Chocolate Factory

by R. Kelly

Overview

R. Kelly was hardly a stranger to controversy in the early 2000s. In addition to being hit with 21 counts of child pornography in Chicago and 12 more in Polk County, FL, the beleaguered singer/producer faced various sex-related civil suits. All those scandals have, at times, overshadowed his music, which is regrettable because Chocolate Factory has a lot going for it. Emphasizing romantic slow jams, and not as ambitious or risk-taking as 1998's R. -- which is arguably Kelly's best, most essential release despite its own imperfections -- Chocolate Factory, like 2000s TP-2.Com, tends to play it safe. But that doesn't mean Chocolate Factory is without merit; what it lacks in ambition, it makes up for in terms of quality and craftsmanship. Many of the influences that have served Kelly well on previous efforts continue to serve him well on this 2003 release; influences that range from the Isley Brothers, Marvin Gaye, Al Green, Michael Jackson, and Stevie Wonder to Prince, Babyface, and hip-hop. All of those influences were noticeable on Kelly's '90s albums, and they are still noticeable on Chocolate Factory. Nonetheless, Kelly has always been his own man; that is especially obvious when he features Ronald Isley on "Showdown" (not to be confused with the Isley Brothers' 1978 recording). Hearing Kelly and Isley side by side, listeners can easily see how Kelly is able to draw on Isley's influence while projecting a firm, recognizable identity of his own. One hopes that in the future, Kelly will come out with some more albums that are as challenging as R.; even so, Chocolate Factory will go down in history as a solid and pleasing, if somewhat predictable, addition to the Chicagoan's catalog. ~ Alex Henderson

Product Details

Release Date:	02/18/2003
Label:	Jive
UPC:	0012414181220

Tracks

1. Chocolate Factory
2. Step in the Name of Love
3. Heart of a Woman
4. I'll Never Leave
5. Been Around the World
6. You Made Me Love You
7. Forever
8. Dream Girl
9. Ignition
10. Ignition
11. Forever More
12. You Knock Me Out
13. Step in the Name of Love
14. Imagine That
15. Showdown
16. Snake
17. Who's That

Album Credits

Performance Credits

R. Kelly   Primary Artist
Fat Joe   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Featured Artist
Ja Rule   Primary Artist,Featured Artist,Guest Artist
Big Tigger   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Featured Artist
Ronald Isley   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Featured Artist
Kendall D. Nesbitt   Keyboards
Percy Bady   Keyboards
Johnny Rutledge   Choir/Chorus
Donnie Lyle   Bass,Mando,Guitar,Keyboards
Paul Riser   Conductor,Horn Conductor,String Conductor
Paul Mabin   Choir/Chorus
Deatta Staples   Vocals (Background)
Rodney East   Keyboards
Greg Landfair   Guitar
Yvonne Gage   Choir/Chorus
Jeffrey Morrow   Choir/Chorus
Stevie Robinson   Choir/Chorus
Hart Hollman & The Motown Romance Orchestra   Orchestra
Joan Collaso   Choir/Chorus
Henry Love   Congas
Simbryt Whititngton   Choir/Chorus
Kim Johnson   Vocals (Background)
Carl Robinson   Horn Engineer

Technical Credits

Jackie Murphy   Design,Art Direction
Jeff Vereb   Assistant
Steve Bearsley   Assistant
Jason Mlodzinski   Assistant
Ian Mereness   Mixing,Engineer,Programming
R. Kelly   Mixing,Arranger,Composer,Producer
Dave Hyman   Assistant
Tim Roberts   Assistant
Pamela Watson   Stylist
Paul Riser   Orchestration,Horn Arrangements,String Arrangements
Kara Buhl   Producer,Photo Production
Carl Robinson   String Engineer,Engineer
Fat Joe   Composer
Nathan Wheeler   Assistant Engineer
Andy Gallas   Engineer,Assistant,Programming
Peter Mokran   Mixing
Abel Garibaldi   Mixing,Engineer,Programming
Glen Brown   Assistant
Herb Powers   Mastering
Joe Donatello   Engineer,Programming
Juan Ortiz   Assistant
James Lee   Assistant
Brandon Hull   Assistant
David Feldman   Assistant
Kyle White   Assistant
Greg Calvert   Assistant
Nick Monson   Assistant
Reisig   Photography
Tony Flores   Assistant
Serban Ghenea   Mixing
Tony Maserati   Mixing