The Arsenio Hall Show opened on Thursday with Arsenio and R. Kelly taking a moment to remember the late Nelson Mandela. Both recalled the momentous occasion that they had the pleasure of meeting the man they referred to as a “great” and “once in a lifetime” individual. Before the show proceeded, one of Mandela’s most famous quotes appeared on the screen, “It always seems impossible until it’s done.”
While most celebrities turned to social media sites to honor and pay tribute to Mandela, R. Kelly, who was already scheduled to appear on the show, decided to pay tribute to the former South African president by performing the song “Soldier’s Heart” he wrote back in 2003 as a tribute to soldiers in Iraq. In 2010, R. Kelly visited South Africa to participate in the World Cup festivities and was invited to Mandela’s home and sang a version of the song, dedicating it to his host.
