Wikipedia

R. Kelly

American R&B singer and sex offender

Robert Sylvester Kelly (born January 8, 1967 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer.

R. Kelly
Kelly performing in June 2017
Born
Robert Sylvester Kelly

(1967-01-08) January 8, 1967 (age 57)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Other names
  • Pied Piper
  • Kellz
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
  • actor
Years active1989–2019
Criminal penalty31 years imprisonment
Criminal statusIncarcerated at FCI Butner Medium in Butner, North Carolina
(BOP custody, inmate, convicted 09627-035)
Spouse(s)
​
​
(m. 1994; ann. 1995)​

​
​
(m. 1996; div. 2009)​
Children3
AwardsFull list
Musical career
Genres
Labels
Basketball career
Personal information
Listed height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Listed weight200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
Playing career1997–1999[1]
PositionShooting guard / Small forward
Number12[2]
Career history
1997–1999Atlantic City Seagulls[3]
Career highlights and awards
Websiter-kelly.com

Kelly has released twelve studio albums and three collaboration albums. He has been nominated for 24 Grammy Awards. He has won three.[4] He is also known for the hit songs "Ignition", "I Believe I Can Fly" and the "Trapped in the Closet" series of songs. He sold more albums than any other male R&B musician in the 1990s.

He produced Aaliyah's 1994 first album Age Ain't Nothing But a Number. In 1996, Kelly was nominated for a Grammy Award for writing Michael Jackson's song "You Are Not Alone".

In 2019, Kelly was arrested and for sexual abuse and child pornography of under aged girls.[5] A 2021 trial in New York convicted Kelly for violations of the Mann Act and racketeering.[6] A 2022 trial in Chicago convicted Kelly for three child pornography charges and three charges of enticing a minor; He was acquitted of charges of conspiracy to obstruct justice in relation to his 2008 trial.[7][8][9] The Brooklyn court sentenced Kelly to 30 years imprisonment.[10] Kelly was sentenced in Chicago federal court on February 23, 2023.[11][12] He was sentenced Kelly to 20 years: 19 years were to be served at the same time as his 30-year sentence from New York, He was also given1 year to be served after his NY sentence, This means he has a total sentence of 31 years.[13] As of September 2022, Kelly is an inmate of a prison in Chicago. He continues to challenge his two convictions.[14][15][16]

Career

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In 1989, Kelly started MGM (Musically Gifted Men) with his friend Marc McWilliams. They released a single called "Why You Wanna Play Me".

In 1990 Kelly was signed by Jive Records.

In 1991, he was on the TV talent show Big Break. He won the $100,000 prize.

Born into the 90's, Kelly's first album with Public Announcement, was released 1992. In January 1993, he stopped making music with them. He released his first solo single, "Sex Me", on August 6 1993.

In 1993 Kelly's first solo album, 12 Play, was released. The album's second single "Bump n' Grind" was Kelly's first number 1.

In 1995, his self titled second album was released. It was Kelly's first number 1 album. It got positive reviews.

On November 26, 1996, "I Believe I Can Fly", R.'s first single, was released. It won three Grammy Awards in 1998.

On May, 20, 1998, Sparkle released her first album Sparkle. Kelly wrote and produced the album and released it on his record label Rockland. Kelly sang in the first single from the album, "Be Careful".

Kelly's first double album, R., was released in November 1998. The album had a song with Celine Dion called "I'm Your Angel". Nine number one singles were released from the album. It is his best-selling album yet. It has sold over 12 million copies around the world.

Kelly wrote a ballad called "Cry" for Michael Jackson. It was released on Jackson's last album Invincible.

TP-2.com was released in 2000. Its first single, "I Wish", was nominated for a Grammy.

On September 2 2002, "The World's Greatest" was released as a single. It was also featured in the 2001 sports movie Ali.

Chocolate Factory was released 2003. It went straight to number one in the Billboard 200. The album's first single "Ignition" was Kelly's second UK number 1. It was on the soundtrack of the 2003 movie Love Don't Cost a Thing. The album got mostly good reviews.

Kelly wrote "One More Chance" for Michael Jackson's album Number Ones. It reached number one in the UK Singles Chart.

August 24, 2004, Kelly released his second double album, Happy People/U Saved Me. The first disc, Happy People, is eleven soul songs. The second disc, U Saved Me, is ten gospel songs.

Kelly released TP.3 Reloaded on July, 5, 2005. It was his fourth number one album in the Billboard 200.

On November 5, 2005, Kelly released the first 12 chapters of his movie Trapped in the Closet.

Double Up, his eighth album, was released in May 2007. It was Kelly's fifth album to go straight to number one in the Billboard 200. Four singles were released.

On August 21, 2007 chapters 13-22 of Trapped in the Closet were released.

On June 3, 2009, Kelly released his first ever mixtape The "Demo" Tape (Gangsta Grillz), presented by DJ Skee and DJ Drama. It had eighteen songs.[17]

On June 20 2009 he performed in Africa for the first time.[18]

Kelly's ninth album Untitled was released on December 1, 2009.

On September 13, 2010, Epic, a collection of Kelly's most 'epic' ballads, was released in Europe.

Kelly's tenth solo album Love Letter was released on December 14, 2010. Kelly wrote and produced all of the songs. It got good reviews. The album has fourteen songs, and a cover of Michael Jackson's "You Are Not Alone" hidden at the end. Love Letter was nominated for Best R&B Album at the Grammy Awards. The single "Radio Message" was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance.

On July, 19, 2011, Kelly was rushed to hospital for throat surgery. After this he didn't make music for a while.

On February 18, 2012, he performed "I Look to You" at Whitney Houston's memorial. "I Look to You" is a song that he wrote for Houston.

Kelly's eleventh album Write Me Back was released June 25, 2012. That summer his memoir Soulacoaster: The Diary of Me was published.

On November 23, 2012, chapters 23-33 of Trapped in the Closet were released.

2013--present

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On October 21, 2013, Lady Gaga released the second single, "Do What U Want", from her album Artpop. Kelly sung on the song. They performed the song on Saturday Night Live on November 16.[19]

On November 18, 2013, Justin Bieber released a single called "PYD" with vocals by Kelly.[20]

Kelly's twelfth album, Black Panties was released in the United States on December 10, 2013.[21] Two singles have been released from it, "Genius" and "My Story". A video was release for "Cookie". In 2014 Kelly will tour with Mary J. Blige.[22]

In 2014, the 34th episode of Trapped in the Closet will be released. Trapped in the Closet: The Book will also be published.

Surviving R. Kelly

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In January 2019, a widely viewed Lifetime docuseries titled Surviving R. Kelly detailed allegations of sexual abuse by multiple women, allegations Kelly denies. Facing pressure from the public using the Mute R. Kelly hashtag, RCA Records dropped Kelly.[23] On February 22, 2019, Kelly was indicted on 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse.[24] On July 11, 2019, Kelly was arrested on federal charges alleging sex crimes and obstruction of justice.[5][25] Kelly faces a total of 18 federal counts, including child pornography, kidnapping and forced labor, as of July 12, 2019.[26]

Personal life

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In 1994, Kelly married Aaliyah. Aaliyah lied about her age so the marriage would be legal.[27] Kelly married Andrea Kelly in 1996. They have three children. Kelly divorced her in 2009.[28]

On February 3, 2002, a video with Kelly urinating on a young girl appeared. In 2008, Kelly was found not guilty of all the 14 counts of videotaping himself having sex with an underage girl that he was charged with.[29]

Discography

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Studio albums

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R. Kelly has released 12 studio albums:

Year Album
1993 12 Play
1995 R. Kelly
1998 R.
2000 TP-2.com
2003 Chocolate Factory
2004 Happy People/U Saved Me
2005 TP.3 Reloaded
2007 Double Up
2009 Untitled
2010 Love Letter
2012 Write Me Back
2013 Black Panties

References

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  1. ↑ "The Righteous Brother: R. Kelly's ambitious album of genre- spanning songs finds him updating the spiritually grounded R& of such greats as Al Green and Donny Hathaway". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 21, 2014. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
  2. ↑ "R. Kelly Signs Pro Basketball Deal". MTV News. Archived from the original on May 19, 2000. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Breaking Celeb News, Entertainment News, and Celebrity Gossip". E!. April 25, 1997. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
  4. ↑ Stern, Marlow (9 December 2013). "Why Has the Public Forgiven R. Kelly for His Sordid, Predatory Past?". The Daily Beast – via www.thedailybeast.com.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Rojas, Rick; Zaveri, Mihir; Gold, Michael (July 12, 2019). "U.S. Prosecutors File New Charges, Including Child Pornography, Against R. Kelly". The New York Times.
  6. ↑ Trepany, Charlies (September 27, 2021). "R. Kelly's sex-trafficking trial: Everything that happened, up to the guilty verdict". USA Today. Archived from the original on 28 September 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  7. ↑ "R. Kelly trial: Singer has dark side hidden from public - prosecutor". BBC News. August 17, 2022.
  8. ↑ "R. Kelly's Chicago trial to start in August". WGN-TV. May 11, 2022. Archived from the original on May 11, 2022. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
  9. ↑ "R. Kelly convicted on child pornography charges at federal trial in Chicago; acquitted of conspiring to obstruct justice". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2022-09-14.
  10. ↑ Blistein, Jon; Kreps, Daniel; Bekiempis, Victoria (2022-06-29). "R. Kelly Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison on Racketeering, Sex Trafficking Charges". Rolling Stone.
  11. ↑ Chiarito, Robert; Jacobs, Julia (February 23, 2023). "R. Kelly Sentenced to 20 Years for Child Sex Crimes". The New York Times. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  12. ↑ "R. Kelly judge shoots down request for $850,000 in attorneys' fees from singer's acquitted ex-manager". Chicago Sun-Times. 2023-01-23. Retrieved 2023-01-25.
  13. ↑ "R. Kelly Sentenced to 1 Additional Year in Prison, 19 Concurrent Years, Following Child Pornography and Enticement Convictions". WTTW News. Retrieved 2023-02-23.
  14. ↑ Aratani, Lauren; Oladipo, Gloria (2021-09-27). "R Kelly found guilty on racketeering and sex trafficking charges". The Guardian. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
  15. ↑ "Prosecutors in NYC defend R. Kelly racketeering conviction, say evidence was 'overwhelming'". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2022-05-11.
  16. ↑ "R. Kelly transferred to Chicago prison ahead of trial". WLS-TV. 2022-07-13. Archived from the original on 2022-07-13. Retrieved 2022-07-15.
  17. ↑ Reid, Shaheem. "R. Kelly Remixes Lil Wayne, The-Dream, Drake For His First Mixtape". MTV News. Archived from the original on 2018-10-19. Retrieved 2019-02-14.
  18. ↑ "R. Kelly To Make African Debut". Contactmusic.com. 15 June 2009.
  19. ↑ "Lady Gaga and R. Kelly have pretend sex on-stage on Saturday Night Live". India Today.
  20. ↑ Rivera, Zayda. "Justin Bieber releases sexy ballad 'PYD' featuring R. Kelly - NY Daily News". nydailynews.com.
  21. ↑ "R. Kelly's Black Panties Gets Release Date". Pitchfork. 8 September 2013.
  22. ↑ "R. Kelly Announces Tour with Mary J. Blige". BET.com.
  23. ↑ Aswad, Jem; Aswad, Jem (January 18, 2019). "R. Kelly Dropped by Sony Music". Variety. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  24. ↑ "R Kelly 'charged with sexual offences'". 22 February 2019. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
  25. ↑ "R. Kelly arrested in Chicago after being indicted by federal grand jury on new sex crime charges", Chicago Tribune, July 11, 2019.
  26. ↑ Allyn, Bobby; Tsioulcas, Anastasia (July 12, 2019). "R. Kelly Arrested On Federal Charges, Including Child Pornography And Kidnapping". NPR. Retrieved July 13, 2019.
  27. ↑ "Chicago's B96". Chicago's B96.
  28. ↑ "R. Kelly & Wife Finalize Divorce". PEOPLE.com.
  29. ↑ "R. Kelly Found Not Guilty!". E! News. 13 June 2008.

Other websites

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