12 Play

Following the success of Born into the 90's, as the member of the R&B group Public Announcement, Kelly began touring as an opening act for Gerald Levert and Glenn Jones. During the tour, Kelly said that he became frustrated with the poor lighting and empty seats during his set. To generate more attention during his set, Kelly began thinking of what would be his gimmick to take his show to the next level, something that would make people remember him.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rMOfpYb4_PEC&q=soulacoaster|access-date=September 18, 2014|via=Google Books|title=Soulacoaster: The Diary of Me|last=Kelly|first=R.|author-link=R. Kelly|publisher=SmileyBooks|year=2012|isbn=9781401931773|pages=177–179}} Kelly stated: "I thought about it for a couple of days, and I finally came up with a little skit, me just talking to the audience. At the point in the show where I would break down "Honey Love," I would start talking to the audience."

{{cquote|text=Can I tell you all something? Can I keep it real? Can I tell you about a dream I had last night? Well, I actually had a dream where I made love to Mary J. Blige.

Hey, it was only a dream, but it was so vivid, it felt real; but in this dream, it was more than foreplay – it was 12 Play. Can I sing it for y'all? Tell y'all how it went?}}

The audience yelled "yes!" and Kelly's piano player accompanied him with chords. Kelly then began the countdown, "One. We'll go to my room of fun." The "12 Play" gimmick became so big that when Kelly went to radio stations to promote Born into the 90's, the DJs wanted to hear "12 Play". The demand for "12 Play" was so big that R. Kelly decided to create an album titled 12 Play. Kelly later said:

"I didn't really know if the album would be as successful as it has been, but I hoped that it would. I was really taking a chance with the concept of this album." – Kelly on the concept of the 12 Play album, 1994.{{cite magazine|last=Reynolds|first=J. R.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZQgEAAAAMBAJ&q=R.+Kelly+12+play+chance&pg=PA43|title=Career Milestones Keep Coming For Jive's Kelly|magazine=Billboard|volume=106|issue=50|date=December 10, 1994|access-date=January 24, 2012|page=43}}

{{tracklist

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| all_writing = R. Kelly, except "Sadie" by Joseph B. Jefferson, Bruce Hawes, and Charles Simmons

| title1 = Your Body's Callin{{'-}}

| extra4 = {{hlist|R. Kelly|Timmy Allen}}

| length1 = 4:37

| title2 = Bump n' Grind

| extra2 = R. Kelly

| length2 = 4:17

| title3 = Homie Lover Friend

| extra3 = {{hlist|R. Kelly|Allen}}

| length3 = 4:23

| title4 = It Seems Like You're Ready

| extra1 = R. Kelly

| length4 = 5:38

| title5 = Freak Dat Body

| extra5 = R. Kelly

| length5 = 3:45

| title6 = I Like the Crotch on You

| note6 = includes "Intermission" beginning at 4:06

| extra6 = R. Kelly

| length6 = 6:38

| title7 = Summer Bunnies

| extra7 = R. Kelly

| length7 = 4:15

| title8 = For You

| extra8 = R. Kelly

| length8 = 5:02

| title9 = Back to the Hood of Things

| extra9 = R. Kelly

| length9 = 3:53

| title10 = Sadie

| extra10 = R. Kelly

| length10 = 4:31

| title11 = Sex Me (Part 1) / Sex Me (Part 2)

| note11 = "Part 2" begins at 4:57

| extra11 = R. Kelly

| length11 = 11:28

| title12 = 12 Play

| note12 = printed as "..............." in the liner notes

| extra12 = {{hlist|R. Kelly|Allen}}

| length12 = 5:56

}}

Credits adapted from AllMusic.{{Citation |title=R. Kelly - 12 Play Album Reviews, Songs & More {{!}} AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/12-play-mw0000103763 |access-date=2023-11-23 |language=en}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

• Timmy Allen – bass, producer
• DeAndre Boykins – rap vocals
• Bobby Broom – guitar
• Tom Coyne – mastering
• Dr. Dre – composer
• Yvonne Gage – backing vocals
• Ron Hall – bass
• Barry Hankerson – executive producer
• Bruce Hawes – composer
• Keith Henderson – guitar
• James Hoffman – digital editing
• Joseph B. Jefferson – composer
• Ray Kelley – producer
• Carey Kelly – rap vocals

{{col-2}}

• Casey Kelly – rap vocals
• R. Kelly – arranger, composer, engineer, mixing, multiple instruments, performer, producer, vocals
• Michael Logan – organ, piano
• Mike Logan – organ, piano
• Doug McBride – assistant engineer
• Peter Mokran – engineer, mixing, programming
• Michael J. Powell – guitar
• Paul Riser – string arrangements
• Robin Robinson – backing vocals
• Charles Simmons – composer
• Jim Slattery – keyboards
• Stefon Taylor – assistant engineer

{{col-end}}

{{col-start}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Canada|artist=R. Kelly|title=12 Play|award=Gold|certyear=1995|relyear=1993|access-date=February 24, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=South Africa|nocert=true|salesamount=34,000|salesref=}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=album|artist=R. Kelly|title=12 Play|award=Gold|relyear=1993|certyear=1994|access-date=February 23, 2024|refname="bpi"|id=62-2770-2|salesamount=130,000|salesref={{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZAgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA53|title=Young U.S. Acts Turn Abroad To Drive Their Careers Home|magazine=Billboard|access-date=February 23, 2024|date=December 24, 1994|page=53|first=Thom|last=Duffy}}}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=United States|artist=R. Kelly|title=12 Play|award=Platinum|number=6|certyear=2001|relyear=1993|access-date=February 24, 2024}}

{{certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}

• List of number-one R&B albums of 1994 (U.S.)

{{reflist}}

{{refbegin|colwidth=30em}}

• {{cite book| author = Nathan Brackett, Christian Hoard | title = The New Rolling Stone Album Guide | others = Completely Revised and Updated 4th Edition | publisher = Simon and Schuster | year = 2004 | isbn = 0-7432-0169-8}}
• {{cite book |author = Colin Larkin | title = Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music | others = Edition 4 | publisher = Virgin Books | year = 2002 | isbn = 1-85227-923-0 }}

{{refend}}

• [http://www.discogs.com/R-Kelly-12-Play/master/121446 12 Play] at Discogs
• {{MusicBrainz release group|id=bec5a775-907b-34e3-b15a-082f8da972e8|name=12 Play}}

{{12 Play}}

{{R. Kelly}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1993 debut albums

Category:Albums produced by Barry Hankerson

Category:Albums produced by R. Kelly

Category:Hip-hop soul albums

Category:Jive Records albums

Category:New jack swing albums

Category:R. Kelly albums