I still can't decide whether the fact R Kelly is from Chicago is a good thing or not. He seems to have such a devoted following among those one would least expect it from, and even then, his exploits seem more like a novelty than something people actually get into. I mean, is it really that funny that he allegedly pissed on an underage girl and is facing 14 criminal charges of child pornography? Any way you cut it, R Kelly has gained worldwide notoriety for his exploits, and his legend continues to grow.

That being said, his latest installment of Trapped In The Closet is downright hilarious. I first saw chapters 1-12 in November of 2005, and I was absolutely floored at the ridiculousness of it all. Once again, I couldn't decide if it was so bad that it was actually good, or if I truly missed the point of the epic hip h-opera. If you haven't seen it, I recommend checking it out by any means neccessary. Chapters 13-22 are being released via the Independent Film Channel's website, but don't watch them until you are caught up with the first twelve, or you may really find yourself scratching your head and wondering what the hell is going on.

I just wonder how many people actually take R Kelly seriously. I'm not passing judgement on those who do, but I'd be lying if I said I can take his body of work without a grain of salt. More importantly, how seriously does R Kelly view his own work? In my view, it seems the line has become so blurry between playing the jokester side of his Trapped in The Closet series and his attempts to be a legitimate musical icon in the world of Chicago hip-hop and R&B. I don't consider myself to be particularly knowledgeable in the world of modern hip-hop, and perhaps that fuels my indecision. Somebody... please enlighten me.