R. Kelly — if you look a little too deep into his personal life — seems like a little bit of a creep. But he’s not the first genius who also happens to be kind of gross.
If you can put his frequent ridiculousness and his transgressions aside, though, the guy has some next-level skills at writing ultra-catchy hits. If all he had ever done was “The Remix to Ignition,” he would still be venerated by students of R&B/pop.
Going back deeper into the singer’s catalog of hits, “When A Woman’s Fed Up,” from his 1998 album “R,” is a minimalist masterpiece, way ahead of its time in terms of how it blends gospel-tinged R&B with talk-singing that’s informed by hip-hop. There’s always been something operatic and over-the-top about Kelly. His ability to take a set of nonsense syllables and turn them into an ornate melodic hook is plain crazy. Kelly can turn his talents to uplift and inspiration as well, as can be heard in his anthem of superhuman confidence “I Believe I Can Fly.”
But Kelly’s true gift is in kinky bedroom fantasias. For evidence of just how far-out Kelly’s imagination can be, sit and watch his (as of now) 33-chapter R&B-opera “Trapped in the Closet,” which features layers of deception, infidelity, sex, violence and absurdity. Sex is his constant subject. His most recent record, “The Buffet,” continues with one of Kelly’s favorite metaphors: food as a stand-in for or lead-up to satisfying carnal desires.
R. Kelly plays at Webster Bank Arena, 600 Main St., Bridgeport, Friday, Oct 7, at 8 p.m. $65 to $105. 800-745-3000 and websterbankarena.com.
