R. Kelly case poses challenge: Separating artist from anthem

When the recordings of the basic track arrived in Detroit from Chicago, Paul Riser Sr. knew it was time to get to work. But the orchestral arranger also knew he had something special to work with.

“It hit me the same way like everyone else in the world: The lyrics are so simple, the melody is so clear, the chord pattern is wonderful,” said Riser, a Motown Records alum who wrote the orchestra parts and directed the strings and woodwind musicians for “I Believe I Can Fly.” “That song came from his heart: That's the other side of R. Kelly.”

The dilemma of separating the sides of Kelly, who faces 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse , now confronts Riser and millions of others who listen to or perform the singer's music. It's perhaps most acute when it comes to the Grammy-winning ballad that's made its way into movies such as “Space Jam,” and been performed in countless reality shows, church services, as well as school concerts and graduation ceremonies. Children are even singing it bilingually.

Kelly released his first solo album, “12 Play,” in 1993. It contained such popular sex-themed songs as “Your Body's Callin“’ and “Bump N' Grind.” But it was the anthem “I Believe I Can Fly” that made the singer from Chicago's South Side popular beyond R&B music.

The 52-year-old Kelly has faced sex-related accusations before — he was acquitted of child pornography charges in 2008. But his current case comes in the midst of the (hash) MeToo era, which gained momentum in 2017 amid sexual misconduct allegations against Hollywood studio boss Harvey Weinstein and other powerful men inside and outside of entertainment.

Before his arrest last month on the latest charges, Kelly's reputation and his music were already taking hits , particularly after the release of a BBC documentary about him last year and the multipart Lifetime documentary “Surviving R. Kelly,” which aired in