Hip Hopera

Last night I saw the first five episodes of R. Kelly's new urban opera "Trapped in the Closet." It was pretty entertaining, as R. struggles through the torrid world of sexual dishonesty and relationship doubletalk with other characters who convincingly lip synch his vocals. Worth a look.

However, I do think that R. can only get away with near rhymes for so long...having a pretty voice doesn't give him license to rhyme "home" with "long," "on" with "phone," "nails" and "hell," and, the lazy songwriter's classic, rhyming "me" with "me."