R. Kelly

R. Kelly To Drop Write Me Back Album In June

15 May 2012 18:56:36 EDT

Pied Piper of R&B will roll out his 11th album on June 26.
By Nadeska Alexis

After taking a break from singing to undergo emergency throat surgery last year, R. Kelly is making an official return with his 11th studio album, Write Me Back, set for release on June 26.

"Share My Love," the lead single from Write Me Back, was released in February and has already made waves on radio. The latest cut, "Feelin' Single" will be available digitally on May 29. The new LP is a follow-up to R. Kelly's 2010 release Love Letter, which was an ode to music from the '50s and '60s.

Back in December, Kells shocked fans when he announced that he would be adding 32 chapters to his popular "Trapped in the Closet" series, and in March it was confirmed that the series would be aired on IFC later this year. Twenty-two chapters exist thus far in the soap opera series that begins with a one-night stand and weaves into an extended tale of sex and lies, starring Kelly's alter ego, Sylvester.

"When I first began experiencing the unknown journey of writing 'Trapped in the Closet,' I knew after the first chapter that I had tapped into something that was not of this earth," R. Kelly said in a statement at the time of the IFC announcement. "Being the nosy person that I am, I more than anyone wanted to know what the second chapter would be. And now here we are at chapter 23, trapped in the million dollar question — what the hell is the package? Well, ladies and gentlemen, not only am I ready to reveal what the package is, but I have many more chapters to share."

It's set to be a pretty eventful year for the Pied Piper. In February, he was one of the entertainers at Whitney Houston's funeral, performing a moving rendition of the late singer's hit "I Look to You," which he also wrote.

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'X Factor' Performance Finale Features Guest Duets

21 Dec 2011 22:44:02 EST

R. Kelly, Avril Lavigne and Alanis Morissette join contestants on their final night of performances.
By Adam Graham

At the outset of Wednesday's (December 21) 90-minute "The X Factor" performance finale, which pitted three singers — Josh Krajcik, Chris Rene and Melanie Amaro — against one another for a $5 million recording contract, judge Simon Cowell predicted, "I think this is going to be the closest final we've ever had."

By the end of the penultimate show, Cowell made it clear who had his vote to win, and unsurprisingly, it was the singer he mentored in the race, Melanie Amaro. Following Amaro's second song, a rendition of Beyoncé's "Dreamgirls" ballad "Listen," Cowell gave up all pretense of objectivity and threw his weight behind the singer, whom he at one point cut from the competition before reconsidering and allowing her back in after making a personal visit to her home.

"I brought this show to America because I believe some of the greatest singers in the world are from this country, and you just proved that," he told the 19-year-old from Sunrise, Florida. "I think you, based on that performance tonight, to me, should be the winner of 'The X Factor,' because you're going to represent this country all over the world."

Earlier in the show, Amaro performed a duet of "I Believe I Can Fly" with R. Kelly, which marked Kelly's first performance since undergoing throat surgery earlier this year. Amaro held her own with the singer, but Kells stole the spotlight with his effortless vocal gymnastics, on what was called his first-ever duet of his 1996 smash. For his part, Kells called Amaro "unbelievable," and said, "There's no doubt in my mind this girl is on her way to the moon." While L.A. Reid criticized Amaro for not performing well in the song's key, Cowell backed her 100 percent, calling the performance "close to godly."

Chris Rene, a 28-year-old from Santa Cruz, California, shared the stage early on with Avril Lavigne, as the two performed Lavigne's hit "Complicated" together, complete with a new rap from Rene. Rene's second song was "Young Homie," a song he penned and sang during the audition process and again on the November 22 episode, when he mixed it with the Beatles' "Let It Be."

He earned high marks from the judges, with Paula Abdul dubbing his "Young Homie" performance "magic," while calling Rene — who celebrated his eighth month of sobriety on Tuesday — the "consummate singer-songwriter-performer." "You make everyone fall in love with you!" she beamed. Cowell called him a "brilliant" performer, adding he's a "true gentleman" and a "really nice guy."

Josh Krajcik, a 30-year-old self-described "burrito slinger" from Columbus, Ohio, opened the show with Alanis Morissette, as the two took on her 1998 hit "Uninvited." Krajcik was visibly nervous while sharing the stage with Morissette but was much more in his element during his second song, when he stripped away all the fancy production cues and did "At Last" alone with his guitar. That performance was hailed as a return to form from the judges.

"This is what we liked about you in the first place," said Cowell, while Krajcik's mentor, Nicole Scherzinger, praised his consistency throughout the competition. "You have delivered in every single performance," she told him.

The winner will be crowned on Thursday's two-hour finale, which is set to feature appearances by Justin Bieber, 50 Cent, Leona Lewis, Pitbull and Ne-Yo.

What did you think of the "X Factor" finale? Sound off in the comments!

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R. Kelly's Upcoming Black Panties Will Be 'The New 12 Play

16 Sep 2011 13:01:09 EDT

Kellz talks throat surgery, getting nasty again and Trey Songz's dis in new radio interview.
By Rob Markman

R. Kelly is ready to put the "R" back in R&B. After undergoing throat surgery in July, Kelly stopped by 107.5 WGCI's Morning Riot radio show in Chicago for a rare interview in which he dropped the title for his next album, Black Panties, and talked about the shots Trey Songz has fired in his direction.

"It was really scary," Kellz said of his surgery. "At the end of the Love Letter Tour, towards the end, I started feeling it. I thought I had a cold, but, man, I had like a cyst as big as a golf ball on my tonsils. The doctor's though, they cut it out, they took care of me really good."

While he is known for super sex anthems like "Your Body's Callin'," "Ignition" and "Half on a Baby," R. Kelly took a gentleman's approach on his 2010 album Love Letter. But don't put him in a box. For his upcoming 11th solo LP, the Pied Piper is going to get nasty once again.

"I just did the whole Love Letter joint and everybody thinking, 'Oh that's the direction he's goin' now,' " Kelly said on the Morning Riot on Thursday. "Nah, that was a moment in time, just like 'Ignition' and 'Bump n' Grind' and all this stuff was a moment in time. Now this Black Panties album ... it's the new 12 Play."

In 1993, the 12 Play singles like "Your Body's Callin' " and "Bump n' Grind" helped propel Kelly to the top of the charts, while low-key album cuts such as "I Like the Crotch on You" showed a more explicit side that fans ate up.

Kellz didn't reveal much more about the new album, but did say that the first single, titled "10 Minutes" would be coming soon.

At his peak, Kelly was untouchable when it came to male R&B singers. But after his infamous 2008 child pornography case (in which he was found not guilty) and a few less-than-stellar albums, he wasn't as flawless as he had been in the 1990s and early 2000s. New artists like Chris Brown and Trey Songz emerged as R&B's leading men. Despite working together on Trey's second album (R. Kelly produced "Grub On" on Trey's 2007 Trey Day), the "Say Ahh" singer has been throwing shots at the R on songs and in interviews, criticizing Kelly for hopping on current trends like using Auto-Tune instead of standing as an innovator.

Kellz shrugs it all off. "I was pretty numb. I don't feel those type of things. It's like I'm bulletproof when it comes to beef. I don't deal with beef, I love steak," he said about Trey's shots, before paying his rival a compliment, sort of. "I know Trey Songz is a guy that if he keeps with the hits and he humbles himself a little bit more, he will definitely be one of the runners up."

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R. Kelly

R. Kelly Undergoes Emergency Throat Surgery

20 Jul 2011 14:44:20 EDT

Love Letter singer cancels Reggae Sumfest performance.
By Jocelyn Vena

It looks like the Reggae Sumfest will have to go on without R. Kelly. The singer has just announced that, due to health issues, he will no longer be on the lineup for the Jamaican festival, which began Sunday and will run through the upcoming weekend.

Kelly was scheduled to perform Friday, however he was rushed to the hospital for throat surgery. "R&B superstar R. Kelly will be laid up for an indefinite amount of time after undergoing an emergency procedure at Northwestern Memorial Hospital yesterday to drain an abscess on one of his tonsils," a press release reads.

"Kelly had visited a throat specialist earlier in the day complaining of severe throat pain," it continues. "Following a preliminary exam, he was rushed to Northwestern Memorial for the procedure. It is not known when the multiplatinum recording star, who just completed the U.S. leg of his worldwide Love Letter Tour, will be able to resume performing."

Kelly was one of the headlining draws for the Montego Bay festival. Other performers slated to take the stage at Reggae Sumfest include Nicki Minaj, Mya, Beenie Man, Elephant Man and a number of other artists from the Caribbean and the U.S.

There has been no word on whether Kelly, who was to perform during one of the international nights, will be replaced. Kelly has no other upcoming shows scheduled.

Share your well-wishes for R. Kelly in the comments below.

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Britney Spears' 'Till The World Ends' Gets R. Kelly Treatment

05 Jul 2011 10:01:51 EDT

Following all-girl remix featuring Nicki Minaj and Ke$ha, R&B singer proffers his own mix of the song.
By Jocelyn Vena

Did R. Kelly place his vote for his pick for Song of the Summer by jumping on a new remix of Britney Spears' monster smash "Till the World Ends"? Following the all-girl remix featuring Nicki Minaj and the song's writer, Ke$ha, this new version of the Femme Fatale single gets some love in the club from Kells.

On the new mix, after Brit sings the first verse and the chorus, Kelly comes in singing, "Slide up in this club/ This beat's got me in love/ Till I just don't care/ It's like I'm walking on air/ It's a party right here." He then goes on about partying till the world ends, his Auto-Tuned vocals dancing over the track until the song's breakdown, where he mixes his vocals with Spears'.

Toward the song's end, Kelly does some vocal runs over the song's chorus as it plays out, keeping with the integrity of the Dr. Luke-produced track.

Remixes certainly aren't new for Kels, who's reworked several of his own tracks, including "Ignition" and "Bump N' Grind," spinning new life into the songs that had already become fan favorites. He's also remixed tracks for an eclectic galaxy of stars like Whitney Houston, Usher and soul legends the Isley Brothers, to name a few.

As for Spears, several of her Femme Fatale songs have been remixed in various ways including the Bollywood "Till the World Ends and the house version of "Hold It Against Me." A Neptunes remix of "Boys" dubbed the "The Co-Ed Remix" climbed to the top of "TRL" back in 2002, and she released a remix album in 2005 called B In The Mix: The Remixes, with club-ready up versions of "Me Against the Music," "Everytime," "Toxic" and more.

"Till the World Ends" isn't the only Song of the Summer contender that's getting reworked by a male pop star. Over the weekend, much to the delight of Mother Monster herself, Nick Jonas put his own signature acoustic singer/songwriter stamp on her summer contender "The Edge of Glory."

Lady Gaga tweeted, "Swoon! Nick Jonas singing 'The Edge of Glory.' On my way to press conference in Taichung, listening to it. So dreamy! X."

Using only his acoustic guitar, Jonas played his version of the triumphant pop track to a audience of fans who seemed charmed by his rendition of the Born This Way single. "@ladygaga the pleasure is all mine," he later tweeted. "That is a beautiful song. Keep inspiring the world."

Which reworked track do you like better? Tell us in the comments!

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R. Kelly Sends Love Letter To Loyal Fans On Tour

01 Jul 2011 12:05:02 EDT

Kels seduces Newark, New Jersey, with nearly two-hour set reaching way back into his catalog.
By Steven Roberts

NEWARK, New Jersey — With the likes of Beyoncé, Chris Brown and Trey Songz dominating the pop/R&B space, some people may have forgotten R. Kelly. While Kels has been by no means dormant — he's released two albums, Untitled and Love Letter, in the past two years — his brand of R&B hasn't found a steady home on contemporary Top 40 or urban radio.

None of that seemed to matter Thursday evening as he played to a raucous sold-out crowd at the Prudential Center. Opening acts Marsha Ambrosius and Keyshia Cole showcased their vocal prowess, as the crowd filed in to the arena. Cole seemed to be winning over the audience, but it was easy to figure out whom the crowd had come to see, especially considering the line to get pictures snapped in front of giant, air-brushed portraits of R. Kelly.

Kelly's set opened up with a black-and-white video of him sitting at a bar, enjoying a cigar and a glass of scotch or some other dark liquor as a woman approaches. The "old timey" video is in line with the theme of the Love Letter tour: The corresponding album was an ode to classic soul singers of decades past, like Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye and Michael Jackson.

In the video, the woman — a past lover — presses Kels to return to her, and the crowd begged and pleaded along. Once the video ended, Kelly was revealed to be sitting at the bar of his casino-themed stage. He pulled a lever and commenced a nearly two-hour sing-along.

Kels' set was a musical journey through Chocolate Factory, TP-2.com, Happy People and the rest of his catalog, and at one point he waded into the crowd to get their help singing. He performed a medley of songs that included "Step in the Name of Love," "Ignition (Remix)," "Fiesta," "Feeling on Yo Booty" and "Down Low." Fans seemed to relish Kelly's older hits from his first solo album, 12 Play, including "Your Body's Callin'," "Sex Me" and, of course, "12 Play."

Toward the end of the show, the screens displayed a letter from Kelly's mom, thanking the audience for their dedication to her son, along with another video showing Kels throughout the years. While he may not dominate the radio like he once did, he may not need to. Most of contemporary R&B would kill to have his longevity anyway.

Share your R. Kelly concert reports in the comments below!

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Snoop Dogg And R. Kelly's 'Platinum' Has 'A Lot Of Energy'

01 Apr 2011 14:32:34 EDT

'That's the feeling that you're looking for,' Snoop says of the single.
By Jayson Rodriguez, with reporting by Steven Roberts

Snoop Dogg had just about finished wrapping his latest album, Doggumentary, before finishing up one last track. The California rapper and R. Kelly connected to record "Platinum," produced by Lex Luger (Jay-Z, Kanye West, Rick Ross).

The bouncy number featuring Snoop's smooth style and Kells' soaring vocals is now set to be his third single, following "New Year's Eve" and "Wet."

"That record got a lot of energy on it and it has a lot of feeling and emotion connected to it," Snoop told MTV News. "Whenever you play a record and you can get the whole room to either bounce to it or react to it as soon as it comes on, that's the feeling that you're looking for. It's a certain thing called 'magic' when you in the studio. And certain people know when they have that magic and they know when to let it go. That's why my career has been able to last for so long, because when I make that magic, I know when to let it go. Particularly singles that I drop that may not appease you in the beginning but by the time I'm finished doing what I'm doing, that single grows on you.

"You have to see that magic in the record before you hear it," he added.

Earlier this week, Snoop also talked about his career and how being flexible has allowed him to maintain his status in the game.

"I don't really think of it as reinventing myself, 'cause it's all within me," Snoop explained. "It's all who I am. It's more or less faces of Snoop Dogg or characters of Snoop Dogg that's in this one spirit. But at the same time, he's able to embellish different parts of the character to create this look, that style, that sound. But it's all the same. Because when I do it all at once, when I do a concept that has all the songs, I don't have enough time to change and act like this — it's still me."

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Snoop Dogg And R. Kelly Strive For 'Greatness' On 'Platinum'

23 Feb 2011 18:25:05 EST

'Me and Kells understand who we are and what we do to make each other better,' Snoop tells MTV News.
By D.L. Chandler, with reporting by Rahman Dukes

West Coast icon Snoop Dogg and Chicago R&B veteran R. Kelly teamed up with production whiz kid Lex Luger for the booming track "Platinum." Snoop sat down with MTV News to talk about the track, which will be featured on his 11th studio album, Doggumentary, saying his and R. Kelly's approach to music is what made their partnership a natural and familiar fit.

"I think me and Kells understand who we are and what we do to make each other better," Snoop said. "He has a deep love for music, and sometimes he goes over the head of the people that's listening just like myself, because we're too in-depth with music. We don't just listen to our genre. We find ourselves enjoying all walks of music."

In his 20-year career, Snoop somehow possesses the hunger of a hip-hop up-and-comer. He explained the reason behind that drive and how R. Kelly helped him on this latest journey.

"We wanna be great. We don't wanna make cool records. Because any time I hear R. Kelly, he's great," the cool Californian said. "Whenever he hears Snoop Dogg, I'm great. So why not come together and make some greatness?"

The song, however, almost didn't make the final cut, as Snoop had finished up recording the album. Snoop's friend previewed the Lex Luger track for the rapper, which impressed him enough to jot down a few bars. After sending his sketch to Kelly, the crooner replied with his own rough demo, leading the pair to finally complete the record.

What do you think about the combo of Snoop and Kells? Let us know in the comments!

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Shakira, Bono, R. Kelly, Russell Brand Score With World Cup Anthems

10 Jun 2010 16:16:27 EDT

Skakira's official FIFA World Cup song 'Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)' has much company among 2010 soccer anthems.
By Gil Kaufman

It's hard enough to get Americans pumped up to watch a bunch of other country's teams play soccer, but one thing we can all agree on is that the crazy-quilt Pangaea of World Cup anthems is an amazing spectacle to behold. From Shakira's Official FIFA World Cup song "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" to Russell Brand and Robbie Williams' remake of England's unofficial soccer song, "Three Lions," there are a head-spinning array of choices when it comes to soccer soundtracks for the planet's biggest sporting event.

Colombian hip-swiveler Shakira teamed up with South Africa's Freshlyground for the tournament's official song. The propulsive Afro-techno "Waka Waka" has the perfect mix of inspirational lyrics — "The pressure's on, you feel it/ It's time for Africa, your time to shine" — and a raise-the-roof vibe that you can picture pumping out of stereos from Johannesburg to Pittsburgh.

No slouch in the inspiration department, Mr. "I Believe I Can Fly" himself, R. Kelly, also cooked up an official FIFA World Cup anthem with a little ditty he calls "Sign of a Victory." The collabo with the Soweto Spiritual Singers choir — who will perform the song with Kelly at Friday's opening ceremonies — bubbles along on a syncopated, African percussion beat while Kelly sings, "I can feel the spirit of the nation/ And I can feel my wings riding the wind." The choir backs him up with an uplifting, wordless chant under the chorus "That's the sign of a victory." He also manages to incorporate the phrases, "let the games begin," "we can achieve anything, including the impossible," "raise the flag" and "scream like you want to win."

Somalian/Canadian rapper K'Naan also went the inspirational route with his official Coca-Cola anthem, "Wavin' Flag," which has the rising-up-from-oppression vibe of a classic Bob Marley tune. With assists from Will.I.Am and David Guetta, the soaring tune camouflages a song about poverty and oppression in a heart-stirring call to arms to let your banner fly.

Pepsi wasn't about to get aced out of this action, so it recruited Akon and Keri Hilson to make a video with soccer stars Lionel Messi of Argentina and Ivory Coast's Didier Drogba called "Oh Africa," as part of the celebration of the continent's first hosting duty for the global event. It also has the obligatory South African township jive stomp, and like the other songs, is as much about Africa's spot in the sun as it is about sports.

And because there's probably some rule about Bono having to participate in any globally unifying event, the U2 singer hooked up with Beninese singer Angelique Kidjo and John Legend for a thumping, Afro-pop cover of Curtis Mayfield's "Move On Up."

Another cover that was recorded as an unofficial English World Cup anthem is a banging remake of Tears for Fears' "Shout" called "Shout for England," laid down by U.K. rapper Dizzee Rascal and actor James Corden at the behest of former "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell. It has a thundering chorus that adds a thick acid-house beat to the original tune as Rascal spits lyrics to inspire England's soccer stars to victory.

For no apparent reason, New York's We Are Scientists have also offered up a song for England's club, the appropriately named, "Goal! England," a slice of T. Rex-inspired garage rock thunder that features the unforgettable lines, "Kicking the kicking the kicking the kicking the ball/ Kicking it into the goal/ Go, go, go, go go ... England!"

Then there is the official FIFA Mascot song from Cuban-American rapper Pitbull, who hooked up with South African group TKZee and England's Dario G to let the dogs out for the high NRG club banger "Game On." Taking things a little less seriously is U.K. legend Robbie Williams, who formed "The Squad" with comedians Russell Brand, Daniel Baddiel and Frank Skinner to record a remake of England's unofficial soccer song, "Three Lions." The mash of opera, a soaring choir singing, "It's coming home/ Football's coming home," a bouncy, Madness-like ska pop vibe and self-deprecating soccer-centric lyrics about England's chances of regaining football glory make for a lovably comic mess.

Among the other acts on the FIFA-sanctioned soundtrack to the international soccer showdown, Listen Up!: The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup Album, are: Nneka ("Viva Africa"), Matisyahu featuring Nameless ("One Day"), Wyclef Jean, J Pre, Jazmine Sullivan and B. Howard ("Ke Nako"), and late South African opera singer Siphiwo Ntshebe (known as the "black Pavarotti") featuring former South African president Nelson Mandela ("Hope").

And of course, if none of these tunes provide the right kick, there's always the unofficial World Cup Song contest, with nearly 400 entries. The top five is currently dominated by England, with Christian singer Gerry Asmus' "It's Our Game," a flowery pop piffle about King George and English pride, holding down the top spot at press time.

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Lil Jon's Crunk Rock Features R. Kelly, Game, LMFAO, More

24 Feb 2010 16:44:00 EST

'It's literally from one extreme to another,' Atlanta producer/MC says of sound of upcoming album.
By Hillary Crosley

Lil Jon has announced his long-delayed album Crunk Rock will hit shelves June 8. The album's release was hampered by a split with his former label TVT Records and the label's subsequent shuttering. However, the veteran producer/rapper and King of Crunk is back on track through a record deal with Universal Republic.

Lil Jon told MTV News that over the last four years of starts and stops, he's worked with a bevy of artists and during the course of production, his album's theme began to change.

"When I started out doing Crunk Rock I went in [the studio] with lots of different musicians, producers and artists and we did some good things," he explained. "But as time went on and I started to DJ again and be in the clubs, Crunk Rock took on a different meaning — this is a lifestyle. It's not all about rock. 'Crunk rock' means having a lot of energy, live your life to the fullest, party like a rock star, you not gonna let nobody tell you you can't do nothing — that's what 'crunk rock' means. On the album you have all kinds of songs representing that [idea] — we have songs with rock guitars but it's not all about rock music, it's living the crunk-rock life."

Now artists like The Game, Pitbull, Soulja Boy Tell'em, Ying Yang Twins, R. Kelly, LMFAO, Elephant Man, David Guetta and 3OH!3 are featured on the album. The list of collaborators may look relatively disparate, but to Lil Jon it's perfect.

"There's so many different kinds of records on [Crunk Rock]," Lil Jon said. "It's really fun to try to take care of all those types of different audiences. After I started DJing again and being in the clubs and traveling the world, I learned to appreciate my fanbase more and my reach. Putting an album together you can make everybody happy and give everybody something."

The Atlanta native said he intends to release several multi-genre singles simultaneously, including perhaps his collaboration with R. Kelly, "Miss Chocolate," to follow the unofficial first single "Give It All U Got" that leaked late last year.

"I've got a bunch of different types of records, so we're going to release a couple at a time so I can touch different people and the records aren't overlapping each other," he explained. "It [will be] like I released three singles at once as a first single."

Ultimately, the purveyor of crunk is just excited to finally release his work.

"I really can't wait until the world gets to hear the album in its entirety, digest it and say, 'Wow, this is the first hip-hop artist I've heard to really do some different sh--," Lil Jon said. "To go from ghetto southwest Atlanta to f---ing Paris, France, to do some sh-- with David Guetta, it's literally from one extreme to another."

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