Editing R. Kelly (section)

=== Musical style and influences ===
Kelly's music took root in R&B, [[hip hop music|hip hop]] and [[soul music|soul]]. He was influenced by listening to his mother, Joanne Kelly, sing. She played records by [[Stevie Wonder]], [[Donny Hathaway]] and [[Marvin Gaye]], inspirations for Kelly.<ref name="hoekstra" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Larman |first=Alexander |title=The rise and fall of R Kelly |url=https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-rise-and-fall-of-r-kelly |access-date=2022-07-17 |website=www.spectator.co.uk |date=July 2022 |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Timeline Of R. Kelly's Life And Career |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/timeline-of-r-kellys-life-and-career/ |website=cbsnews.com |date=August 18, 2021 |language=en-GB}}</ref> In reference to Hathaway, Kelly stated: "A guy like Donny Hathaway had a focused, sexual texture in his voice that I always wanted in mine. He had smooth, soulful tones, but he was spiritual at the same time.<ref name="hoekstra">{{Cite news |last=Hoekstra |first=David |date=29 November 1998 |title=The Righteous Brother : R. Kelly's ambitious album of genre- spanning songs finds him updating the spiritually grounded R&B; of such greats as Al Green and Donny Hathaway. |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-nov-29-ca-48624-story.html |access-date=17 July 2022}}</ref> In his autobiography, Kelly stated that he was heavily influenced by Marvin Gaye's R&B Lothario image. "I had to make a 'baby-makin{{'}}' album. If Marvin Gaye did it, I wanted to do it", Kelly said.<ref name="Kelly-2012">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rMOfpYb4_PEC&q=Marvin+|title=Soulacoaster: The Diary of Me|publisher=Hay House, Inc|date=2012|isbn=9781401931773|access-date=October 13, 2014}}</ref>

While Kelly created a smooth, professional mixture of hip-hop beats, soulman crooning and funk, the most distinctive element of his music is its explicit sensuality. "[[Sex Me]]", "[[Bump n' Grind (R. Kelly song)|Bump n' Grind]]", "[[Your Body's Callin']]", and "[[Feelin' on Yo Booty]]" are considered to be examples, as their productions were seductive enough to sell such blatant come-ons. Kelly's crossover appeal was also sustained by his development of a flair for pop balladry.<ref name="allmusic"/>