Posted by Katherine St Asaph on 07/20/2011 at 12:28 PM News

The Popdust Files: kelly rowland, leak

The final bit of proof that the supposed rekindling of the Kelly Rowland-Beyonce rivalry is bunk? Here I Am leaked today, and nobody’s making anywhere near the amount of ado that was made when 4 leaked. It’s closer to the release date, but still. Also tellingly lacking in ado? A lyrics video that was uploaded yesterday. Granted, “lyrics videos” at this point are rapidly turning into something artists just think they have to do because everyone else is, from official versions to the jerry-rigged, off-corrected videos regular YouTube users put up as a rickety front for the audio files they’re really uploading. But still: not much ado.

At any rate, you can definitely listen to pretty much the entire Kelly Rowland album now, minus the bonus tracks, if you’re so inclined. We’ve embedded a representative sample of the tracks you haven’t heard (and the tracks that are good; granted, we’re judging on about two listens, but there are a few definite duds like “Work It Man.”) “Down for Whatever” is a RedOne track that thankfully isn’t as relentless and headache-y as some of his work. “Keep It Between Us” is a moody slow-burner, sort of like a surrogate “Marvin’s Room” cover. And uptempo “Turn It Up” is fantastic, easily the best thing we’ve heard from Here I Am. At the very least, these tracks should shut producer Jeff Bhasker up–although again, the whole BEYONCE’S PRODUCER FEUDs angle is bunk, considering that he’s worked with Alicia Keys and Kanye West and freaking Natalia Kills too–guess NATALIA KILLS’ PRODUCER BASHES “MOTIVATION!” isn’t dramatic enough. His Wikipedia page doesn’t even mention Beyonce. Yeesh.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrTMIuXx_q4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htKPj6d2HTU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjWroKzcQEA