R. [Clean]

• Artist: R Kelly
• Rating:
• Release Date: November 10, 1998
• Total Time: 129:40
• Genre: Rhythm & Blues

Review

At the beginning of the '90s, R. Kelly was seen as a lewd, lascivious soulman. By the end of the decade, he had stripped those adjectives away and was seen as a contemporary equivalent of Marvin Gaye, thanks to the enormous success of "I Believe I Can Fly." Appropriately, R., the double-disc album that followed "I Believe I Can Fly"'s parent album, finds Kelly trying to live up to that legacy. He may be talented, but he has neither the vision nor the depth to match such classic soulmen as Al Green, Stevie Wonder, Prince or Michael Jackson, all artists he emulates on R. Kelly's main strength is fusing contemporary material together into a slick, palatable, radio-ready record. Nobody else could have Jay-Z and Celine Dion on their album, and he's about the only one who could make it work, since he can work sensuous grooves as well as he can deliver a soaring ballad. To some, this may sound like nothing more than calculation -- a big part of the reason why he doesn't instantly enter the hall of greats -- because it's easy to see how he pieces it all together. When he's on, however, such calculation doesn't really matter, since it all flows, but such incidents only occur through about 40-percent of R. That's a major problem, considering the sheer length of the album. Clocking in at 29 long tracks, it takes real effort to sit through the record from beginning to end, especially since Kelly begins to repeat himself. If it was pruned a bit, the album would arguably be his best record. As it stands, R is an admirable effort, one that is among his better records even with all of its faults. [R was also released in a clean version, with all vulgarities removed.] ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Tracks

CD 1

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Home Alone	R. Kelly, Keith Murray, Kelly Price	R. Kelly, Keith Murray	(4:59)
Spendin' Money	R. Kelly, S. Jordan	R. Kelly	(4:54)
If I'm Wit You	R. Kelly, S. Barnes, J. Olivier, K. Robinson, N. Robinson	R. Kelly	(4:31)
Half on a Baby	R. Kelly	R. Kelly	(4:55)
When a Woman's Fed Up	R. Kelly	R. Kelly	(4:38)
Get up on a Room	R. Kelly	R. Kelly	(4:10)
One Man	R. Kelly	R. Kelly	(4:57)
We Ride	R. Kelly, S. Barnes, J. Olivier, Jay-Z, Calvin Broadus, A. Young, Cameron Giles, Victor Santiago	R. Kelly, Jay-Z	(4:49)
The Opera	R. Kelly	R. Kelly	(1:25)
The Interview	R. Kelly	R. Kelly	(1:33)
Only the Loot Can Make Me Happy	R. Kelly, S. Barnes, J. Olivier	R. Kelly	(4:56)
Don't Put Me Out	R. Kelly	R. Kelly	(5:22)
Suicide	R. Kelly	R. Kelly	(5:19)
Etcetera	R. Kelly	R. Kelly	(4:13)
If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time	R. Kelly	R. Kelly	(6:18)
What I Feel/Issues	R. Kelly	R. Kelly	(4:44)

CD 2

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
The Chase	R. Kelly	R. Kelly	(2:46)
V.I.P.	R. Kelly, Dalvin DeGrate	R. Kelly	(4:16)
Did You Ever Think	R. Kelly, S. Barnes, J. Olivier	R. Kelly	(4:32)
Dollar Bill	Mark Lanegan, R. Kelly	R. Kelly	(4:23)
Reality	R. Kelly	R. Kelly	(4:44)
2nd Kelly	R. Kelly	R. Kelly	(5:02)
Ghetto Queen	R. Kelly	R. Kelly, Crucial Conflict	(4:20)
Down Low Double Life	R. Kelly	R. Kelly	(5:00)
Looking for Love	R. Kelly	R. Kelly	(4:36)
Dancing with a Rich Man	R. Kelly	R. Kelly	(3:28)
I'm Your Angel	R. Kelly	Celine Dion, R. Kelly	(5:20)
Money Makes the World Go Round	Nas, R. Kelly	R. Kelly	(4:09)
I Believe I Can Fly	Nas, R. Kelly	R. Kelly	(5:21)

Credits

Celine Dion (Performer), Tar (Photography), Tony Black (Programming), Tony Black (Engineer), Tony Black (Editing), Yvonne Gage (Vocals (Background)), Dennis Collins (Vocals (Background)), R. Kelly (Arranger), R. Kelly (Conductor), R. Kelly (Vocals), R. Kelly (Vocals (Background)), R. Kelly (Multi Instruments), R. Kelly (Producer), R. Kelly (Rap), R. Kelly (Main Performer), R. Kelly (Mixing), Tawatha Agee (Vocals (Background)), Robert Bacon (Guitar), Percy Bady (Director), Percy Bady (Keyboards), Jeff Bova (Keyboards), Jeff Bova (Keyboard Programming), Jimmy Bralower (Drum Programming), Bob Cadway (Engineer), Lafayette Carthon, Jr. (Conductor), Lafayette Carthon, Jr. (Keyboards), Lafayette Carthon, Jr. (Vocals (Background)), Sean "Puffy" Combs (Producer), Brian Gardner (Mastering), Humberto Gatica (Engineer), Humberto Gatica (Mixing), Diva Gray (Vocals (Background)), Keith Henderson (Guitar), Loris Holland (Organ), Loris Holland (Conductor), Loris Holland (Keyboards), Loris Holland (Organ (Hammond)), Loris Holland (Vocals (Background)), Hart Hollman (Conductor), Hart Hollman (Leader), Hart Hollman (Orchestration), Paulette McWilliams (Vocals (Background)), Tony Maserati (Mixing), Rob Mathes (Arranger), Rob Mathes (Conductor), Michael Patterson (Engineer), Anthony Ransom (Vocals (Background)), Paul Riser (Arranger), Paul Riser (Conductor), Steve Robinson (Vocals (Background)), Johnny Rutledge (Vocals (Background)), Steve Skinner (Keyboards), Steve Skinner (Drum Programming), Gerard Smerek (Engineer), Larry Sturm (Engineer), Fonzi Thornton (Vocals (Background)), Richard Travali (Engineer), Rob Trow (Vocals (Background)), Joan Walton (Vocals (Background)), Spencer Washington (Vocals (Background)), Cheryl Wilson (Vocals (Background)), Elisabeth Withers (Vocals (Background)), Keith Murray (Performer), Robert Moe (Vocals (Background)), Jeff Morrow (Vocals (Background)), Chris Puram (Engineer), Chris Puram (Mixing), Taylor (Photography), Stan Wood (Assistant Engineer), Al West (Keyboards), Al West (Producer), Lisa Lougheed (Vocals (Background)), Stephen George (Programming), Stephen George (Engineer), Stephen George (Mixing), Tony Gonzalez (Assistant Engineer), Cynthia Jernigan (Vocals (Background)), Crucial Conflict (Performer), Jay-Z (Performer), Tom Recchion (Art Direction), Tom Recchion (Design), Nathan Dean (Engineer), Nathan Dean (Assistant Engineer), Nathan Dean (Mixing), Stevie J. (Producer), Ron Lowe (Assistant Engineer), Ron Lowe (Mixing), Kevin Crouse (Mixing), Mikael Ifversen (Engineer), Charles McCrorey (Engineer), Poke (Producer), Jason Goldstein (Assistant Engineer), Kelly Price (Vocals (Background)), Stevie Robinson (Vocals (Background)), Barry Hankerson (Executive Producer), Nancey Jackson (Vocals (Background)), Chris Brickley (Engineer), Paul Falcone (Programming), Paul Falcone (Engineer), Jackie Murphy (Art Direction), Jackie Murphy (Photography), Howard Simmons (Photography), Greg Thompson (Assistant Engineer), Greg Thompson (Mixing), Jason Bacher (Assistant Engineer), Blake Chaffin (Programming), Paul J. Falcone (Programming), Paul J. Falcone (Engineer), Jason Groucott (Engineer), Jason Groucott (Assistant Engineer), Jason Groucott (Mixing), Don Hachey (Assistant Engineer), Carl Robinson (Engineer), Todd Parker (Mixing), Sparkle (Vocals (Background)), Chris Brooke (Assistant Engineer), Chuck Bailey (Assistant Engineer), Chuck Bailey (Mixing), Champ! (Assistant Engineer), Brian Garten (Assistant Engineer), Michael McCoy (Mixing), Kendall D. Nesbitt (Keyboards), Anthony Kilhoffer (Programming), Anthony Kilhoffer (Engineer), Anthony Kilhoffer (Assistant Engineer), Bryon Rickerson (Producer), Bryon Rickerson (Assistant Engineer), Jason Stasium (Assistant Engineer), Robin Hannibal (Groomer), Rick Behrens (Assistant Engineer), Jeff Vereb (Engineer), Jeff Vereb (Assistant Engineer), Jeff Vereb (Mixing), June Ambrose (Stylist), Brian Calicchia (Assistant Engineer), Brian Calicchia (Mixing), Antonio L. Daniels (Keyboards), Marjette Alston (Vocals (Background)), Marek (Assistant Engineer), Mark Johnson (Assistant Engineer), Blackie (Vocals (Background)), Robert Bowker (Vocals (Background)), Troy Bright (Vocals (Background)), Michael Anthony (Make-Up), Bill Douglass (Assistant Engineer), Roy "Royalty" Hamilton (Vocoder), Roy "Royalty" Hamilton (Drum Programming), Johnny Allen (Assistant), Johnny Allen (Assistant Conductor), Robin Robinson (Vocals (Background))