R. Kelly Appreciation Thread (with receipts)

[ReidOne 12,427]

R. Kelly's name gets dragged here on a daily basis. Whether right or wrong, it doesn't change the fact that he is a musical genius. I know most of GGD is too young to remember a lot of his accomplishments, so I wanted to take some time and reflect on all he has given the world of pop music. 

 

Below, I'll take you through some of the highlights of his career. But in case you can't be bothered to read it all, this is the main takeaway... He has been behind some of the biggest hits (and world-record setting achievements) of the following megastars: 

- Michael Jackson
- Whitney Houston
- Celine Dion
- Britney Spears
- Lady Gaga

In the world of pop music, you would be hard pressed to find anyone with a more impressive list of collaborations. 

 

-----------------------------

 

His debut solo album '12 Play' is considered a landmark moment in 90's R&B. Fans of the genre still point to this album as a turning point for R&B music and consider the album a "masterpiece." The single "Bump n Grind" knocked Ace of Base "The Sign" from the #1 position on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1994. 

 

While simultaneously working on his own debut album, he was also writing and producing the debut album for Aaliyah (whom he would later marry). Like his own debut, Aaliyah's album became one of the defining moments of 90's R&B. 

 

His single "I Believe I Can Fly" is the biggest hit of his career and earned him 3 Grammy awards (he's been nominated for a total of 25 Grammys): 

 

in 1995, R. Kelly gave Michael Jackson one of the biggest hits of his career when he wrote & produced the song "You Are Not Alone" for Michael's HIStory album. This song truly made history when it became the first song in the history of the Billboard charts to debut at #1. 

 

His 1998 duet with Celine Dion made chart history when it became the first single to go #1 after Billboard changed the Hot 100 methodology to allow "airplay only" tracks to appear on the chart. (Yes, little hunties, for the majority of rock history, it was a requirement that songs have a physical retail single release to appear on the Hot 100... the world has certainly changed a lot since then!): 

 

In 1999, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes of TLC discovered the group Blaque and signed them to her label. She then hired R. Kelly to produce their debut single, "808" which was one of the biggest bops of the year. 

 

In 2003 he wrote and produced the classic song "Outrageous" for Britney Spears (featuring Snoop Dogg). This song, while not well appreciated at the time of release, has actually stood the test of time better than most of the other songs on the album. This video will forever live in infamy, as it is during this video shoot that Britney injured her knee, something she has never fully recovered from to this day, forever changing her style of dancing. 

 

Proving his lasting power as a solo artist, his 2004 single "Ignition (Remix)" spent 5 weeks at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 (kept from #1 by 50 Cent's "In Da Club"). This songs legacy is impressive, as it can still be heard on radio and in clubs today in 2016. 

 

His 2005 'Trapped In the Closet' saga approached the controversial subject of "down low" culture (black men who live "straight" lives but secretly have sex with men on the side) and explored how this practice is responsible for spreading HIV rapidly throughout the community. It's at once a daring sociological commentary as well as a humorous tongue-in-cheek/camp take on the subject (the story is told in the style of old radio soap operas, a seeming nod to the gay communities love for the soap genre). 

 

 

R. Kelly wrote the emotional comeback ballad "I Look to You" for Whitney Houston's album of the same name in 2009.

 

Upon Whitney's death 3 years later, he performed it himself at her funeral. This performance still makes me cry every single time I watch it. Definitely the most memorable moment of her funeral for me. 

 

In 2013, his appearance on Lady Gaga's "Do What U Want" led to worldwide adoration for the song. So much so, that the record label scrapped plans to release "Venus" as a single so that they could promote this song instead, changing the fate of ARTPOP forever. 

 

[London GUY 5,627]

And then he pissed on a minor 

[ReidOne 12,427]

1 minute ago, London GUY said:

And then he pissed on a minor 

This thread is about the music!!  

[Paper Gangsta 6,693]

Just now, ReidOne said:

This thread is about the music!!  

piss produces a sound 

[SamJ 8,008]

I hear ignition on the radio everyday! On free radio. He is a fuc *ing leg ay he

[ReidOne 12,427]

Just now, Paper Gangsta said:

piss produces a sound 

[Fernster7 7,912]

I don't really know much about him except for Ignition but his version of DWUW is the best. The others don't even come close.

[ryanripley 86,575]

listening to his music is like taking a golden shower  

[Killa 17,112]

If you all knew how good it is when rain comes with gold

staypressed.com aka GGD

[KinneyUnderYou 0]

12 minutes ago, ReidOne said:

In 2013, his appearance on Lady Gaga's "Do What U Want" led to worldwide adoration for the song. So much so, that the record label scrapped plans to release "Venus" as a single so that they could promote this song instead, changing the fate of ARTPOP forever. 

 

Sadly, the music video was never released. It was going to create a lot of buzz, and controversy. It would've helped the song peak in the Top 5. But, I still appreciate the fact it was never released. It would have damaged Gaga's image as a respected artist, but it would have opened doors to Gaga in the new generation. Either way, I'll take Gaga's image as a respected artist more than success.

I appreciate taking your time type this wonderful thread. As a 15-year-old, turning 16 this October, Gaga opened doors for me to artists I have never even heard of. The Rolling Stones, Tony Bennet, Cher, R. Kelly, Queen, Paul McCartney etc. I am extremely happy I support this wonderful woman for introducing me to music that was appreciated by others back in the day. I love jazz music due to Gaga (not the point to get a jazz album over a pop album ). So, my point here is that Gaga saved me from being a person who lacks knowledge on artists like the ones I mentioned above. This all leads to thank you for expanding my information on an artist like R. Kelly. Never knew that he wrote "I Look To You" by Whitney, one of my favorite songs by her. Never knew he wrote "You Are Not Alone" by Michael Jackson. Thank you for this wonderful thread

[ReidOne 12,427]

8 minutes ago, UK Monster said:

I hear ignition on the radio everyday! On free radio. He is a fuc *ing leg ay he

 

[ReidOne 12,427]

2 minutes ago, KinneyUnderYou said:

I appreciate taking your time type this wonderful thread. As a 15-year-old, turning 16 this October, Gaga opened doors for me to artists I have never even heard of. The Rolling Stones, Tony Bennet, Cher, R. Kelly, Queen, Paul McCartney etc. I am extremely happy I support this wonderful woman for introducing me to music that was appreciated by others back in the day. I love jazz music due to Gaga (not the point to get a jazz album over a pop album ). So, my point here is that Gaga saved me from being a person who lacks knowledge on artists like the ones I mentioned above. This all leads to thank you for expanding my information on an artist like R. Kelly. Never knew that he wrote "I Look To You" by Whitney, one of my favorite songs by her. Never knew he wrote "You Are Not Alone" by Michael Jackson. Thank you for this wonderful thread

Thank you so much!!! This means a lot to me as this is the exact reason I put this together. Glad you appreciated it! Thank you!! 

[Kermit 15,807]

 Iv'e been listening to Robert, forever. I get that he may have made some mistakes, but his music is a work of art. I knew that people would turn GagaxKelly into something, other than its nature, as soon as she conducted fans to paint the tracklisting on a city wall. 

[PMKKARDASHiAN 8,570]

I personally enjoy getting pissed on 

But yes r kelly has always been an incredible artist and his music has been a staple in early to late 90s r&b. 

Yall are too quick to drag him because he pissed on a girl like 14 years ago. Educate me if I'm wrong, but wasn't she like 16? And also, didn't she lie to kelly about her age? So while technically, yea, he "had sex with a minor", she isn't completely blameless therefore why so much effort into attempting to drag an artist most of you only know a few songs by let alone his legacy 

[ReidOne 12,427]

26 minutes ago, ReidOne said:

Upon Whitney's death 3 years later, he performed it himself at her funeral. This performance still makes me cry every single time I watch it. Definitely the most memorable moment of her funeral for me. 

 

Seriously, if you guys only watch one video out of this thread, please watch this one. I just watched it again (for the 10,000th time), and here I sit again with tears streaming down my face. This performance is really everything. 

Please consider the context: this is the "comeback" song he wrote for Whitney after it seemed she had won her battle against drug addiction. Yet, her recovery was short lived and here they are at her funeral. And yet, somehow these lyrics carry even more power in this context than in any other. 

And his vocal performance... I honestly don't think I have ever seen any singer pour their heart and soul into a performance quite like this. It makes me sob, every. single. time. 

It's songs and performances like this that remind me why music means so much to me. 

 

As I lay me down
Heaven hear me now
I'm lost without a cause
After giving it my all

Winter storms have come
And darkened my sun
After all that I've been through
Who on earth can I turn to

I look to you
I look to you

After all my strength is gone
In you I can be strong

I look to you
I look to you

And when melodies are gone
In you I hear a song

I look to you