Last night (August 17) R. Kelly and Jive/Zomba Records invited select media to an album preview sessions the Kelly Mansion, outside of Chicago, Illinois. The gated estate featured security guards and housed Kelly‘s tour bus, and a number of customized cars including a black and red two-toned Chrysler 300, a Mercedes CL 600 coupe and a Ford Expedition.
Various journalists, deejays, distributors and label staff were greeted by Kelly‘s management Kai Henry and Jeff Kwatinetz and longtime mentor Wayne Williams as well as friends of the veteran superstar. The singer’s livingroom featured a performing stage, bar, and various awards, photographs and souvenirs from the Jive alum’s career. Guests were provided with refreshments and dinner, and awaited hearing the singer’s ninth studio album.
Not confirmed to appear, despite the setting of the listening, R. Kelly snuck in to greet media, with Ashton cigar in one hand, a glass of Hennessy in the other. The self-proclaimed “Pied piper of R&B” announced that his September album would remain untitled urging fans to “call it what you want.” Kelly suggested naming the effort after individual fans’ favorite singles.
The Grammy Award-winner played first single “#1” featuring Keri Hilson. Famed Atlanta deejay and radio personality Greg Street [click to read] also appears in the radio-inspired video. The effort may be alluding to another series of singles and videos, as “Be My Number 2” is another song on the effort, as is “#1 Fan.”
Kellz co-produced the entire album, with some notable assistance from Jazze Pha [click to read] and Jazz composer Chris McKinney. Outside of Hilson, vocal guests are limited to Asylum Records rookie OJ Da Juiceman and Akon proteges and DXnext alumni Rock City [click to read].
The tracks range from the conventional Kelly approach: infectious drums and piano-play on “Exit,” to a more contemporary sound on “Echo,” a rumored second single, that features yodeling and layered vocals in a ballad about loud love-making. Completing E-titled trio, “Elsewhere” is a more pensive track, looking at the front door, Kellz style.
Label officials warned that tracks are subject to change, but the creator hinted that he was most satisfied with the 14-track collection, and that he felt he’d “done his homework.” Before pressing play on the album, the singer proudly raised his glass in a toast, declaring, “May the best part of our past be the worst part of our future.”
The host invited media to one of his home’s studios, where the singer revealed he’s recorded most of his albums in recent years, and produced for artists ranging from Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston to Ronald Isley and Charlie Wilson. There, the ever-private Kelly (cameras were restricted while cell phones and PDAs were prohibited from his home) revealed that he rarely writes music, and freestyles his classics with the help of objects ranging from an overhead television to a large titled mirror.
After crooming a few bars from his 1993 hit “12 Play” and playing a rendition of Leon Russell‘s 1970 classic “A Song For You” (made famous by Donny Hathaway), Kelly escorted guests past his lagoon swimming pool, parked Maybach sedan and back to their vehicles.
One of the invited guests, Miss Info [click here] aptly said of the evening, “As much as I analyzed and scrutinized R. Kelly’s actions and words outside of his music, being able to see and hear his creative process in his own private space was a once in a lifetime honor, and it’s impossible as a music fan not to respect that level of talent when it’s right in front of you. Whatever personal judgement I may have, I left outside his front door and picked back up on my way out.“
R. Kelly‘s Untitled is due for September release.
