Councilman Slams Stop And Frisk, Says Bloomberg's…
Defendant Says Robert Champion Wanted To Be Hazed
When it comes to hosting an album-listening event for a forthcoming project, R. Kelly sure knows how to please his guests.Last night, the self-proclaimed "Pied Piper" invited family, friends and industry tastemakers into his lavish suburban Chicago residence for an exclusive listening of his highly anticipated album 'Untitled.'
BV Newswire was there to kick it with the multitalented singer-songwriter, who treated guests to dinner before the private affair in his living room, which left many in awe over the high rise ceiling-- in addition to the many accolades mounted on his wall.
As folks lined up in time for second helpings and a concoction the singer created, called "sex in the kitchen," Kelly strolled his way into the log cabin-themed room with a cigar in hand, personally greeting everyone And apparently, the Pied Piper did plenty of studying before recording his new opus.
R. Kelly Photos
R. Kelly on the set of his music video, 'Number One.'
Parrish Lewis
Director Chris Robinson, Keri Hilson and R. Kelly on the set of his music video, 'Number One.'
Parrish Lewis
R. Kelly on the set of his music video, 'Number One.'
Parrish Lewis
R. Kelly on the set of his music video, 'Number One.'
Parrish Lewis
R. Kelly arrives at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards at the American Airlines Arena on August 28, 2005 in Miami, Florida.
Getty Images
R. Kelly arrives at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards at the American Airlines Arena on August 28, 2005 in Miami, Florida.
Getty Images
R. Kelly attends the premiere of Chapters 13-22 of 'Trapped In The Closet' at the IFC Center, August 15, 2007 in New York City.
Getty Images
R. Kelly arrives at Cook County Court for his court hearings December 20, 2007 in Chicago, Illinois.
Getty Images
R. Kelly performs his version of the national anthem before the Bernard Hopkins and Jermain Taylor undisputed world middleweight championship fight at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino Event Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Getty Images
R. Kelly arrives the Cook County Court on January 14, 2008 in Chicago, Illinois.
Getty Images
"I did my homework or else I wouldn't have invited all these important mutha-----s in my home," he said to everyone before standing on top of his wooden coffee table to make a toast. "May the best of past, be the worst of our future...by the grace of God, I'm still here doing it big," he added. "I'm trying to get back on top of that mountain and roar like the 'Lion King.'"
Judging from his new single, 'Number One,' the crooner isn't wasting any time vying for the top of the mountain when it comes to music. The song, which debuted three weeks ago, was the most-added record at urban radio and is currently the most-added record on rhythm-crossover radio playlists.
Immediately following his grand entrance, the 'I Believe I Can Fly' singer premiered his new video, featuring Keri Hilson, on his supersize HD screen before beginning with the album's lead track and West Indian-themed 'Crazy Night.'
"What are you writing down? It better be good!" he joked with us while 'Echo' played throughout the room, a song that finds Kelly yodeling on the chorus.
When asked to name his most personal track off the Oct. 13 release, he answered: "Ah man, it has to be 'Elsewhere.'" Kelly described the piano-driven ballad as the song he did to get his girl back. "I felt like I had to get my Brian McKnight on in order for me to get my baby back."
About midway through the night, the multiple Grammy Award winner was in such good spirits and so impressed with everyone's reception that he began passing out cigars. He even stopped the music to invite everyone downstairs into his studio to see where he created some of his timeless hits.
"Whoever wants to come down to see where I create my magic...come follow the Piper!" he announced.
After walking through his indoor rain forest-themed pool and past the luxurious Maybach Benz, everyone made their way down to the chart topper's personal studio, where countless numbers of autographed recording plaques, including Michael Jackson's 'Bad' and 'Dangerous' albums, were mounted on his wall.
Once Kelly was seated at his keyboard, he gave everyone another exclusive treat by giving an impromptu performance of Donny Hathaway's classic ballad 'A Song for You.'
"I've been so many places in my life and time/ I've sung a lot of songs/ I've made some bad rhymes/ I've acted out my life in stages/ With 10,000 people watching/ But we're alone now and I'm singing this song to you," he belted out, which commanded a standing ovation.
(For more on what went down in R. Kelly's studio, including details on completing five unreleased Michael Jackson tracks. Check out Jawn Murray's report: 'R. Kelly: Singer Talks Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston & New Music' in the BV Buzz.)
The performance served as a preview to his upcoming intimate "Ladies Make Some Noise!" tour, which kicks off Oct. 8 in Connecticut. Tickets for the tour will go on sale on Aug. 22. (See tour dates below.)
"Ladies Make Some Noise!" Tour Dates
Oct. 8: Mashantucket, Conn.
Oct. 9: Boston
Oct. 10: Albany, N.Y.
Oct. 11: Baltimore
Oct.13: Philadelphia
Oct. 15: Newark, N.J.
Oct. 16: New York City
Oct. 18: Pittsburg
Oct. 20: Cincinnati
Oct. 22: Atlanta
Oct. 23: Chattanooga, Tenn.
Oct. 24: Charleston, S.C.
Oct. 25: Augusta, Ga.
Oct. 27: Birmingham, Ala.
Oct. 29: Dallas
Oct. 30: Houston
Oct. 31: New Orleans
Nov. 1: Memphis, Tenn.
Nov. 5: Los Angeles
Nov. 6: Las Vegas
Nov. 7: Oakland, Calif.
Nov. 12: Indianapolis
Nov. 14: Detroit
Nov. 15: Milwaukee
Nov. 17: Chicago
Nov. 20: Louisville, Ky.
Nov. 21: Charlotte, N.C.
Nov. 22: Greensboro, N.C.
Nov. 24: Washington, D.C
Nov. 27: Jacksonville, Fla.
Nov. 28: Miami
Nov. 29: Tampa, Fla.
Dec. 4: Norfolk, Va.
Dec. 5: Richmond, Va.
Dec. 6: Cleveland
Dec. 8: St. Louis
Black Music Notes Aug. 18
8/18/09: Macy Gray/Mya
Former Grammy-winning chart-toppers Macy Gray and Mya will join the ranks of 'Dancing with the Stars' when the hit televised celebrity dance competition returns for its ninth season on ABC. The network announced a whopping 16 celebrity contestants, including singers Aaron Carter, Donnie Osmond and Kelly Osbourne, will compete on the show when it debuts on Sept. 21.
Getty Images
8/14/09: Smokey Robinson
With 50 years of professional music experience under his belt, legendary Motown crooner Smokey Robinson is set to deliver his latest project of original material on Aug. 25 titled 'Time Flies When You're Having Fun'. It's not on Motown though. The ROBSO Records/ADA Distribution release features Robinson collaborating alongside the likes of Joss Stone, Carlos Santana, and India.Arie for a collection of nostalgic tracks reminiscent to his earlier work. To recapture that familiar sound, the former Miracles frontman decided to tap into recording with a live band. "That way was like doing a concert, because everybody was feeding off of each other," he reflected. "It's just that live vibe." 'Time Flies When You're Having Fun' also features the lead single and Norah Jones cover 'Don't Know Why' and a bonus track: Robinson's re-working of the Jackson 5's 'I Want You Back'
Shorefire
8/14/09: Pharrell Williams/Michael Jackson
Since the untimely death of Michael Jackson two months ago, many of today's most renowned producers have taken interest in remixing some of his biggest hits. In the coming weeks, various remix collections will be making their way onto the net featuring reworked versions of Jackson 5 hits as part of an upcoming Universal Motown project titled 'Michael Jackson: The Remix Suite.' Among the producers taking part in the special project are The Neptunes ('Never Can Say Goodbye'), Dallas Austin ('I Wanna Be Where You Are'), Q-Tip, Ryan Leslie, Polow Da Don, Tricky Stewart, Stargate, and fellow Amy Winehouse and Nas collaborator Salaam Remi who revamped the Jackson's 'ABC' into a more reggae-flavored version. The full collection of suites will be released as a complete project on Oct. 27.
Getty Images
8/14/09: N'dambi
When it comes to merging soul sounds from the 1970s and the 1980s with the legacy of Stax Records, singer-songwriter N'dambi has a bright 'pink' future ahead of her. The Dallas native and former Erykah Badu back-up singer is gearing up to release her debut opus for the label on Oct. 6, titled 'Pink Elephant.' For the set, N'dambi decided to tap former Shalamar and Gladys Knight producer Leon Sylvers to help incorporate a modern sheen with classic R&B. Notable tracks from 'Pink Elephant' includes the old-school hip-hop flavored 'Nobody Jones,' 'Ooo Baby,' and 'The One' among others.
Amazon
8/14/09: Vanessa Bell Armstrong/Rev. Ike
This weekend, gospel music powerhouse Vanessa Bell Armstrong will join Rev. Al Sharpton and singers Kim Burrell, Yolanda Wyns and Sarah Dash at a special ceremony celebrating the life of Rev. Frederick J. Eikerenkoetter II, better known to millions of members, visitors and radio listeners as "Rev. Ike" - The Success and Prosperity Preacher. According to spokesman Angelo Ellerbee, the event will be held on Aug. 15 at New York City's Historic Palace Cathedral (the same Washington Heights church where Rev. Ike presided over for decades.) "A great spiritual leader in our generation who has left big shoes for all of us to try to fill," is how his protégé Bishop E. Bernard Jordan (of Zoe Ministries) described the late clergyman who died July 28 at age 74.
Getty Images
8/14/09: Berry Gordy
Motown Records founder Berry Gordy will pay homage to the late, great Michael Jackson by writing the introduction to a reissue of his 1998 memoir 'Moonwalk.' According to a statement released by publisher Harmony Books, Gordy will offer recollections of MJ as a child star and of the group formed with his brothers, the Jackson 5. Originally acquired by then-Doubleday editor Jackie Kennedy Onassis and published, he book will be reissued in October by Random House Inc. with a first printing of 100,000 copies.
Getty Images
8/10/09: Jay-Z/Rihanna/Kanye West:
In support of his forthcoming release, 'The Blueprint 3,' Jay-Z is planning on assisting Jay Leno in kicking off his switch from late night to prime-time television on Sept. 14 at 10 pm. The rap mogul is scheduled to -- alongside Kanye West and Rihanna -- to perform his new single 'Run This Town.' Last week Hov (as he is known) and his cronies filmed the track's video clip in Queens, New York's historical Fort Totten Park. 'The Blueprint 3' hits stores on September 11.
Getty Images
8/10/09: Maxwell:
Fresh off the heels of his sold out summer tour, chart-topping crooner Maxwell is making an exception for his fans by hitting the road this fall. In conjunction with Live Nation, the Brooklyn-bred singer-songwriter will be joined with Common and Chrisette Michele beginning Sept. 25 in Toronto. Last month, the singer's long-awaited album 'BLACKsummers'night,' debuted at the number one slot on the Billboard 200 chart selling 550,000 copies to date. Tickets go on sale for the 14-city trek on Aug.14. It ends Oct.17 in San Francisco.
Getty Images
8/10/09: Three 6 Mafia:
Despite releasing their previous album 'Last 2 Walk' in 2008, Academy Award winning rappers Three 6 Mafia are back in the studio wrapping up their latest project, titled 'Laws of Power.' The Nov. 20 release shouldn't be a surprise to fans since the duo are constantly proactive inside the studio. "We've probably got about 20 songs, about 90 percent of the album done," group member Juicy J told Billboard. While DJ Paul notes that "we always record up 'til the day it's time to turn it in, just in case we come up with something else that's cool. We write and record all the time, 24 hours a day. We've got a few different studios and mobile studios on our computers, so we never stop." In addition to reaching out to the likes of Flo Rida, Sean Kingston and Kevin Rudolf, the Memphis natives also tapped Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins to produce the album's lead single 'Shake My.'
Getty Images
8/6/09: Fabolous:
Thanks to the help of The Dream and the current single 'Throw It In the Bag' blowing up on radio airwaves across the nation, Brooklyn-bred MC Fabolous has finally landed his very first number-one album. Fab's latest Def Jam release, 'Loso's Way,' claimed the top spot by selling 98,613 copies within its first week out in stores. In addition to guest appearances from Jay-Z, Ne-Yo, Lil Wayne, Keri Hilson, Marsha Ambrosius and Trey Songz, Fabolous can also credit the complimentary limited edition DVD that's packaged with the disc for his newfound success.
Def Jam
Comments: (50)
Add a comment
By: holla on 8/23/2009 7:00PM
people who lives in glass houses should never stare throwing stones. you know that tape was all over the place the young lady said that it was not her and i said that to say this i know the stroy and all i like is kells and his music and so does a whole lot of people. and you hurtful people can not stop that. if kells went anf jumped into the hudson a lot of you deep seated haters would still have something negative to say . hell you can not retry this case the courts has closed the books on this case. and oh if i could talk freely, and to the poster that made the shi!!y comment about let me tell your monkey a!! one dam thing i am hooked up line and sinker with one of the finest a!!ed men in this world, just ask somebody and we are both from very large families and thanks to god that we live very well, and i am not bragging and oh yes you had better believe that theres some as they get red bones in the family, with legs, booths, and looks and well educated to go with it and even they can see how eveil the world is . people bringing up things that happen years ago, so in other words you haters wants kels to do the dissapearing act, well guess what go kiss a skunk because hes here to stay. and if he rains on some of you dam lazy butt loosers tuff sh!!. make lots of love songs kells and they will get bought and played and the older people will rather be playing some of your love songs then a lot of this crap thats out there right now. even jeremih put a song out that makes people want to be lovely toward each others. that younster put out a song, so i guess these loosers want buy maxwell music either since you had something to do with it, to hell with all looser hit the move on button or turn the dam page and take your medicine before you self destruct.kells you go on and do the dang thing, and to hell with the devil and his crew.
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: sissy2004 on 8/26/2009 5:10PM
I hate to burst your bubble but I wouldn't mentioned educated because you have at least 40 spelling errors in your post. I also question your common sense. I initially thought you were a guy but I guess your female. In that case it makes your support of this pedophile more annoying
Report This
By: holla on 8/23/2009 7:35PM
i went to say that my honey and i are both from very large families theres three sets of twins in his family and theres a whole baseball team of sisters and brothers and my famliy is very large too and dad was one of 18 children and they all had large families and we are a very close knit family. a lot of smart peoples and i went to say that theres a lot of nieces grans, cousins and family women that are red boned, choclate, medium brown, and light skinned and they have got them big legs, bootys, beautiful skin, thick natural curly hair and spread from alaska, to flordia and all over the world and we know that once theres was a tradgy in our family and all if us came together and was as mad as we could be and we was like a mob, and had really bad back and forth with the cause of the problem and i mean there was more than 5 deaths invovled of my loved ones and i am telling you it was the worst of the worst and some of the family because of different religious beliefs in the family there was a court battle to the end. because you see some of the family did not want to file a law suit and some of us did. well it worked itself out, but it was really hard and i said all of that to say this people sometimes we just have to back up of the situation and let go and let god for real in order that we maintain our own sanity and i feel like kells went through something and he felt every bit of ridule, and pain of his action and dealing with friendships and things like that we should give his a chance and let the man live. look at michael he gave up until his death people called him strange and all sort of things but he did for people more that any other artist in the world and people are still saying mean things about him . for gods sake let this man live his life and you get you a life so that you can have something to look forward to.noinee of us are god almighty.
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU on 8/25/2009 7:38PM
holla
AIN' T NOBODY ON HERE WANTS TO HERE YOUR "LIFE STORY"! MOSTLY EVERYBODY ON HERE KNOWS WHAT HE DID TO THOSE LIL GIRLS WASN'T RIGHT! IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU! FOR A PERSON TO WRITE 3 PARAGRAPHS AND TO BE SAYING THE SAME OL ISH THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG? FOR GOD'S SAKE, STOP KISSING UP TO THIS DISGUSTING MAN AND PRAISING HIM? I PRAY THAT YOU ARE SETTING GOOD MORALS FOR YOUR KIDS AND FOR THEM NOT TO LISTEN OR WATCH THIS GARBAGE!
Report This
By: jennifer on 8/24/2009 2:56PM
You all so quick to blame and judge, but where we the girls parents when all of this was happening. Obviously, us parents are quick to pimp our daughters out to somebody who has money. We need stop looking and judging just him. we need to hold the parents accountable as well because we as parents need to protect our children more than we say we do.
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: Ellie on 8/25/2009 3:24PM
Hide your pre-teen girls and have your area's Sexual Assault Team on speed dial when he comes to your town!
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: Risa on 8/25/2009 5:40PM
Jennifer's comments borders on retarded! WHO pimped their child out to R. Kelly???? If your young teenaged daughter or niece was manipulated and sexed by R.Kelly would you make the same dumb ass comment? Lord have mercy.
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: laya on 8/26/2009 1:31PM
Sorry I don't support pedophiles and I can comprehend how these black media types do. I guarantee if R Kelly's victims were white, white people would not support him. It is sad and very disheartening how a black woman's life is so undervalued in society. This has got to change and it starts with us.
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: SAM on 9/03/2009 4:36PM
Love his music have every cd but his last cd and this song is missing the Kelly magic. I wish his music and sound would age and move onto a different direction. I was watching this show on VH1 and they stated Kelly was our verison of Marvin Gaye. Both are said to be confused about spirituality and sex. It was a great complement, but Marvin's music was tasteful, sensual, and consciouses. I wish Kelly would move into these categroies and stop singing about sex and more about love. Please reinvent something about your music. Still a big fan!
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: pamela on 11/11/2010 9:20PM
he is somewhat out there,but his music is outstanding.
Reply to this Comment | Report This