R Kelly reveals details of ‘Black Panties’ and ‘Trapped In The Closet: The Next Instalment’

Star also explains what it's like working with Kanye West and Whitney Houston

R Kelly has opened up about his forthcoming album, ‘Black Panties’, comparing it to his 1993 debut ’12 Play’.

In an interview with Billboard, he said: “I wish I had this musical trailer to show you, but I don’t. But I’ll tell you what, it’s a mixture of ’12 Play’, ‘TP-2.com’ [from 2000], and a little bit of [2004’s] ‘Happy People’.”

He also explained the inspiration for the title of the album, due next year. “When I was in my last sold-out show doing ‘Strip For You’, some girl threw these panties out of the audience. Out of nowhere, these black panties landed on my arm. And I said, ‘That’s a sign’.”

Advertisement

And of the new episodes of Trapped In The Closet, the latest instalment of the ‘hip hopera’, which began in 2005, he said: “I’m so excited about Trapped In The Closet. I’m going to use an old-school term, it’s tripped out, it’s crazy.

I didn’t even think I could write any more characters, but when I got in the studio and got that track up, I started hearing characters, verses, and the story starts to come to me and I just sing what’s in my head, and I see these images of these people in my head. It’s the weirdest thing in the world, it truly is alien, and I just can’t wait for you all to see it so I can go, ‘I told you so’.

Finally, he talked of working with Kanye West. The pair teamed up on To The World, which was released in September this year.

He said: “It’s like shirt meets tie, it’s all business and it looks good. With us both being from Chicago we can relate to each other from a city standpoint, culture standpoint and also music standpoint. It’s magical.”

Watch the second part of the interview, during which he talks about his collaboration with Whitney Houston, below.

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1550751595001?bckey=AQ~~,AAAAAEMcC3Y~,NII8yi9nN4xFUhUPk5r3WZIA8yah4MXI&bctid=1951937516001

You May Also Like

Advertisement

TRENDING

Advertisement

More Stories