If there's one thing that can be said about R. Kelly as an artist, it's that he definitely knows how to craft an inspirational anthem. Although the songs he's recorded throughout his legendary career have ranged from new school R&B to hip-hop to old school Soul, it's been his more uplifting material like "I Believe I can Fly," "The World's Greatest" and "I'm Your Angel" that have resonated with the greatest numbers of the music-loving public.


And once again, Kellz has come up with a strong, yet delicate anthem, but this one's got a very somber back story serving as reason behind it's creation. The soaring "I Know You Are Hurting", which was released New Year's Day, is dedicated to the children of Newtown, Connecticut who were affected by the horrific mass shooting that took place at Sandy Hook Elementary School that left 20 children and six educators dead. The somber song uses the talents of both a children's choir and adult vocalists: the children's lyrics are about wanting and needing answers to the tragedy, while the adults' vocals offer guidance and reassurance.

"I know you're hurting, I hear you crying, but come tomorrow there's a place you can go," the grown-ups sing. "Find the blue skies, hear the choir sing, feel the power of a miracle healing both you and me."

R. Kelly, for his part, adds some minor vocals here and there, but mostly relegates himself to a background role. The song's now available on iTunes, with proceeds going toward support for the families affected by the tragedy.

You can stream or purchase it for 99 cents via the links below.

• "I Know You Are Hurting: audio stream (via soundcloud.com)
• "I Know You Are Hurting" on iTunes