: R. Kelly

In short, R. Kelly was Guy rolled into one person; he could sing, and he could produce and write compelling material. Originally, he did sound like a Guy or Aaron Hall clone, but his work with the Public Announcements on the Born In The 90's CD seemed perfect for the end of the New Jack Era. It was forward-thinking in sound, and dominated the radio airwaves with songs like "Honey Love" and "Slow Dance" throughout 1992. R. Kelly fit right in with the new wave of urban acts that were thriving beyond the New Jack Era: TLC, Jodeci, Boyz II Men, et. al. This would be the only album in which Kelly would perform with the Public Announcements.

As a producer, R. Kelly first made a name for himself with Hi-Five, most notably for their single, "Quality Time."

From 1994 through 1996, it was all about R. Kelly’s next two albums: 12 Play and R. Kelly. Then in the year 1998, R. Kelly was unofficially crowned the King of R&B when he released the epic R. double-CD. Featuring the Marvin Gaye-esque “Half On A Baby,” “Home Alone,” and the Sam Cooke influenced “If I Could Turn Back The Hands Of Time,” the R. album solidified R. Kelly’s position on the music industry – he is now an icon…that is, if he makes it past the latest allegations.

Despite his legal troubles, R. Kelly seems to be unstoppable on a creative level. His Chocolate Factory album is widely considered to be a masterpiece on many levels, and he seems to be churning out hits for B2K, The Isley Brothers, Ginuwine, JS, Marques Houston, and more on a regular basis. It must be proclaimed: R. Kelly is maginificently gifted.

R . Kelly & The Public Announcements: Born Into The 90s