Watch an emotional R. Kelly honor Nelson Mandela with special tribute

 

To further promote his forthcoming album, Black Panties, due out December 10, R. Kelly made an appearance on The Arsenio Hall Show. With the recent passing of the revolutionary Nelson Mandela, Kelly gave a passionate performance of “Soldier’s Heart” that he composed solely for Mandela and performed for him in his very own living room.

“Oceans so deep, uphill so steep. But still, he believed… when the mountains seemed impossible to climb, until he stood on the front line. He led the way out of the darkness, he didn’t let us go astray. He was ready to die for our sake’s and that takes a soldier’s heart,” sang Kelly before ending the ballad with a “Rest in Peace, Mandela.”

Reminiscing on what it was like to perform “Soldier’s Heart” for Mandela, Kelly recalled a happy Mandela, “He just nodded his head, man. He was very happy and very honored, you know? As I was to be in his presence, um, when I started performing the song for him on his piano…”

Watch the heart-tugging performance below.

– Antionette Latrese