With the help of Keri Hilson, the ladies breaking off Robert Kelly something proper done upgraded from a Jeep to a “hit” y’all. Hot damn! 

 

 

I try not to think of buckets of piss and underage girls when I see Robert but I can’t help it. Even though I see all of that when I watch this video, there’s no doubt ‘Kelz is back with a guaranteed radio and 106th and Park hit. The best way to get on the radio is to lace your song with radio terminology.

 

“Number One” is bound to be #1 in no time even though it sounds like the singer has regressed to the “Feelin’ On Yo Booty” Robert. That’s my least favorite Kelly so I hope his upcoming album is more Chocolate Factory than TP-2.com-ish. It’s hard to call it now since “Number One” is full of raunchy lyrics, but subtle enough (compared to other Kelly lyrics) for little girls to gyrate to while their mothers sing along and forget about the darker side of Robert Kelly. 

Girl i vow that I would do anything to pleasure you 
All I wanna do is make this last 
I’ll kiss you up I kiss you down 
Be real quiet or making sounds 
Take it slow or take it fast 
And wooo 
And wee 
And yoouuu 
And me 
Havin fun 
And when it’s over in the morning i’ll say gracias baby 
Before you go I’ll scream damelo (<—- hey at least the babies will learn a lil Spanish!)

 

New video aside, the imminent return of ‘Kelz has got me wondering if good music can and should trump atrocious behavior? The poster child for near career suicide, Chris Brown, is off the airwaves now (except for that wedding video that got passed around like the Swine Flu) but how many club bangers will Chris have to make before the public forgets that he chocked, bit, kicked, and bopped Rihanna upside her head?   Just or not, I’m sure with the right sound, they will forget. The kid has enough talent to still make money off. 

 

R. Kelly’s music has managed to negate his legal troubles despite the fact that the only people who seem to believe he didn’t have sex with an underage girl are the 12 people who acquitted him and anybody who didn’t see that tape, six years after he was accused of soliciting a minor for child pornography, and the singers that continue to collaborate with him.

 

R. Kelly certainly isn’t the first artist to keep fans, sell records, and stay in the limelight even with questionable behavior. In 2002 Mystikal was arrested and charged with aggravated rape. A video tape forced him to plead guilty, yet in 2003 his album was nominated for a Grammy and the rapper was more popular than ever for telling women to “don’t jump bitch, mooove.” Mystikal was sentenced to six years in prison; when he’s released and decides to collaborate with The Neptunes to make another smash (if they’re not afraid to go near him), will listeners remember what he went to jail for? Will they care?

 

Most people forget that Tupac was a convicted sex offender or that Dr. Dre publicly assaulted Dee Barnes and dismissed it as a simple push towards a door. Tupac is still selling records and Dre has one of the most highly anticipated albums, ever. 

 

So, the question remains – is great music enough to justify redemption?

Tags: Chris Brown, Domestic Violence, Dr. Dre, Keri Hilson, Mystikal, R. Kelly, Sexual Abuse, Tupac