It's as if R. Kelly has been in hiding since his twelfth studio album, Black. Lil B Takes Shots At the Weeknd in Latest Song, '4 Tha Record' Nov. VoteWithMe is a free mobile app that aims to give you more agency in the democratic progress. Kelly Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine Provocative R&B singer/songwriter who lent his honey-dripped vocals to booty anthems, tender ballads, and bizarre 'hip-hoperas.'
Biography
Robert Sylvester Kelly, best known by the name R. Kelly, was born on January 8, 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. From early childhood his passions were basketball and music, which he loved more. Studying at the Kenwood Academy High School he won a young talents show, singing Stevie Wonder’s Ribbon In The Sky, following which he decided to commit himself to music. In 1990 Robert took his electronic keyboard and went in the city streets to sing and earn money. Soon he was noticed by a musical producer Wayne Williams, the owner of Jive Records label, and by the end of the year a contract with the young artist was signed. Kelly arranged a band called Public Announcement and in 1991 they released their debut work Born into the 90’s. Some of the album’s songs became hits – She's Got That Vibe, Honey Love, Dedicated, and Slow Dance (Hey Mr. DJ), and all of them were performed by Robert Kelly. Thinking that solo career would bring him more success, he left the band and in 1993 released his solo album 12 Play. The disc included such hits as Sex Me and Your Body’s Calling, as well as the single Bump & Grind registering at No. 1 on U.S. R&B charts for twelve record-setting weeks. Afterwards the album became multi-platinum with more than five million sold copies and brought the artist the all-time fame.
In the following year Kelly decided to broaden his activities and began to work as a producer for young acts and artists, such as Aaliyah, then unknown 15-year old girl from Detroit. Her debut album was released several month before the marriage of the two artists came to light. But Kelly’s family life was not too long – due to the non-age of Aaliyah the marriage was cancelled in 1995, and Robert came back to his studio to record his second solo album called R. Kelly. The result was incredibly successful – more than four million sold copies, tops of hip-hop and R&B charts, three multi-platinum singles You Remind Me Of Something, Down Low (Nobody Has To Know) and I Can’t Sleep Baby (If I). Many have admitted that the lyrics were more mature in comparison with the first solo experience and the critics still consider this disc the best work of Kelly in all his career. In 1998 a double album called R. was recorded, becoming the best-selling work of the artist to the present day. To the moment of its release R. Kelly became not only a famous artist and producer, but also an acclaimed songwriter for such stars as Mary J. Blige, Michael and Janet Jackson, Quincy Jones, Toni Braxton and many others.
The following two works, TP-2.com (2000) and Chocolate Factory (2003), proved once again that Kelly and multi-million number of copies are inseparable notions. The albums included such hits as Ignition, Snake and Step In The Name Of Love (Chocolate Factory) and the Fiesta remix (Tp-2.com), performed together with Jay-Z. It was the success of that single that led to collaboration of the two artists and creation of a joint album called The Best Of Both Worlds. Soon afterwards Kelly released a double CD Happy People/U Saved Me, the first part of which was represented by easy dance soul tunes (Happy People), and the second one was focused on gospel (U Saved Me). The following step was TP.3 Reloaded (2005), which included the first five parts of the Trapped In The Closet saga – odd, bold, daring experiment, which can be described as “a collision of R&B-aria and soap opera”. Many stars took part in recording of the ninth studio album called Double Up (2007), such as T.I., T-Pain, Snoop Dogg, Ludacris, Nelly, Usher and Kid Rock. The disc became platinum and reached #1 of U.S. Billboard 200, U.S. Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and European Album Chart. In 2009 the world saw the release of Untitled, the atmosphere of which hasn’t changed at all – still the same candle light and silk bed sheets, sex in the morning, sex around the clock. And despite the fact that R. Kelly has spent his whole career creating bedroom music with sexually-oriented lyrics, it seems that he isn’t bored with the topic. And we have to give him credit for that – in this field he is the best! Pretty soon the artist’s fans got a wonderful present: R. Kelly’s two strong compilation albums were released in a row in 2010. The records Playlist: The Very Best Of R. Kelly and Epic became great additions to the musician’s discography, which is quite logical and clear. Traditional atmosphere, emotional vocals and excellent choice of songs – these are all necessary ingredients to create an amazing album.
Studio Albums
Write Me Back
For the second time in a row, R. Kelly turns to classic soul. On Write Me Back, the artist makes most out of his vocals to adjust smoothly to the music of the past
Love Letter
On R. Kelly's new album Love Letter seduction and sex finally give way to a true love, at least partially. The fifteen tracks comprising Love Letter sound like classic love songs from the last century
Untitled
The US R&B artist R. Kelly finished the tenth studio disc Untitled. This first-rate record has all the chances to become at least platinum and win back to the artist his fame he lost after a series of lawsuits
Double Up
After a pretty successful disc TP.3 Reloaded R. Kelly returns with his new potentially platinum album Double Up on which he delivers another portion of signature R&B laced with hip-hop groove, sexual content and club heat atmosphere
TP.3 Reloaded
TP.3 Reloaded is one of those albums where every song sounds like a radio single. R. Kelly cruises through genres like he's giving a guided tour, hitting crunk, dancehall, hip-hop, reggaeton
16
Singles
1
Compilation albums
3
Biography
American singer, actress and model Kelly Rowland (full name Kelendria Trene Rowland) was born in 1981 in Atlanta, Georgia. Kelly’s parents split up when she was seven years old, and after that the future performer moved to Houston with her mother. Then Kelly understood that she was really amused by music, so she was involved into it and later became a member of a band called Girl's Tyme. The group even took part in the television talent show Star Search, however their participation was of no success. Nevertheless that did not stop Rowland and other members of the band and they continued to rehearse and to master their performance skills. In 1993 the group changed the name into Destiny's Child, and that very moment proved to be a new starting point.
![Kelly Kelly](http://akamai-b.cdn.cddbp.net/cds/2.0/cover/C064/7EB8/1668/212C_medium_front.jpg?cid=199484618)
Thanks to talent and purposefulness Destiny's Child managed to sign a contract with Columbia Records by 1997. The same year they released their famous composition Killing Time, which was later included into the official soundtrack of the movie Men in Black. That was the very beginning of Destiny's Child’s career, one of the most successful R&B bands of modern time. Unfortunately, nothing is permanent. That also works with musical groups - Destiny's Child disbanded in 2005. However many listeners took that in quite an optimistic way, because the disbandment does not mean that the musicians will stop pleasing their fans with new creations. That happened this time as well.
Kelly Rowland’s debut solo album titled Simply Deep saw the light in 2002, when the singer was a member of Destiny's Child. That long play proved to be strong, so music lovers and critics had a great opportunity to make sure that Kelly was able to use all her potential just by herself, without help from her colleagues from the band. Dilemma, Love/Hate, Can't Nobody and other tracks from Simply Deep became constant guests of various radio stations’ broadcasts all over the world. Well, isn’t it the best proof of the fact that Rowland’s songs were truly demanded and enjoyed? Moreover, Simply Deep got the gold status in the USA and the platinum status in the United Kingdom. Quite confident start of a solo career indeed. Well, talent and experience played their roles. Five years later the artist enlarged her discography with not less fascinating studio work Ms. Kelly (2007). That strong album presented to music lovers such hits as Like This, Work and many others. In general the long play Ms. Kelly included a big number of mid-tempo compositions and ballads, so it may be easily taken as a perfect soundtrack for a romantic evening.
It took Kelly Rowland four years to prepare and record her fresh material. The performer does not have an aim to release as many albums as possible. Instead, she prefers to work hard on every new album. Actually, that kind of approach is zero-risk enterprise, and listeners got another opportunity to make sure of this in 2011, just after Kelly issued her third studio attempt titled Here I Am. Lil Wayne, David Guetta, Ne-Yo were among numerous invited musicians, who took part in the creation of that album, so it will be much more interesting to get acquainted with Here I Am. There is absolutely no doubt that this long-awaited record will be enjoyed both by Kelly’s old fans and by all lovers of contemporary rhythm and blues.
Studio Albums
Here I Am
The ex-member of an incredibly successful R’n’B group Destiny's Child Kelly Rowland released her new long play. Here I Am is the singer’s third solo album, and there will be hardly a person who will doubt its quality
Ms. Kelly
Kelly Rowland spent last three years in a hard work and be sure her labors didn't pass for nothing. Her new album Ms. Kelly is head and shoulders above her debut record. With Ms. Kelly, the Destiny's Child singer firmly establishes as a solo artist
6
Singles
1
Compilation albums
2