The Life & Times of Robert Kelly: The Pied Piper of R&B

This man isn’t exactly hip hop but he does fit into the image and style of hip hop and sometimes the sound too. He’s worked with plenty of hip hop artists throughout his 25 year career and has an incredible discography and collection of hits that’s impossible to go through in just one day. He’s worked with The Notorious B.I.G., Nas, did two albums with Jay-Z, Cam’ron, Noreaga, Cassidy, the list goes on. Despite his troubles and controversy and having this reputation that’s not really a good one for a man his age when it comes to young women, this man is a musical genius nonetheless. His image in the beginning of his career was compared to and they accused him of biting his style from New jack swing/R&B legend Aaron Hall. He’s a Chicago native with a voice that represents the baby making style of music, his writing game is absolutely unstoppable, written for many artists and even did the entire LIFE soundtrack, the movie starring both Martin Lawrence and Eddie Murphy, this man’s talent makes him easily a great of his time and today he’s gained a lot of respect and love and also lost love too but still he shines through his talent. His name is Robert Sylvester Kelly aka R. Kelly, the Pied Piper of R&B. He started out in a group and as the lead too with R&B group Public Announcement. Their 1992 debut album “Born Into the 90’s” was a New jack swing smash that garnered the singles “She’s Got That Vibe”, “Honey Love”, “Slow Dance (Hey Mr. DJ)”, “Dedicated”, and “Hey Love (Can I Have a Word).” To me, the album was a combination of partying and love making. The album wasn’t too much but it was decent enough to put Kelly on the map but it was his standout solo debut 1993/1994 joint “12 Play” that officially put him on the map. The entire album was sexually themed and a bit over the top at some moments. Very shocking when he actually made a song dedicated to the woman’s body in a very specific manner too. This joint was another New jack swing/R&B smash and it had a little bit of hip hop influence when Kelly rapped on a few joints too. The remix to “Summer Bunnies” and “Your Body’s Callin'” introduced the new up and coming new singer named Aaliyah. Aaliyah was Kelly’s protégée. He helped her with her debut album “Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number” which released in May 1994. Aaliyah’s album was more hip hop than Kelly’s. Aaliyah came out in the mid-90’s with that hip hop soul trend that started with Mary J. Blige back in ’92. Aaliyah was just as down as Mary, TLC, Xscape, Usher, Jodeci, Faith Evans, this was a time when hip hop and R&B came together. The sound both represented the streets and gave R&B singers respect and a place in the hip hop community. Since we’re on the subject of hip hop soul, Kelly returned in 1995 with his self titled album, which is my top favorite R. Kelly album. That album was completely different from the first two albums. This album had a more hip hop influence and the songs were much more mature and deeper than the first two. This is the only R. Kelly album that I can play all the way through with no skips. This was the album that began the whole Mr. Biggs legacy, played by the one and only Ronald Isley. Mr. Biggs is a man who trusts Kelly around his women when he’s away on business and Kelly ends up sleeping with his women and then there’s trouble. It’s classic R&B shit. It’s hard to pick my exact favorites because this album is so fucking incredible to me. I’ll just say that “Step In My Room” and “Tempo Slow” are my top two favorites on the album. 1996 and 1997, Kelly releases “I Believe I Can Fly” for the Space Jam soundtrack. That song is Kelly’s greatest song to me. It’s the 90’s kid anthem for inspiration. Kelly appears on Mary’s 1997 “Share My World” album on the track “It’s On.” Then in ’98, he comes with an even stronger banger, a double disc called “R.” This is my second favorite R. Kelly album. This album was on another level. Way more darker topics, the hip hop influence is stronger especially on “We Ride.” A hip hop track featuring Cam’ron, Noreaga, Vegas Cats and Jay-Z. “Home Alone” featuring Keith Murray, “Did You Ever Think” and “Money Makes the World Go Round” featuring Nas are also great examples. I just didn’t understand why “I Believe I Can Fly” was added on the album. It fit but it was released 2 years prior. Kelly keeps the ball rolling, he’s super consistent throughout his career. The new millennium comes and he released “TP-2.com”, the sequel to “12 Play.” This album was definitely a perfect sequel because it’s more relaxed and “lovey dovey” than the previous two albums. Kelly goes back to that original 12 play vibe but on another level. It’s another hit for Kelly. He then enters a new point in his career where he gets into trouble with the scandals and it affects his sales on the “Best of Both Worlds” album with Jay-Z. After all that, he ushers in a new Kelly, a man whose more about being holy and spiritual, he’s all about the people and spreading love. The togetherness he spreads on this next album makes him legendary status. At then end of 2002, Kelly was supposed to release an album that was called “Loveland” but when it got leaked, the album had to be put on the shelf and was never released and in 2003, he came with “Chocolate Factory.” This album was a more happier Kelly, he also talked about marriage and of course “steppin’.” “Step In the Name of Love” is the perfect song to describe the vibe of the album. It puts people on the dance floor at any event, no matter the age. 2004’s “Happy People/U Saved Me” to me was a bit of a reach for Kelly. He takes it too far with the gospel vibes and extra happy songs. It’s my least favorite album from him. I’m not the type to bring up an artists’ personal issues but this album to me reflected someone whose almost hypocritical. He reminded me of that uncle at the family reunion who shows up and makes it awkward because everyone knows about his past and his issues and he’s acting like it never happened and instead being extra happy and over the top throwing God and Jesus in your face when you’re the one who messed up. The songs was cool though but it’s not his strongest work. 2005’s “TP.3-Reloaded” was an okay album too but it was better than the previous joint. It’s the third joint in the “12 Play” series. It doesn’t give me 12 Play vibes though. I get a mixture between “TP2” and “Chocolate Factory.” “Double Up” is where I started to not be interested in Kelly anymore. He still had the hits coming but that spark he used to have is no longer there to me. It seems like he was just putting out anything. He still kept his usual love making vibe there and getting married and stuff but it wasn’t the same. “Untitled”, “Love Letter”, “Write Me Back”, “Black Panties”, and “The Buffet” all give me the same vibe. This man is definitely one of the greats and he’s still going strong no matter what. He’s easily one of the greatest from the 90’s and there’s no one else snatching the crown from him. Forever and always the Pied Piper of R&B.