "Homie Lover Friend", and "Freak Dat Body" are examples of the dated material I am speaking of. Here, Kelly tries to rap, when, clearly, his forte is singing and producing. "Summer Bunnies" is the only up tempo song that is good. This is a very sexually driven piece of work, but that's alright, because R. Kelly is sexy and he knows how to croon. Well, he's a little more blatant than his colleagues like Jaheim, Donell Jones and Tevin Campbell. "Sex Me", "12 Play", "Your Body's Calling" and "Seems Like Your Ready" are so sensual, they would set the mood perfectly for a romantic evening.
Overall, this is a nice album and I recommend it to all!

Mikeisha's Top 5
1.Bump N Grind
2.Your Body's Calling
3.Sadie
4.Summer Bunnies
5.12 Play