# The unsubtle, retarded genius of R. Kelly **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 6, 2008, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unsubtle-retarded-genius-of-r-kelly/440358 "2008-03-06T19:16:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unsubtle-retarded-genius-of-r-kelly/440358/1 "2008-03-06T19:16:38Z")
I just listened to all of _Double Up_ on my commute, and it finally hit me; what makes R. Kelly’s entire existence and career a genius sociocultural whoosh on the Andy Kaufman level is that he never _once_ lets the facade slip or breaks character. If he were to even once just crack up laughing or display a hint of self-awareness at his _ridiculous_ songs and lyrics, it would shatter the entire persona and effect. But the fact that he delivers lyrics like [QUOTE=The Zoo] Got you so wet it’s like a rainforest it’s like _Jurassic Park_ 'cept I’m your Sexasaurus [/quote] with all of the earnestness of “I believe I can fly” just keeps everyone in this sort of suspension of disbelief trance. It’s really something to behold. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unsubtle-retarded-genius-of-r-kelly/440358/2 "2008-03-06T19:26:04Z")
Please tell me you d/l’ed it on the down low and didn’t pay for it. And yes, it’s either the highest form of deception or he’s serious and people buy into it. I want to believe it’s the former, but am unsurprised that it’s likely the latter. When presented with the reality that stuff like that is popular, I start looking around at passerby wondering if there’s some sort of knobs or antennae I somehow missed out on. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unsubtle-retarded-genius-of-r-kelly/440358/3 "2008-03-06T20:12:49Z")
I agree with you wholeheartedly. Also, I busted out howling with laughter at your quote here at work and had to tell everybody what was so funny. ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unsubtle-retarded-genius-of-r-kelly/440358/4 "2008-03-06T20:25:00Z")
Weird Al’s “Trapped at the drive thru” is an awesome remake of R. Kelly’s “Trapped in a closet”. If you haven’t seen it, youtube is your friend. Weird Al has a surprisingly good voice. And yes, R. Kelly’s music is hysterical. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unsubtle-retarded-genius-of-r-kelly/440358/5 "2008-03-06T20:32:45Z")
Dude, the same could be said of your posting history on the SDMB. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unsubtle-retarded-genius-of-r-kelly/440358/6 "2008-03-06T21:11:34Z")
IIRC, Chuck Klosterman came to the same conclusion about Britney Spears. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unsubtle-retarded-genius-of-r-kelly/440358/7 "2008-03-06T21:11:49Z")
[QUOTE=OneCentStamp] Dude, the same could be said of your posting history on the SDMB. 😛 [/QUOTE] Stop threadshitting. Take it to the Pit, or stick around and talk about R. Kelly. To add some content for the OP… [QUOTE=TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW] If he were to even once just crack up laughing or display a hint of self-awareness at his ridiculous songs and lyrics, it would shatter the entire persona and effect. [/QUOTE] I think the hilarious commentary track on the “Trapped In the Closet” DVD, as well as the increasing nonsensical silliness of the chapters after the original 12, prove he finally got in on the joke, although I think he was serious as a heart attack at the very beginning. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unsubtle-retarded-genius-of-r-kelly/440358/8 "2008-03-06T21:29:02Z")
[QUOTE=Big Bad Voodoo Lou] Stop threadshitting. Take it to the Pit, or stick around and talk about R. Kelly. [/QUOTE] Good call. I apologize, **TLDR**. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unsubtle-retarded-genius-of-r-kelly/440358/9 "2008-03-06T23:39:50Z")
R Kelly is weird to me, because I can never figure out if he is serious or not. Some of his stuff is really good. (speaking as a non-R&B fan) But even the good stuff shows signs that he doesn’t realize how cheezy his stuf really is. That ‘Trapped in the Closet’ thing is an inside joke, right? He is making fun of his fans that are mistaking his cheese for good music? I can’t tell. But I do know that he really has made some good stuff. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-unsubtle-retarded-genius-of-r-kelly/440358/10 "2008-03-06T23:43:47Z")
Cept \*TitCii \*sucks, because he seems to be in on the joke; he is self aware. What made \*TitCi \*so awesome is that he was so Ed Woodian about the whole thing: all enthusiasm and ignorance.