R. Kelly

By Chris Molanphy Aiken’s and Hicks’ tracks can be eliminated right away. These were American Idol coronation songs that each topped the Hot 100 based on a couple of fluke weeks of massive CD-single sales. I defy anyone reading this column, pop fan or no, to hum me a bar of those two tracks.

By Christopher R. Weingarten George Costanza gets the rap song he always wanted. Lady Sovereign - Food Play [YouTube] Lady Sovereign [Official site] F2K: Idolator Counts Down The 50 Worst Songs Of The ’00s, One By Ear-Splitting One George Costanza gets the rap song he always wanted. MORE »

By Maura Don’t call the (probably inevitable) commercial retooling of Mariah Carey’s Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel a remix album: “They’ve said that it’s a remix album, but really what it is is a features album. [The songs] won’t necessarily be remixed,” producer Tricky Stewart told Rap-Up.com. “...

By Maura The show kicked off with Kells covering Kanye West’s “Flashing Lights” and led into a blistering medley of his hits from over the years, including the still-irresistible “I’m A Flirt” and the hip-shaking “Hotel,” while he and former Public Announcement associate Andre “Giant” Boykin...

By Maura Haven’t done one of these in a while, and I figure the night that I’m about to run out to the R. Kelly show in New York (yessss) is as good a time as any to do so. Also, I am currently in something of a (relative) listening rut, alternating between the Shakira record, my “2009 awesomeness” playlist...

By Chris Molanphy • On this week’s Country chart, Dave Matthews pulls off something he’s never achieved on the Hot 100: a Top 10 hit. His duet with Kenny Chesney, “I’m Alive,” moves into the winners’ circle at No. 9. Matthews’ titular band has never gone higher on the big pop chart than the short-lived 2005 track...

By Maura R. Kelly has released the remix of his sex-as-chart-topper single “Number One,” which features T-Pain and Keyshia Cole, and lest you think that T-Pain was totally giving up on digitally manipulating his voice for the purpose of topping the charts, the new track is an AutoTune-drenched a...

By Maura After a long post-acquittal silence that was punctuated by a couple of dissatisfying tracks, R. Kelly has returned to the full-length world with The Demo Tape, a DJ Skee/DJ Drama-produced mix that finds him taking on “Birthday Sex,” “Turn My Swag On,” and other hits of recent-ish vintage...

By Maura In addition to having his cartoon-themed bar hocked on Craigslist, R. Kelly picked this week to release a new single, the banger-in-training-pants “Supaman High.” New Music: R. Kelly, “Supaman High” Feat. OJ Da Juiceman [The Young Fresh And New via bg5000]

By Maura For only $2,000–or best offer, so get bidding!–a custom-made bar at R. Kelly’s now-former house can be yours. And by “Looney Tunes Bar” I don’t mean “featured in a video in the ‘Trapped In The Closet’ series”–I mean cartoon-themed, so Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Yosemite Sam, and Jessica Rabbi...

 NY ”There are a couple tracks that would make R. Kelly and maybe even Luther Campbell blush, and there are too many skits, although 'Grease' is a drop dead hilarious example of how this Diplomat handles a lover's quarrel. 'Cookies -N- Apple Juice' covers ...

By Maura Johnston Perhaps unsurprisingly, Kelly was found not guilty on all 14 counts of child pornography, thanks in large part to the murky origins of the tape at the center of the case; the tape, which one witness claimed was just one of dozens Kelly used to carry around in a duffel bag, was sent to Chicago S...

By Maura Johnston On Monday night, a collection of songs purporting to be R. Kelly's 12 Play: Fourth Quarter showed up on a few of the leak blogs I read, prompting Vulture to send itself into a tizzy, and Digital Music News to cluck its tongue about the early release's effects on the biz. But 12P4Q doesn't even ha...

By Anthony Miccio Just A Little While" Call On Me" Janet Jackson - Because Of Love [YouTube] Janet Jackson - Twenty Foreplay [YouTube] Janet Jackson - Every Time [YouTube] Janet Jackson - Just A Little While [YouTube] Janet Jackson feat. Nelly - Call On Me [YouTube] Janet Jackson - The Knowledge [YouTube]

By Maura Johnston • "Since 2002, Kelly has released seven albums, including a joint record with Jay-Z. He is due to release another album sometime this year. While it remains to be seen how many copies it will sell, it is clear that, as always, this latest scandal won't affect Kelly's popularity." [Nkesa Mumbi...

By Anthony Miccio A. I knew the history. Was told of the history, never seeing anything. I just was always like, "C'mon, [R.]." Whenever she was around, I was, "C'mon, c'mon." Just knowing how he is, I just felt if I wasn't around, he was going to watch her. With MY niece. I don't want anything like that to happen to her. I k...

By Maura Johnston Chicago Sun-Times music writer Jim DeRogatis did not show up at a Cook County court this morning to testify in the R. Kelly trial, despite a judge ordering his appearance and questioning on what he did with the sex tape at the heart of the trial between the time he acquired it and the time he han...

By Dan Gibson Earlier this month, I posted about my difficulty enjoying the work of R. Kelly in the light of his "alleged" sexual misconduct. Now that I've finally listened to the first single from his new album (the brilliantly titled 12 Play: Fourth Quarter), "Hairbraider," I'm speculating that my mo...

By Dan Gibson If you want the lurid "urinating in the mouth" details, you'll have to go to Wyman's site, because frankly, it seems too early to be posting anything of that sort. Nonetheless, I found myself wondering what revelation would finally push me over the edge with Kells. Fortunately or unfortuna...

By jharv An unflashy example of years of studio time paying off with yet one more effortless take on a known R&B quantity's house style, "I'm A Flirt" is one of those songs that I never would have pegged as a high-placer on a year-end list until I noticed I was getting the same springtime serotoni...

By Maura Johnston TOP FIVE HIP-HOP VIDEOS 05. Fat Joe ft. Lil Wayne, Baby, T.I., R Kelly, and Rick Ross, "Make It Rain (Remix)" 04. T.I., "Big Things Poppin'" 03. MIMS, "This Is Why I'm Hot" 02. Soulja Boy Tell 'Em, "Crank That" 01. Jim Jones ft. T.I., Lil Wayne, Diddy, Juelz Santana, Young Dro, and Baby, "We Fly High (Remix)"

By Andy Beta Across the Universe does note the seeming cultural clashes in the beginning of the film, jumping between idyllic American sock hops in white satin and the grimy black-leather drinking spots of Liverpool, showing that both worlds are united through music. When "Let it Be" plays during a r...

By jharv Gave a resurgence to staying at the Holiday Inn at least. The start of rap? Slightly infectious: "hip-hop a hippie..." We all know the words. Editor's note: this clip was actually recorded at Sinbad's Summer Jam. Perhaps my mother uploaded it.) 81. Michael Jackson - "Rock With You"