[Locke.]

R&B star, R. Kelly, who is currently on THISDAY Music Festival Tour in Africa, has hinted of plans to perform an unforgettable showcase in honour of Michael Jackson, the departed King of Pop.

In a statement made available to THISDAY last night, the R. Kelly said the tragic circumstance of Jackson’s untimely death “has coincided with my current tour and I want to use this opportunity to pay tribute to my mentor and remind people of his genius and influence on all our lives”.
He added: “As a result, I have re-focussed my show's set-list to include a special tribute to my dear friend when I play tomorrow in Cape Town before hitting Lagos, Abuja and London. But I also hope to collaborate and return with other artists who also knew - and worked with - Michael, to perform an unforgettable showcase in the near future.”

Paying tribute to Jackson yesterday, R. Kelly said he “was and always will be a legend. His contribution to our generation and to music will last an infinite lifetime. Rather than losing sight and making negative judgements, I want to remind people of all the good things this man had done.
“When I was growing up everyone idolised Michael and I was no exception - he was an inspiration to me. Michael was an innovator, he inspired me to look deeper into my own music to discover the true extent of my abilities.
“Our love of music brought us together many times over a period of 15 years and he had been an exceptional friend to me.”

http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=147359