Sounds of soulful R&B and hip-hop will be bellowing out of the speakers at Conseco Fieldhouse on Dec. 8 when three of the country’s top artists will be in town for the Double Up Tour.
The tour, starring multi-platinum superstar R. Kelly along with songstress Keyshia Cole and crooner J. Holiday among others is one of the largest, history-making tours in recent years.
The tour, which debuted in mid-November, has already sold a record number of tickets and industry insiders say it’s all attributed to the magnitude of the line-up.
“These are some of the hottest R&B artists around today and having them all together on one stage is going to prove to be a dynamic and electrifying show every night in each city we visit,” said Leonard Rowe, president of Rowe Entertainment, the company that’s promoting the Double Up Tour.
Following is a synopsis of each artist featured on the tour:
R. Kelly
Producer, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist are some of the descriptions R. Kelly is able to put on his resume. Others include nine-time Billboard Music Award winner, recipient of six Grammy awards, and multiple BMI Pop Citation of Achievement awardee.
While Kelly has made legions of fans with songs such as “Bump n’ Grind,” “Down Low (Nobody Has to Know),” and “I Believe I Can Fly,” the megastar has also endured his share of public discontentment.
In late 1994 it was released that Kelly married then 15-year-old Detroit R&B singer Aaliyah, though the union was annulled shortly thereafter. In addition, a 2002 scandal broke when a videotape was delivered to the Chicago Sun-Times that allegedly showed Kelly having sex with an underage girl. As a result of the videotape other reports surfaced that the superstar had settled a 1998 civil suit involving sexual encounters with a then-underage girl.
While questions arose as to whether either girl was indeed underage, Kelly took a break from the public’s watchful eye to work on his next album “Loveland.” Following that was “Chocolate Factory,” released in 2003, “Happy People/U Saved Me” in 2004, and “TP.3 Reloaded” was released in 2005 which featured the first five chapters of the saga “Trapped in the Closet.” Kelly’s most recent CD, “Double Up” is in stores now.
Keyshia Cole
Often compared to the likes of the “Queen of R&B” Mary J. Blige, Keyshia Cole made her debut on the music scene in 2004 at the age of 21. Her first album, “The Way It Is” not only garnered her instant musical acclaim, but it also led to the BET release of her reality show, “Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is.”
Cole’s sultry, yet edgy and oftentimes hardcore sound places her outside the box that’s been occupied by other female singers her age. Raised on the streets of Oakland, Calif., Cole’s upbringing included an absent father, an alcoholic sister, and a drug-addicted mother. Her music often reflects the pain of her life, but also offers an optimistic view of the future.
Her sophomore album, “Just Like You” is available in stores now.
J. Holiday
“My sound is old school soul with a little mix of hip-hop. If I had to give it a name I would call it ‘street soul,’” explained Washington, D.C., native J. Holiday. The 22-year-old singer/songwriter is adamant that the “‘hood has little to listen to within R&B. I want my music to be the soundtrack to their lives and beyond.”
Holiday skipped college to pursue his musical dreams. Early on he started a group called 295, which eventually disbanded. The dissolution of the group was perhaps the best thing to happen to Holiday who soon afterwards was offered a deal with Capitol Records on the spot.
Holiday’s debut “Back of My ‘Lac” continues to top R&B and hip-hop singles charts with his first hit single “Bed.”
Tickets for the Double Up Tour can be purchased through TicketMaster by visiting www.ticketmaster.com.
