Observer » R. Kelly

Big Apple Idolatry: Elmo Resigns Amid Second Sex Scandal

Drew Grant — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 17:36:10 -0400

Kevin Clash resigns. (PBS)

– Kevin Clash, the voice of Elmo, has resigned from his role on Sesame Street after a second young man stepped forward to accuse the Academy Award-nominated documentary subject of being a sexual predator. 24-year-old Cecil Singleton is asking for $5 million from Mr. Clash, after claiming he met the voice actor on a phone sex line when he was 15. Then he made a pretty large leap in logic, claiming that Clash spent his days at Sesame "preying on teenage boys to satisfy his depraved sexual interests."

– So in addition to bringing new chapters of Trapped in the Closet to IFC, R. Kelly is now bringing his hip-hopera to the Great White Way. Hey, it can't be any worse than Ghost: The Musical.

– Finally, Anne Hathaway (sort of) fesses up that her co-hosting of 2011s Academy Awards was a shitshow. "I came off as slightly manic," she admits.

Now we can forgive her and move on to buying our advance tickets to Les Mis.

– Wayne Brady went all nutty on Reddit's AMA today. But at this point, second-rate celebrities going on Reddit is akin to them guest-starring on Parks and Recreation. Sorry, the heads of our country have already gone there, Wayne Brady! What will you contribute?

Gary Oldman’s Dramatic Reading of R. Kelly’s Biography (Video)

Drew Grant — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 16:12:31 -0400

Gary Oldman reads 'Soula Coaster' (ABC)

Hey, it's no Christopher Walken's "Poker Face," or John Malkovich's 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. It's not even John Lithgow's "Newt Gingrich press release."

But since we weren't even aware that R. Kelly had a biography, let alone one called Soula Coaster (what?), and the fact that we'd watch Gary Oldman read the phone book as long as it served as a reminder that in nine days he will be Commissioner Gordon for the final time, this Jimmy Kimmel Live clip is must-see TV.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oh8Fe3liIIc&feature=player_embedded

Gary Oldman must yearn for the days when his "dramatic readings" were comprised of scenes from Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, and not punchlines for late night viewers who were unaware that most of the actors from Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy are actually British.

The Week in Music: Real Talk! New Wu-Tang Clan Finally Here; Radiohead and R. Kelly Find New Ways to Sell Old Wares

Jake Brooks — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 12:09:10 -0400

It’s taken the Wu-Tang Clan six years to release their new album, 8 Diagrams, but the last couple of months—for fans and members, alike—must have felt like they took the longest to pass. In October, the Clan had tongues wagging when they announced that their first single would sample the Beatles’ “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” Apparently, this would have been a first. But, as it turns out—after a call from their lawyers, no doubt—they retracted their initial statement, calling the song an “interpolation,” not a sample. Still groundbreaking, but … Then Ghostface Killah, a Wu-Tang member, decided that he was going to release his new album on the same day as Diagrams. Despite rumored tensions, RZA, ever the chess master, decided to retreat, ensuring that everyone can make “mad cream.” All will be forgotten, however, if the album sells, which all indicators suggest that it will. Lap up that cream, fellas.

As if that weren’t enough for Wu-Tang fans, Raekwon and Ghostface Killah contributed to Cincinnati hip-hop producer cum rapper Hi-Tek’s new album, Hi-Teknology 3: Underground. These guys are the musical equivalent of Philip Seymour Hoffman. Learn to say no!

The last three years of Philadelphia rapper Beanie Sigel’s life make all the Wu-Tang Clan’s drama seem like an episode of The Hills. Here’s an excerpt from the Pitchfork review of his new album, The Solution: “In the almost four years since The B.Coming saw release, Beanie served 10 months in federal prison and was acquitted of an attempted murder charge that would've sent him away for a whole lot longer. He was shot twice during a botched robbery attempt. His stepfather was brutally killed in a Philly alleyway, his body set on fire. He saw the chaotic, acrimonious breakup of his label, Roc-A-Fella Records, and the dissolution of his hometown rap crew, State Property. He ignited a minor internet controversy when he told Kanye West, his labelmate and past collaborator, to come out of the closet.” OK!

There is little to balance out this hip-hop heavy Tuesday—unless you’re a fan of the Dave Matthews Band, who has a new live album. (They’re still touring? Give it up, people.) Radiohead is offering its entire studio catalogue on three different formats: a CD box set—how quaint—downloadable mp3—how transient—and a 4GB USB Drive—how, um, portable! The USB port comes in the shape of the band’s logo. (How cute. Between the pay-what-you-want model and this offer, it’s becoming clear that Radiohead isn’t anti-consumerism, as their dissident posture might have you believe, but rather uber-marketers. They missed their calling.)

Pink Floyd also has a box set with their entire studio back catalogue, Oh, By the Way. But instead of being forward-looking like the Oxfordian quartet, the label decided to package each CD in a mini-LP cover that mimics the original. This novelty will wear off quickly, however, once the fan realizes that the box set offers nothing beyond the original albums, most of which they already own.

Bonus: R. Kelly’s “urban operetta” Trapped in a Closet, episodes 1-22, are now available on DVD—this is the first time all episodes are available together, although you can watch them all online here. He’s easily the most terrifically entertaining of all the R&B stars. And that’s some real talk [NSFW] ...