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Author Topic: R Kelly is a Genius  (Read 2337 times)
hypehat
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« on: March 10, 2013, 08:04:07 AM »

I'm being serious. I don't like sh*t ironically or as a guilty pleasure. Read that title again. He's a genius.

Now I've already told you about how Ignition, taken as one glorious six minute whole as it is on the Chocolate Factory album, is one of the most glorious feats of expressing that great, depthless joy that music holds and most artists pick away at the surrounding bullshit to try and get. Kelly sets a mood in a slow jam, all lush vocals and a langourous bass/guitar groove, then subtly rearranges each element of the song (the one note guitar line, sloping bass) and turns it into a cry of happiness. He sounds like he's been through some sh*t on this song. And now he can finally be himself.

I mean, I've already prattled on enough about that song. But consider the remix to Step In The Name Of Love, a 7 minute soul epic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtmk_a0KHPE

This isn't just a song about 'Steppin', whatever the f*** that is. R Kelly knows that. R Kelly knows what dancing can mean to people, however. Dancing and partying is an expression of freedom, of hope, because if you can't have fun, what the f*** can you do? Say what you want about the man, but he's certainly not stupid.

I mean, the first line,

'Said I know that's it's somebody's birthday tonight... somewhere'

sets it up. That crucial thing is the way he sings 'somewhere', with just the right amount of wistfulness. It's not like saying 'it's five o'clock somewhere' as an excuse for partying. That's what it is, an excuse, a cynical man's one at that. Kelly knows that somewhere out there, it's the best night of someone's life. He loves that feeling. It's a wonderful notion. He wants to celebrate too. Wouldn't you? It's a celebration of humanity.

The entire point of this song is that the man wants to dance in the name of love. I mean, come on.

Also, and you knew this was coming, this is one of his mega singles after the child pornography charges hit (he was eventually acquitted, and you guys still like Phil Spector...), but how does R Kelly respond to these charges? He goes on releasing music, for one thing. Not only that, he releases the best stuff of his career. He releases timeless jams. He doesn't wallow in self pity, he doesn't quit, but he doesn't lash out either - he doubles down and keeps positive. An admirable quality.

Point two.

Watch the man singing 'A Change Is Gonna Come'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WR-ioa-UHJ8

What a fucking stellar performance. I'm sure some days, R Kelly wakes up believing he's Sam Cooke. The way his voice swoops between incredible power and delicacy. You can see the feeling. This is no pop wannabe covering this tune. He sings it with authority and grace. And this is what my eventual point is, in that dismissing him as, at best, 'a novelty' or at worst 'a fucking joke' because he sings songs called 'I Like (The Crotch On You)' (which is a fucking great song) is besides the point. The man is steeped in soul music. He used to put pennies on the  needles of his mums Sam Cooke records to slow down certain vocal runs. You listen to his Love Letter or Write Me Back albums, and you can hear he's got every trick from those guys - Stevie, Cooke, Marvin, Curtis, a million more - and plays with them like a master.

And I may hear you saying 'Yeah, but I Believe I Can Fly is sh*t', and to a certain extent you may be right. Can you imagine WRITING that, though? I mean, R Kelly grew up on the streets. He was apparently sexually abused by family members. The man has severe dyslexia, making reading difficult to this day. He never knew his father. He dropped out of school and busked on the streets on the south side of Chicago. He got picked up on a talent contest. Music saved his life. He expresses such joy in that song anyway, as kinda mawkish as it is, you kinda can't deny it. And that comes back again to his voice.

Now I fully expect this post to be responded to with that fucking humourless Chapelle vid (full disclosure - I think comedians who do musical parody should be classed as war criminals by MI5) or maybe some mild derision, but I just wanted to talk about R Kelly.
« Last Edit: March 10, 2013, 08:05:00 AM by hypehat » Logged

All roads lead to Kokomo. Exhaustive research in time travel has conclusively proven that there is no alternate universe WITHOUT Kokomo. It would've happened regardless.
What is this "life" thing you speak of ?

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SMiLE Brian
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« Reply #1 on: March 11, 2013, 08:59:46 AM »

Great youtube video, R.Kelly still  has the pipes of an R&B god. The old school music route was the right way for him to revive his career.


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And production aside, I’d so much rather hear a 14 year old David Marks shred some guitar on Chug-a-lug than hear a 51 year old Mike Love sing about bangin some chick in a swimming pool.-rab2591
tony p
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« Reply #2 on: March 11, 2013, 03:10:58 PM »

ive always been a fan of R Kelly

He writes, produces, mixes and performs most of his own material aswell so theres bonus points

I love the 'raindrop' effect he has in a lot of his songs (see 'In The Kitchen').
sure some of his songs are very sexual/freaky, but his love songs are second to none in the RnB genre
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I gotta heart that just wont stop beating for you, I gotta love that just can’t stop feeling for you
seltaeb1012002
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« Reply #3 on: March 11, 2013, 05:20:32 PM »

R Kelly knows his sh*t musically, for sure. He makes great albums, always a guaranteed entertaining listen. Lots of hidden album track gems. Not to mention he's gotta be one of the most solid singers, if not THE best in modern R&B history.
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SMiLE Brian
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« Reply #4 on: March 12, 2013, 08:23:34 AM »

That whole Sam Cooke concert made my day, R. Kelly would be a superstar in any decade.
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And production aside, I’d so much rather hear a 14 year old David Marks shred some guitar on Chug-a-lug than hear a 51 year old Mike Love sing about bangin some chick in a swimming pool.-rab2591
hypehat
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« Reply #5 on: March 12, 2013, 10:26:21 AM »

For some reason I'd imagine the Love Letter record would be right up your street, Seltaeb - Been hammering it today, really lush and his vocals are FIRE. It's got this amazing feel for soul music in it's totality - like, despite the cover, he's not expressly channeling Stevie, it has the expansive grooves of 70's Marvin, but then also doo-wop, Temptations and late 60's Motown, with it's melodies and arrangements. Especially on something like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivpkzEsSRzo
« Last Edit: March 12, 2013, 10:29:33 AM by hypehat » Logged

All roads lead to Kokomo. Exhaustive research in time travel has conclusively proven that there is no alternate universe WITHOUT Kokomo. It would've happened regardless.
What is this "life" thing you speak of ?

Quote from: Al Jardine
Syncopate it? In front of all these people?!
seltaeb1012002
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« Reply #6 on: March 12, 2013, 11:31:32 AM »

For some reason I'd imagine the Love Letter record would be right up your street, Seltaeb - Been hammering it today, really lush and his vocals are FIRE. It's got this amazing feel for soul music in it's totality - like, despite the cover, he's not expressly channeling Stevie, it has the expansive grooves of 70's Marvin, but then also doo-wop, Temptations and late 60's Motown, with it's melodies and arrangements. Especially on something like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivpkzEsSRzo

I gotta check out the whole album. Def heard the single. It is very dope, and interesting to hear his take on that style. Probably the best move he could've made this late in his career. For a while there he was copying all the new R&B acts as they came out, which started to look pretty bad. (T-Pain, The Dream, etc.) In 2009 I did a record on a new signee at Jive Records (at the time, R Kelly's label) and our record actually charted better than Kels' current single, which was a T-Pain / Dream knockoff. Something didn't seem right about that.

Glad he seems to be thinking more independently again. Once he's done milking the oldies / motown thing, I wouldn't be surprised if he goes back to his early 90's style. That would actually be pretty awesome.
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Ron
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« Reply #7 on: March 23, 2013, 09:29:11 PM »

Everytime I hear "Ignition", I think of one of my heroes, Michael Jackson.  Here's why.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xJ1weLN7wc

He was never any whiter. 
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StillSurfin
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« Reply #8 on: June 23, 2013, 02:01:52 PM »

R Kelly is underrated as a singer/songwriter IMO. I think the more racy songs he's done and the other stuff about him has detracted from his ability as an artist. For example on his "Write Me Back" CD its like he's written songs for a number of different R&B/Soul artists and I think some he wrote in the style of MJ like 'Feelin Single', 'Clipped Wings', 'You Are My World' (which I've read he did write for Michael Jackson), you get a Marvin type sound with the Distant Lover-like  'One Step Closer', 'Share my Love' has a Barry White type vibe, 'Green Light' is Isleys/Ron Isley, 'Fool for You' Smokey & The Miracles etc. I'd like to hear R Kelly continue with this style and expand upon it to bring the old school 60's/70's style soul sound back.
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hypehat
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« Reply #9 on: July 05, 2013, 05:56:54 PM »

I stand by every word in this thread. R Kelly is the last vestige of high powered soul. What makes it so is that he is no historian in the Sharon Jones, Daptone sense - he gets right to the heart of the greatest soul music because he understands the love and power within, and doesn't treat the vintage sounds as some kind of precious jewel that mustn't be defiled or altered. He brought the vocal prowess of classic soul into the modern sound, and continues to.

His best work (outside of the Ignition Remix, which is the Mt Rushmore of modern pop) is the Happy People side of Happy People/You Saved Me. The latter is one outrageous trio vocal followed by a bunch of treacly gospel. The former is so uplifting and joyful. The vibe therein is wondrous.
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All roads lead to Kokomo. Exhaustive research in time travel has conclusively proven that there is no alternate universe WITHOUT Kokomo. It would've happened regardless.
What is this "life" thing you speak of ?

Quote from: Al Jardine
Syncopate it? In front of all these people?!
Alex
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« Reply #10 on: July 06, 2013, 09:11:10 PM »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQQqhy-JqNg
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"I thought Brian was a perfect gentleman, apart from buttering his head and trying to put it between two slices of bread"  -Tom Petty, after eating with Brian.
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