Robert Sylvester Kelly, better known by his stage name R. Kelly, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and former professional basketball player. A native of Chicago, Illinois, Kelly began performing in the late 1980s, when he was a member back when he was a Public Announcement member. Kelly released her first solo album, 12 Play, in 1993.
For “I Believe I Can Fly,” Kelly received three Grammy Awards in 1998. The following year, he released the multi-platinum album R. His distinctive sound, as well as his style, have influenced numerous hip hop and contemporary R&B artists. Throughout his career, Kelly has sold over 75 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time.
R. Kelly Early Life:
Kelly was born on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois, and went to Kenwood Academy High School, where his mentor and music teacher Lena McLin motivated him to pursue music. Kelly’s mother, Joanne, was a rock ‘n’ roll fan who exposed her son to artists such as Rosemary Clooney, Etta James, and John Lee Hooker.
Kelly’s father, Henry, was a groundskeeper at a housing project and would often take his young son to work with him. When Kelly was eight, he witnessed a murder in front of his house. His brother Mark was shot in the shoulder while another friend was hit in the leg; both survived.
Full Real Name | R. Kelly |
Family Name | Kelly |
Profession | American singer-songwriter |
Date Of Birth | January 8th, 1967 |
Age | 56 |
Birthday | January 8th |
Year Of Birth | 1967 |
Nationality | American |
R. Kelly Family:
Kelly has three older siblings: Bruce, Andrea, and Theresa. His mother Joanne died in 1993, at age 51, from complications due to diabetes. In 1995, Kelly’s brother Carey Kelly accused R. Kelly of sexually abusing him as a child. In 2018, another of Kelly’s brothers, Carey, claimed that R. Kelly had sexually abused their cousin and urinated on her when she was 14.
Mother | Joanne Kelly |
Brothers | Carey Kelly |
Sisters | Theresa Kelly |
R. Kelly Education:
Kelly dropped out of high school at age 17 to pursue a music career. He later received an honorary diploma from Westside High School in Atlanta, Georgia.
High School | Westside High School |
R. Kelly Personal Life:
Kelly has been married twice and has four children. In 1996, he married Andrea Kelly, his former backup dancer. The couple has three children together: Joanne (born 1997), Jaya (born 2000), and Robert Jr. (born 2002). The couple divorced in 2009. In 1994, Kelly married Aaliyah, then aged 15. Her parents annulled the marriage.
Spouse Name | Aaliyah (1994–1995), Andrea Kelly (1996-2009) |
Sons | Robert Kelly Jr, Jaah Kelly |
Daughters | Joann Kelly |
No Of Children | 3 |
Marital Status | married |
R. Kelly Astrology Sign:
Kelly was born on the cusp of Scorpio and Sagittarius, making him a natural-born leader with a passion for adventure. His fearless nature, combined with his undeniable talent, has helped him achieve great success in the music industry, but it has also led to controversy throughout his career.
Birth Sign Duality | Scorpio and Sagittarius |
R. Kelly Physical stats:
Kelly is 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 160 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes.
Weight In Kg | 91 |
Weight In Lbs | 160 |
Height In Feet | 5\’11\” |
Height In Meter | 1.85 |
Hair Color | Black |
Eye Color | Dark Brown |
R. Kelly Career :
Kelly’s music career began in the late 1980s when he was a public Announcement member of the R&B group. In 1992, Kelly released his debut solo album, 12 Play. The album was a commercial success, selling over four million copies in the United States.
In 1993, Kelly won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance for his single “I Believe I Can Fly.”
In 1998, Kelly released the album R. The album was hugely successful, selling over eight million copies in the United States and winning three Grammy Awards. The album’s lead single, “Ignition (Remix),” became a massive hit, spending seven weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
In 2002, Kelly was again arrested and charged with child pornography after a tape of him where he was. He is accused of urinating and having sex with a 14-year-old girl. He was later acquitted of all charges.
R. Kelly Awards And Nominations:
Kelly has received various honors throughout his career, including 32 Billboard Music Awards, six American Music Awards, and three Grammy Awards. Additionally, he has received three Oscar nominations and five Golden Globe nominations.
R. Kelly Controversy:
Kelly has faced several allegations of sexual misconduct throughout his career. In 2002, a video showed Kelly urinating and having sex with a 14-year-old girl. Kelly was indicted on 21 counts of child pornography but was ultimately acquitted of all charges in 2008.
In 2017, multiple women accused Kelly of sexual abuse, rape, and other forms of misconduct. These allegations led to the launch of the #MuteRKelly campaign, which called for a boycott of Kelly’s music.
Despite the controversy surrounding his personal life, Kelly’s career has continued to thrive. He has released multiple albums and singles since the allegations first surfaced, and he continues to tour extensively throughout his career.
R. Kelly Found Guilty On Multiple Child Pornography Charges
Since the late 1990s, Kelly has been the subject of numerous allegations of sexual abuse and misconduct, often with underage girls, all of which have led to lawsuits, investigations, and indictments. Kelly was charged with 21 charges of child pornography in 2002 Chicago; he was acquitted of all charges in 2008.
In January 2019, a six-part docuseries about Kelly’s alleged sexual abuse titled Surviving R. Kelly aired on Lifetime. The series prompted new investigations into Kelly’s conduct, and in February 2019, he was charged with 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse.
But now, The R&B singer, whose sexual misconduct allegations have dogged them for decades, aggravated assault on all five counts and was criminal sexual abuse against a minor. He now faces up to 30 years in prison.
Having deliberated for less than two days, the jury found the 55-year-old musician responsible for all 14 charges brought against him, including four counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault.
R. Kelly Net Worth :
The approximate net worth of R. Kelly is $150 million as of 2022. His career in the music industry has been very successful, with most of his earnings coming from album sales and touring.
He is among the record-sellers with more than 75 million sales of best-selling music artists worldwide.
Net Worth | $150 million |
R. Kelly Social Media Presence:
R. Kelly is not active on social media, but he has many fan pages, where posts about his music, touring, and other personal information are regularly updated.