R. Kelly wants to track down late mum's recordings

R. Kelly is desperate to get his hands on recordings his late mother may have made at the height of her career as a club singer in Chicago, Illinois, but he fears his stepfather will never part with them.

The I Believe I Can Fly hitmaker tells Rolling Stone magazine his mom Joanne was "a hell of a singer" who would floor people in the clubs and churches of his hometown with her talent.

He says, "She did all of Aretha's songs, Gladys Knight, Chaka Khan. Her band was called the Six Pak, because there were seven of them."

Kelly fears there are no recordings of his mom in existence, and if there is he's not likely to find out about them.

He adds, "I wish there were, but unfortunately my stepfather, even if he had those eight-tracks, he ain't giving them up."