A friend of mine at dinner last night couldn’t have put it any better, between R. Kelly sleeping (and peeing) on minors and Tavis Smiley endorsing subprime mortgages these two are already responsible for more than half the problems in the black community and now they're doing a book?I'm not quite buying the, "everyone has a right to their side of the story," that the Smiley machine is endorsing in this case. We know R.'s story and what his pee looks like. We saw the video and it wasn't his brother. And if you're not convinced let us remind you of this interview..."Mr. Kelly do you like teenagers..."
R & B Superstar Ready to Reveal the Secrets of His Roller-Coaster Ride to the Top
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- R & B superstar R. Kelly (born Robert Sylvester Kelly) will publish his memoir with SmileyBooks, the publisher announced today.
A three-time Grammy Award winner whose remarkable career spans two decades filled with achievements, R. Kelly has thrilled audiences and sold more than 34 million records worldwide, including six No. 1 albums, twelve platinum-plus selling albums, and eleven No. 1 singles. Over the years, he has collaborated with and written songs for music icons from all genres, including Michael Jackson, Mary J. Blige, Pussycat Dolls, Usher, and Celine Dion. Most recently, he earned rave reviews for his Ladies Make Some Noise Tour, and on December 1, Kelly released his tenth studio album, Untitled, including the chart-topping "Number One," and his new hot single "Echo."
"We are thrilled to be the conduit through which R. Kelly will tell his own story," said Tavis Smiley, founder and publisher of SmileyBooks. "He has earned the right to tell his story his own way."
In the memoir, Kelly, writing with celebrity author David Ritz, will detail the agony of losing his mother, whom he adored. He will reveal how the same creative soul that came up with such inspiring ballads as the iconic "I Believe I Can Fly" and "You Are Not Alone," which became a No. 1 hit for Michael Jackson, could also generate such sexy R & B mega-hits as "Bump N' Grind," "Ignition," and "When a Woman's Fed Up." And he will discuss the six-year legal ordeal that nearly ruined his life, but finally ended in vindication when he was found innocent of child pornography charges in 2008.
"I'm writing this book as Robert, not R. Kelly," the singer says. "I'm tired of being misunderstood. I will show you the tears, fears, and sweat. I will open my heart and reveal the good in my life as well as all the drama. I want to tell it like it is."
The collaboration between Kelly and Ritz is destined to captivate readers, says SmileyBooks President Cheryl Woodruff.
"You have the creative passion of R. Kelly, revealed in his groundbreaking Trapped in the Closet series, coupled with writer David Ritz, who has collaborated with the musicians Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, B.B. King, and Aretha Franklin. It's a great pairing."
Kelly's book joins a SmileyBooks roster that includes the latest offering from New York TimesBrother West: Living and Loving Out Loud, A Memoir, as well as Jeff Johnson's Everything I'm Not Made Me Everything I Am. Other SmileyBooks authors include Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Tom Burrell, Sophia Nelson, and New York Times bestsellers Iyanla Vanzant and Tavis Smiley. bestselling author Cornel West,
R. Kelly's memoir, as yet untitled, is scheduled for release by SmileyBooks in early 2011.
ABOUT SMILEYBOOKS
Founded by media pioneer Tavis Smiley in 2004, SmileyBooks (www.smileybooks.com) is a general trade book publisher that specializes in quality nonfiction. A dynamic company dedicated to the new media landscape, SmileyBooks publishes books by authors ranging from established New York Times bestsellers to exciting new voices on topics that appeal to a broad spectrum of readers.
My favorite part was when he was asked if he liked teenagers and he asked "When you say teeneagers how old are we talking about?" Then the interviewer gave him that look and said "Girls who ARE teenagers"
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