R. Kelly (Robert Sylvester Kelly) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer known for his contributions to R&B and hip hop. Despite his musical achievements, he has gained infamy as a convicted sex offender due to his involvement in sex trafficking, child pornography, and sexual exploitation of a minor.
Throughout his career, Kelly has released 18 studio albums and has been responsible for popular hits like “I Believe I Can Fly,” “Bump N’ Grind,” “Your Body’s Callin’,” “Gotham City,” “Ignition (Remix),” “If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time,” “The World’s Greatest,” and “I’m a Flirt (Remix).” He is also recognized for his hip hopera series titled “Trapped in the Closet.” Notably, in 1998, he won three Grammy Awards for his track “I Believe I Can Fly” and received a Grammy nomination for writing Michael Jackson’s “You Are Not Alone” in 1996.
Kelly’s commercial success is evident, having sold over 75 million albums and singles worldwide. He is regarded as one of the most successful male R&B artists of the 1990s and is among the top-selling music artists of all time. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has certified him for selling 40 million albums in the United States. Additionally, Billboard named him the most successful R&B artist of the past 25 years in 2011, and he has been the recipient of various awards, including Grammy, BET, Soul Train, Billboard, NAACP, and American Music Awards. He even holds a Guinness World Record.
However, Kelly’s reputation has been marred by investigations into his illicit activities involving underage fans. He has been accused of exploiting his fame to engage in sexual misconduct with minors. Despite being acquitted of child pornography charges in 2008, the 2019 documentary series Surviving R. Kelly shed light on his alleged crimes, leading RCA Records to sever ties with him. Subsequently, he faced new charges from multiple jurisdictions in 2019 and was convicted in 2021 for violating the Mann Act and participating in racketeering. In 2022, Kelly was convicted of three child pornography charges and three charges of enticing a minor. Consequently, he has been sentenced to serve a combined term of 31 years in prison, with his current incarceration taking place at FCI Butner Medium I. His projected release date is set for December 21, 2045.
