Maps of Music
12 Play (1993)
Where the lyrics of 12 Play take you, and where it was really made.
A stage skit about a dream grew so popular with radio DJs that it became the title of R. Kelly's debut solo album.
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Recorded and mixed at Chicago Recording Company (1993)
Recording site Chicago Recording Company — Discogs credits list Chicago Recording Company as the place where the album was recorded and mixed. The coordinates come from the MusicBrainz candidate and may not mark the exact building. Google Maps · Apple Maps
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Album story
Overview
- 12 Play: debut solo studio album by American R&B and soul singer-songwriter R. Kelly
- Released November 9, 1993, by Jive Records
- Issued after Kelly's time in the R&B group Public Announcement
- Public Announcement released one album with him: Born into the 90's (1992)
- Four singles, including 'Bump n' Grind', 'Your Body's Callin'' and 'Sex Me, Pts. 1 & 2'
- First of a trilogy of albums released under the 12 Play name: TP-2.com (2000) and TP-3: Reloaded (2005)
Background
- After Born into the 90's, Kelly began touring as an opening act for Gerald Levert and Glenn Jones
- During the tour he grew frustrated with poor lighting and empty seats during his set
- To draw more attention, he developed a skit: talking to the audience at the point where he broke down 'Honey Love'
- The skit framed the story as a dream about Mary J. Blige
- The '12 Play' gimmick became so big that DJs wanted to hear it when Kelly promoted Born into the 90's at radio stations
- That demand led Kelly to create an album titled 12 Play
Recording
- Recorded and mixed at Chicago Recording Company, according to Discogs credits
- Engineer Peter Mokran, assisted by Doug McBride and Stefon Taylor
- Mixed by Peter Mokran and R. Kelly
- Copyright credited to Zomba Recording Corporation, 1993
Sources: en.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com
Tracklist
| 1 | Your Body’s Callin’ | 4:38 |
| 2 | Bump n’ Grind | 4:16 |
| 3 | Homie Lover Friend | 4:22 |
| 4 | It Seems Like You’re Ready | 5:39 |
| 5 | Freak Dat Body | 3:44 |
| 6 | I Like the Crotch on You / Intermission | 6:37 |
| 7 | Summer Bunnies | 4:15 |
| 8 | For You | 5:02 |
| 9 | Back to the Hood of Things | 3:52 |
| 10 | Sadie | 4:30 |
| 11 | Sex Me, Part I / Sex Me, Part II | 11:27 |
| 12 | 12 Play | 5:54 |
Sources: musicbrainz.org
Artist
Formation
- Born Robert Sylvester Kelly on January 8, 1967, on Chicago's South Side, Illinois.
- Began performing in the subway under Chicago "L" tracks, busking at the Jackson station on the Red Line.
- Joined the group MGM (Musically Gifted Men) formed in 1989, which won a $100,000 prize on the TV show Big Break in 1991 before disbanding.
Career
- Signed with Jive Records in 1991; debut Born into the 90's (1992, with Public Announcement) yielded hits including "She's Got That Vibe".
- Solo album 12 Play (1993) produced the number-one hit "Bump N' Grind", which spent a record 12 weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart.
- "I Believe I Can Fly" (1996) won three Grammy Awards in 1998.
- Wrote and produced "You Are Not Alone" for Michael Jackson, which debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100.
- Sold over 75 million records worldwide; Billboard ranked him the 9th greatest R&B artist of all time.
- Convicted in 2021 and 2022 on child sex offences and sentenced to a combined 31 years; his career ended after these convictions.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Reception
At release
- Critics gave the album an initially mixed response
- Spanish Wikipedia: the album received mixed reviews at first
Reappraisal
- Retrospective criticism grew more favorable over time
- Spanish Wikipedia: reviews gradually improved until the album built a cult following
Records
- Topped the US R&B albums chart for nine weeks straight
- Reached number 2 on the US Billboard 200
- Entered the Billboard 200 at number 23 with first-week sales of 44,000 (French Wikipedia)
- Certified six-times platinum by the RIAA (Portuguese Wikipedia)
- Sold more than 7 million copies worldwide (Portuguese Wikipedia)
- Singles: 'Bump n' Grind' US number 1, 'Your Body's Callin'' US number 13, 'Sex Me, Pts. 1 & 2' US number 20
Sources: en.wikipedia.org · fr.wikipedia.org · pt.wikipedia.org · es.wikipedia.org
Trivia
- Kelly's skit idea came after he grew frustrated with poor lighting and empty seats on tour.
- The skit was framed as a dream about Mary J. Blige, told to the audience.
- DJs asked for '12 Play' when Kelly promoted Born into the 90's, which pushed him to make the album.
- 'Sex Me, Pts. 1 & 2' runs 11:27 on the track listing, the longest track on the album.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org · pt.wikipedia.org
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