TonyVanDam said:

Thing was, I loved Devantes uptempo's

http://uk.youtube.com/wat...DSEICPF_PQ

"forever my lady" PWNS "born into the 90's". Infact, "forever my lady" may have to be in my top 10 of all time. Awesome ballads, awesome uptempo's. Fans always ragged on Jodeci's uptempo's, but I have always loved them.

"diary of a mad band", uptempo wise was about 2-3 years ahead of its time. The sound of "Lets go through the motions" was the sorta thing early Timbaland was doing (ironically timbaland and missy elliot are on "diary of a mad band", and devante taught them as Teddy did Pharrell)

Dru Hill was doing shit Jodeci did years before.

Whilst no real uptempo's were used on Jodeci's last album, that had some serious slow jams. Shame Neo soul came along and rnb people forgot about Jodeci and instead had to put up with shitty clones like Dru Hill. At least Devante didn't steal from 70's marvin gaye, Prince and Curtis Mayfield, like mega hyped artists like D'angelo did. Good records neo soul may be, but some of it was seemed straight stealing
[Edited 7/9/07 22:44pm]

thesexofit said:

Hey, I like(d) "Dru Hill". I mean, yeah, they are pretty much clones. But, what about "Silk" and "H-Town". I mean, there have always been "R&B Groups" with begging-style tenor leaders, especially in the "90's" when "R&B" had "New Jack Swing" rolling with the flow as the lead sub-genre. I mean, that was a time when "R&B" that had included "Rap Samples" were tolerable. But, "Quiet Storm" still had an equal chance of shining back then ("From Early 1989 To Late 1995"), as well. Now, "R&B", or at least the mostly played "R&B" is, as "VainAndy" once quoted in his signature, "Rhythmless Bullshit". It's all become so linear.

He used to be, but he hasn't shown his creative genius in (at least) five years. Chocolate Factory and Happy People/U Saved Me are still brilliant albums, though.

Oh my god, I finally watched the whole video for "Same Girl".....and it was hands down one of the dumbest videos. At the end R. Kelly and Usher are planning to bust the "same" girl in a restaurant.....and it turns out that she's there with her twin. What are the odds of identical twins having the same exact life?

I am lost.....what does black horse cock and Portuguese dicks have to do with R.Kelly?

AnckSuNamun said:

I agree. That video was dumb as hell.

TonyVanDam said:

Thank you. "Only black people let artists slide on sorry-ass lyrics" is a ridiculous statement. Check out the lyrics to some heavy metal songs white kids bang their heads to - real profound stuff.

thesexofit said:

Yes! Now that Brotha doesn't get nearly enough credit 4 his work on the 90's. He was such an amazing Musician & Writer.

Genius? No.

He knows how to get people's attention (Trapped In the Closet).

He knows how to make gimmicky club bangers. (I'm a Flirt).

He knows how to stay relevant. (That stupid song with Usher).

Most of all

HE KNOW HOW TO MARKET AND SELL HIMSELF REALLY WELL WITH A FORMULA

Basically, it has been the same R. Kelly bullshit since 12 Play.

lyecry said:

IOW, he's the poor man's male Madonna? Interesting.

a genius? @ that

No
[Edited 7/16/07 5:03am]

I guess my opinion goes against what most of y'all are saying.

I'm not too much of an R. Kelly fan, but dude's a genius when it comes to R&B and I'll give him that much. He's not Prince nor is he the same kind of artist as Prince (Prince came out of the rap-less "disco" era of music whereas R. came out of the "New Jack Swing" period).

I'm not mad a R. for all of the "Bump and Grind" tunes that he's put out over the years- dude needs to sell records and he gives his fans what they want. But as far as exploring new ways to do rhythm and blues, like when he started incorporating opera-type vocal arrangements (I'm not a musician or a songwriter, in case you can't tell) into his music (i.e. the mid-90's Sparkle tune "Be Careful", the Mr. Biggs tunes), that was pretty new and cool. Later, he was pretty innovative and dope with the hip hop R & B that he started making, like the Ignition and Fiesta remixes and the entire "Best of Both Worlds" album with Jay-Z. As of late, he's figured out a cool way to rap and sing at the same time and you have to respect that. Admit it- his verse on Swizz Beats "It's Me Bitches remix" is pretty fly when he goes into the Jennifer Hudson "and I'm telling you" moment.

Compared to Prince, it's harder to make a case for the genius of R. Kelly. But whether it's 12 Play, the R.-era music, the stepping and spiritual stuff that he was doing back in 2000, or the hip hop R & B that he does now better than your Akons and T-Pains, R. Kelly's always kept his R & B moving- his current music has evolved quite a bit from what he was doing in '97. The man's got a lotta hits and a lotta different kinds of R & B. Give him a chance.

CoolMF said:

You're joking....right? The "It's Me Bitches" song ("AND", it's many annoying remixes, much like the rest of the ruined "Hip-Hop/Rap Industry". I remember when remixes were rare. Looks like it's credibility, prestige, and sparseness has worn out, unfortunately), "Make it Rain"("AND" the remixes), and so many others that I don't want to name are just so...."LAME"!!!! He can't rap. He needs to stick to his own thing on that note. That "I'm Telling You" was as corny as fat, sweaty feet with two left hells on them suckas. Straight up played-out! I do like "TP-2", "The Chocolate Factory" and "The Best of Both Worlds" when it comes to the "Contemporary R&B" but that new stuff he has brought out is just plain lame. "Same Girl" is so constructively chaotic that it leaves room for "SO" much to be desired. I miss "New Jack Swing" when "Rap-Infused R&B" was good enough not to induce my obnoxiousness. Everything sounds the same (At least most of the stuff that gets the most airplay.). We so need for peeps like "Anthony Hamilton" (Even if I don't dig him all that much. He can sing, or as we may say, "SANG!"), "Erykah Badu", "Jill Scott", "Musiq Soulchild", and "Chrisette Michele" to recieve an equal amount of airplay and notice. Sooner or later, I am afraid that these people may vanish from off the face of this planet.
[Edited 7/16/07 13:25pm]
[Edited 7/16/07 13:26pm]

2ndRevolution said:

"OR", for better use of terms, "Excretory Omission Mechanics/Dynamics"!

krayzie said:

He's about as smart as Paris Hilton!!

I edited this to make sure everyone knows this is in
response to sandee 47 post.
[Edited 7/17/07 8:44am]

he's full of hits and misses, but the songs that are good kick butt, though I will not buy his music at all and am even giving away the r.kelly CD from 1996 which I outgrew anyways

favourites include:

I Wish
World's Greatest
Chocolate Factory
Trapped in the Closet
I Believe I Can Fly
Home Alone

stuff he's penned for other artists like:

Outrageous-britney
you are not alone, cry and one more chance-mj
ghettoout-changing faces
be careful-sparkle
[Edited 7/17/07 16:33pm]

qvgangsta18 said:

There's no comparison-nuff said!

Musically speaking, the answer is no.


"Genius" gets bantied about so casually these days - how someone could ask if R.Kelly's music could be placed alongside the likes of Beethoven's is beyond me.