With his single ‘Closer’ blowing up the charts, and a brand new album ‘Year of The Gentleman’ on the horizon’, the Grammy award winning singer/songwriter looks set to continue establishing himself as a music heavyweight.

Produced by Stargate (Rihanna, Ne-Yo etc), ‘Broken’ is a piano-driven mid-tempo cut. The track’s laid back vibe is both its strength and weakness; solid overall, I was kinda left feeling as if the song would have benefited from Kelly vocally exerting herself more – especially on the adlibs.

‘Unity’ sees the former Destiny’s Child star embrace a more Pop/Alternative sound. With its rousing chorus, the song takes on a anthem-like form. I’m liking this one quite a lot.

Hit(s) or Miss(es)?

LISTEN: Broken // Unity {Links Removed As Requested}

“I’m trying to take it back to where you couldn’t walk out of the house unless you looked your best,” he explained of the album title. “Back in the day of, say, the Rat Pack and Nat King Cole … any picture you ever see, they’re suited and everything is right from top to bottom. Not saying it has to be a suit, ’cause clothes don’t make the man — it’s the attitude and person. The music needs to personify that. A lot of this music [on the album], some of it is gonna be urban, some of it is gonna be pop. Some is gonna ride that middle.

“The third [LP] is more of the good [music],” he added. “The second album proved I’m here to stay. I won a Grammy for that one. So, I’m here to win more Grammys. At the same time, I love what it is I do, so [this is] another excuse for me to pen more facets of my personality.”

I’m hoping he redeems himself from his so-so 2nd album, as, Grammy or not, it wasn’t up-to-par with his stellar debut. ‘Closer’ is growing on me, though, so things are looking good at the moment IMO.

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Ne-Yo sued the promoter of the R. Kelly Double Up tour for firing him after two shows as the opening act, claiming that the audience and the critics liked him better, according to court papers obtained on Wednesday.

Ne-Yo, whose real name is Shaffer Smith, and Compound Touring Inc. filed the suit Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court against Georgia-based Rowe Entertainment Inc., alleging breach of contract and violation of the right of publicity.

Compound Touring and Smith are seeking unspecified damages, but the suit maintains he was to be paid $785,000 for 25 shows opening for Kelly’s “Double-Up Tour” that began Nov. 14 and is still owed $735,000.

Smith was allowed to perform during the Nov. 14 and 15 tour dates, then was fired prior to the scheduled Nov. 19 show, according to the suit.

It was obvious this was the route things were going to go down – and rightfully so. You can’t not pay the man his money. SMH.

Janet, are you finished with your next album? What direction are you taking?

Janet Jackson: “No, I’m working on it. It’ll be out probably first quarter of next year. I’m doing something, still being who I am, I’ll never shy from that. I’m working with a few people. I’m working with Ne-Yo, I’m working with Jermaine, working with Rodney Jerkins”

(Tyler Perry points at himself and everyone laughs)

Lamman Rucker: “They’ll be doing a duet together.”

Janet Jackson: “This is something different for me because normally it’s myself, Jimmy [Jam] and Terry [Lewis] and always writing music and myself writing the melodies. This is a bit of a departure from [that].”

So Jimmy and Terry are not involved?

Janet Jackson: “As of now, no.”

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I’m all for Janet working with fresh producers, but I don’t know if it’s a wise choice to drop Jimmy & Terry at this stage of her career. IMO, the duo have brought the ‘classic Janet’ element to her more recent efforts – which have seen her try and switch up her musical style. Time will tell if the change will work in her favor.