Song:Honey Love
Album:The Essential R. Kelly
Robert Kelly has been an important R & B artist and producer for over twenty years. Honey Love is one of his first big hits from his debut album. He was born Jan. 8, 1967 in Chicago. His mom was a singer and Kelly grew up singing in church. He was also a very good basketball player and was on the high school basketball team. One of his teachers suggested he leave the team and concentrate on music. By the late 80s, Kelly had a group called MGM (Musically Gifted Men) and he won the TV talent show Big Break in 1989. MGM released one single and split up. Kelly signed with Jive Records in 1991 and he wanted a backup group. He auditioned Public Announcement (Earl Robinson, Andre Boykins, Ricky Webster) and hired them. They were billed as R. Kelly and Public Announcement for the 1992 debut CD Born Into The 90s. So it was supposed to be a group but Kelly wrote all the songs and sang all the lead vocals. So he might as well have used studio singers. Honey Love was the second single and Kelly's first #1 R & B hit. The song is a standard slow jam that could have been written by anyone. Honey Love was used in the 1993 film Menace II Society. Born Into The 90s was certified Platinum. Kelly and Public Announcement toured and then Kelly left to go solo in early 1993. I don't know why he thought he needed a backup group in the first place. Public Announcement split up but would reform in 1998. Of course Kelly would go on to be a big star with hits like I Believe I Can Fly. Honey Love is on this 2CD Essential comp but Born Into The 90s is available as a budget CD. So that was R. Kelly in his early days. Here's the video for Honey Love by R. Kelly and Public Announcement featuring an appearance by Halle Berry.
No comments:
Post a Comment