Ignition (Remix)

Ignition (Remix)

R. Kelly

It’s the remix to “Ignition” … that R. Kelly wrote before he wrote “Ignition”. Released in 2002, “Ignition (Remix)” is one of the defining songs of the early 2000’s. Its opening hook is immediately recognizable as the greatest adolescent party jam of the last decade. Unlike the original Ignition, The “remix” dominated billboard and quickly became R. Kelly’s most popular and recognizable song. It is catchy, carefree, and overtly dirty. In 2002 R. Kelly had already gained notoriety from a leaked sex tape. The original “Ignition” was released in the same year and its sexual theme drew further attention

The Ignition Remix is R. Kelly’s personal reflection on pleasure. The metaphor of starting a car or revving an engine is meant to be sexually exciting and is developed as a theme throughout the song. R. Kelly’s references to personal wealth, luxury, and sex establish the exclusive agency commonly found in Rap or R&B. The audience is transported into the fantasy of the “perfect party.” The relaxed and seductive nature of the song lures the audience into a dream world, where sex is a guarantee, and good times abound. “Ignition” is a manufactured version of reality that allows a participant to vicariously live through the thematic elements of the song. This is ultimately what defines “Ignition (Remix)” as a great party song.

John Darnielle’s second-by-second exegesis of “Ignition (Remix)” pretty much covers it