Controversial R. Kelly lets his good side out again
MUSIC | New 'Rise Up' song to benefit victims of the Virginia Tech shooting
But Tuesday, Kelly made news for a good thing: Writing a new song, ''Rise Up,'' designed to foster healing in the wake of the April 16 shootings at Virginia Tech.
In a posting on his Web site, Kelly, 40, stated he wrote the inspirational ballad to express ''hope and encouragement during [this] difficult time.''
Among the lyrics are the lines, ''Rise up, when you feel you can't go on, rise up, and all of your hope is gone, rise up, when you're weak and you can't be strong.''
According to Kelly and his record label, Jive Records, ''100 percent of the net proceeds from the sale will go to the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund'' -- established to help those affected by the shootings by Virginia Tech student Seung-Hui Cho.
On his Web site, Kelly indicated he hoped ''Rise Up'' would inspire his fans much the way his all-time best-selling ''I Believe I Can Fly'' did when it was released in 1996, itself inspired by Michael Jordan.
Though the multiple-Grammy-winning Kelly is one of the most successful male artists of all time, both his personal and musical reputation does veer from the inspirational to the carnal. Along with ''I Believe I Can Fly,'' his hits have included such raw offerings as ''Bump N' Grind'' and ''Feelin' on Yo Booty.''
In June 2002, Kelly was indicted on 21 counts of having sexual intercourse with a minor. The charges, which were later reduced to soliciting a minor for child pornography, stemmed from a videotape allegedly showing Kelly having sex with a 14-year-old girl. To date, Kelly still faces 14 of the original charges, but the trial has been repeatedly delayed.
Kelly faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted of all charges.