R.
Studio album by
R. Kelly
ReleasedNovember 10, 1998
Recorded1996–1998
Genre
Length129:40
LabelJive
Producer
R. Kelly chronology
R. Kelly
(1995) 		R.
(1998) 		TP-2.com
(2000)
Singles from R.
  1. "I Believe I Can Fly"
    Released: November 26, 1996
  2. "Gotham City"
    Released: June 3, 1997
  3. "Half on a Baby"
    Released: August 11, 1998
  4. "Home Alone"
    Released: August 30, 1998
  5. "I'm Your Angel"
    Released: November 16, 1998
  6. "When a Woman's Fed Up"
    Released: February 27, 1999
  7. "Did You Ever Think"
    Released: May 25, 1999
  8. "If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time"
    Released: July 24, 1999
  9. "Only the Loot Can Make Me Happy"
    Released: May 23, 2000
"I Believe I Can Fly"
R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly" from R.
Problems playing this file? See media help.
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Robert Christgau(2-star Honorable Mention)(2-star Honorable Mention)[2]
Entertainment WeeklyB−[3]
Los Angeles Times[4]
Q[5]
Rolling Stone[6]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[7]
Spin(7/10)[8]
Yahoo! Music(mixed)[9]
Yahoo! Music UK[10]

R. is the third solo album by American singer R. Kelly, released as a double album on November 10, 1998, by Jive Records. It marked the first time Kelly worked with other producers as opposed to producing the entire album himself. Its cover artwork uses the same image of Kelly from his 1993 debut 12 Play, only in silhouette form against a red and black background.

Upon its release, R. went to number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and number two on the US Billboard 200, selling over 612,000 copies in its first week of sales.[11] It spawned Kelly's second number-one Billboard Hot 100 hit "I'm Your Angel", as well as the number-one Top R&B hit "I Believe I Can Fly", which had been released two years earlier on the Space Jam soundtrack. R. is currently Kelly's best-selling release to date, having sold over eight million copies in the United States and over 12.4 million copies worldwide.

Track listing

All songs written and produced by R. Kelly, except where noted.

Disc one

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Home Alone" (featuring Keith Murray)
  • Robert Kelly
  • Kelly Price
  • Keith Murray
  • G. Archie
G-One5:00
2."Spendin' Money"
  • Kelly
  • Ron Lawrence
  • Sean Combs
  • Steven Jordan
  • Price
  • D. Romani
  • T. Willoughby
4:54
3."If I'm With You" Trackmasters4:32
4."Half on a Baby" R. Kelly4:56
5."When a Woman's Fed Up"KellyKelly4:34
6."Get Up on a Room"KellyKelly4:11
7."One Man"KellyKelly4:57
8."We Ride" (featuring Cam'Ron, Noreaga, Vegas Cats, and Jay-Z)
  • Kelly
  • Cameron Giles
  • Victor Santiago
  • Shawn Carter
  • Vegas Cats
  • S. Barnes
  • J.C. Oliver
  • M.C. Rooney
  • Calvin Broadus
  • Andre Young
  • H. Casey
  • R. Finch
  • Kelly
  • Trackmasters
4:50
9."The Opera"KellyKelly1:24
10."The Interview"KellyKelly1:33
11."Only the Loot Can Make Me Happy" (featuring Tone of Poke & Tone)
  • Kelly
  • Barnes
  • Oliver
  • Kelly
  • Trackmasters
5:00
12."Don't Put Me Out"  5:22
13."Suicide"  5:20
14."Etcetera"  4:12
15."If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time"KellyKelly6:19
16."What I Feel/Issues"KellyKelly4:45
17."I Believe I Can Fly" (international release)KellyKelly5:20

Disc two

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."The Chase"  2:46
2."V.I.P."
R. Kelly, DeVante Swing4:17
3."Did You Ever Think" (featuring Tone)
  • Kelly
  • Trackmasters
4:25
4."Dollar Bill" (featuring Foxy Brown) Trackmasters4:23
5."Reality"  4:44
6."2nd Kelly"  5:03
7."Ghetto Queen" (featuring Crucial Conflict)  4:20
8."Down Low Double Life"  5:00
9."Looking For Love"  4:37
10."Dancing with a Rich Man"  3:30
11."I'm Your Angel" (duet with Céline Dion)  5:32
12."Money Makes the World Go Round" (featuring Nas)
  • Kelly
  • Nasir Jones
  • A. Barnes
  • J. Malone
Trackmasters4:10
13."I Believe I Can Fly (US release)/Gotham City (international release)"   
14."Did You Ever Think (Remix) (re-release)" (featuring Nas)
Trackmasters4:03
15."Gotham City" (re-release)KellyKelly4:55

Awards and nominations

BMI Awards – 1998 Pop Songwriter of the Year (won for "I Believe I Can Fly," "I Can't Sleep Baby (If I)," and "I Don't Want To by Toni Braxton)

Grammy Awards – 1999 Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals (nominated for "I'm Your Angel"), 2000 Best R&B Vocal Performance – Male (nominated for "When a Woman's Fed Up"), 2000 Best R&B Album (nominated)

Soul Train Music Awards – 1999 Best R&B/Soul Single, Male (nominated for "Half on a Baby"), 1999 Sammy Davis Jr. Entertainer of the Year Award (won), 1999 Best R&B/Soul Album, Male (won), 1999 Best R&B/Soul or Rap Album (won)

Personnel

Charts and certifications

Samples

Songs sampled in future songs:

Covers

See also

References

  1. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "R. Kelly: R. Review at AllMusic. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
  2. ^ Christgau, Robert. "R. Kelly". robertchristgau.com. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
  3. ^ Browne, David (13 November 1998). "R.". Entertainment Weekly (#458).
  4. ^ "Top Pop Albums". Los Angeles Times. 3 December 1998. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
  5. ^ "R. [PA]". chapters.indigo.ca. Archived from the original on 2012-07-28. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
  6. ^ Sheffield, Rob (26 November 1998). "R. Kelly: R.". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2008-06-13.
  7. ^ Brackett, Nathan (2004). Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th, revised ed.). Topeka Bindery. ISBN 978-1-4176-6326-2. Portions posted at "R. Kelly: Album Guide". rollingstone.com. Archived from the original on 2011-06-20. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
  8. ^ "R. Kelly - R. CD Album". CD Universe. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
  9. ^ "R". Yahoo! Music. Retrieved January 19, 2009.[dead link]
  10. ^ "R. Kelly - 'R.'". Yahoo! Music UK. 26 October 1998. Archived from the original on 2004-09-13.
  11. ^ "Alanis Holds Off R. Kelly". E! Online. 18 November 1998.
  12. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 152.
  13. ^ "Austriancharts.at – R. Kelly – R." (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  14. ^ "Ultratop.be – R. Kelly – R." (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  15. ^ "Ultratop.be – R. Kelly – R." (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  16. ^ "R&B : Top 50". Jam!. Archived from the original on December 6, 1998. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  17. ^ "Listen - Danmarks Officielle Hitliste - Udarbejdet af AIM Nielsen for IFPI Danmark - Uge 47". Ekstra Bladet (in Danish). Copenhagen. 1998-11-22.
  18. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – R. Kelly – R." (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  19. ^ "Lescharts.com – R. Kelly – R.". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  20. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – R. Kelly – R." (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  21. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – R. Kelly – R.". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  22. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – R. Kelly – R.". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  23. ^ "Swisscharts.com – R. Kelly – R.". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  24. ^ "R Kelly | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart.
  25. ^ "R. Kelly Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
  26. ^ "R. Kelly Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  27. ^ "RPM's Top 100 CDs of '98". RPM. December 14, 1998. Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved December 6, 2010.
  28. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1998". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  29. ^ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 1998". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
  30. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1998". Billboard. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  31. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1999". Ultratop. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  32. ^ "Rapports Annuels 1999". Ultratop. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  33. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1999". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  34. ^ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 1999". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
  35. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1999". Billboard. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  36. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1999". Billboard. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  37. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 2000". Ultratop. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  38. ^ "Rapports Annuels 2000". Ultratop. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  39. ^ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 1999". Ultratop. Hung Medien.
  40. ^ "Canadian album certifications – R. Kelly – R." Music Canada. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
  41. ^ "French album certifications – R. Kelly – R." (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved February 22, 2022. Select R. KELLY and click OK. 
  42. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (R. Kelly; 'R.')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  43. ^ "Dutch album certifications – R. Kelly – R" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Enter R in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 2001 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
  44. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('R.')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
  45. ^ Jones, Alan (December 18, 2015). "Official Charts Analysis: X Factor misses Top 2 debut for the first time ever". Music Week. Intent Media. Retrieved December 18, 2015.
  46. ^ "British album certifications – R. Kelly – R." British Phonographic Industry.
  47. ^ "American album certifications – R. Kelly – R." Recording Industry Association of America.
  48. ^ "IFPI Platinum Europe Awards – 2000". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry.
  49. ^ "When a Woman's Fed up by R. Kelly on WhoSampled".
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