Whether you like it or not, Kellz is putting in that work.

When it comes to working on a new project, most artists would have a few tracks left after selecting which ones to go on an album. However, R. Kelly has nearly 350 leftover for his twelfth studio album.

In a recent interview with Elliott Wilson on CRWN, the Pied Piper divulged this number after being asked why the song “Shut Up” was in the final cut of his album. Targeted at critics and haters, “Shut Up” was a song Kellz felt he needed to include due to its significance. Shortly after being released from the hospital, he recorded the song and when it was time to decide between it and another song, he had no issues making the decision at all.

“I did 362 songs for the Black Panties album…And it took me a long, long time. It took me about a month. Me, Wayne, and DeVyne Stephens got together and that was the hardest task of the whole project is breaking down what songs we were gonna do. And once we finally got to it it was between ‘Shutup’ and another song. And the reason I chose ‘Shutup’ is because my surgery and the whole thing I went through. The 30-something stitches, my throat. I had an abscess on my lung and everything from singing and straining and this, that, and the other, man. And then I started hearing all of the rumors about ‘He ain’t got it no more. Kells is old.’ Even some celebrities out there was talking shit. But it’s all good…Right after I got out of hospital after being in there for nine days I went in and that’s the first song that came out of my mouth was ‘Shutup.’ So, I said ‘This song gotta go on the album.’”

Watch Part 1 of the interview below to see why R. Kelly refers to “Black Panties” as a explicit classic, his musical relationship with Lady Gaga, and much more. Flip to the next page for Part 2.

Part 1