Kehlani, Do U Dirty | Track Review 🎵

Ahead of debut album SweetSexySavage, up-and-coming R&B artist Kehlani drops another captivating single with “Do U Dirty.”

Up-and-coming R&B artist Kehlani is set to drop her official debut album, SweetSexySavage January 27, 2017. Prior to SweetSexySavage, she released a Grammy-nominated mixtape, You Should Be Here, in 2015. Ahead of SweetSexySavage, Kehlani has dropped a number of singles, with the earliest being “Distraction” and “CRZY”. She returns with another gem, “Do U Dirty.”

“Do U Dirty” embraces the modern R&B sound through and through.  This sound encompasses the drums, synths, minor key scheme, and ample “swagger.”  A perfect example of swagger occurs on the first verse, with Kehlani singing:

“Up for hours drinking
Posted up, just reflected on it
And I know you won’t believe me
But babe, I’m cold and yeah, this life is cold.”

Kehlani delivers rhythmic vocals throughout “Do U Dirty.” While she’s singing, the influence of hip-hop – namely pop-rap – is clear as mud.  By the pre-chorus, the lead vocals grow more assertive: “Swear you see the good in me / But that don’t beat the hood in me / And I got my intentions and use / Guess I’m make believe ‘cause baby, I know, baby, I know.”

The chorus is simple but effective:

“I, I’ma do you dirty
Say you love me now, but baby, it’s too early
I, I’ma do you dirty
You think you love me now, I think you should be worried.”

Kehlani is brutally honest lyrically. She shows her sharp tongue on the first verse:

“And I can see you from a distance
I could fuck you now and years later on
You gon’ be stuck, just reminiscing
It’s the way I ride you, let you stay inside
Yeah, I’ma fuck you like a vixen
There’s something ‘bout me.”

Final Thoughts

“Do U Dirty” gives Kehlani another worthwhile single.  It takes a couple of spins for “Do U Dirty” to unveil its magic, compared to earlier singles.  Still, the potential is tremendous.

Kehlani • SweetSavageSexy • Atlantic • Release: 1.27.17

Photo Credit: Atlantic