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R. Kelly Celebrates Chicago, Cigars, and Ladies in ‘My Story’ Video

R. Kelly, 2 Chainz, "My Story," 'Black Panties,' video, Chicago

It rarely pays to doubt R. Kelly. The R&B pied piper’s upcoming album Black Panties is expected to return to a contemporary pop sound after his wonderful vintage turn on 2010’s Love Letter and 2012’s Write Me Back, and his 2 Chainz collaboration “My Story” suggests Kells might’ve been better off sticking with those gold soundz: “leaden and repetitive,” we called it. But if Kelly’s onstage charisma or Chicago’s skyline hold any power over you, this hip-hop Horatio Alger tale’s newly released video just might win you over. No, there’s no 2 Chainz in the clip, but there’s plenty of Kells standing tall in glamorous black-and-white footage of his hometown, puffing cigars and enjoying the lush life. When not turning up on Phoenix remixes, he performed at Coachella, Bonnaroo, and Pitchfork Music Festival this summer, and the visuals mingle in plenty of energetic live shots, too — don’t miss the woman with the R.’s name tattooed on her bicep. It’s all enough to make us nervous about the inevitably porn-y video that will accompany Black Panties bodice-ripper “Tear It Up.” Reassure us, Robert: “They asked him in an interview, ‘Why do he love these girls?’ / The only thing he had to say was, “Motherfuck the world.'” His story checks out.