Who is R Kelly?
Robert Sylvester Kelly is an American singer commonly known to his fans as R. Kelly. He is the most successful R&B male performer of the 1990s and one of the best-selling music artists in the United States. Kelly is a singer-songwriter, record producer, actor, and semi-professional basketball player with a multifaceted personality. He has written, produced, and remixed numerous songs, several of which became chart-topping hits, giving him the moniker “King of R&B.” Kelly, who has a distinctive voice, has his innovative style of singing and rapping that sets him apart from other contemporary performers. He is one of the best-selling musicians of all time, and he is recognized for redefining musical genres, including R&B and hip hop.
Early Life of R Kelly
R. Kelly was born in Chicago, Illinois, USA, on January 8, 1967. His mother, Joanne, raised him and his three siblings at the Baptist church, where she was the choir’s lead vocalist.
The family was impoverished and had difficulty making ends meet. Kelly began singing in the church choir when he was eight years old.
He had a terrible upbringing because he was frequently sexually abused by a woman. In his 2012 autobiography, ‘Soulacoaster,’ he detailed his ordeal and explained why he never told anyone about it. He was shot in the shoulder while riding his bike home when he was eleven years old. He had an untreated learning problem that made reading and writing difficult for him. He was eventually forced to drop out of high school.
He attended Kenwood Academy in Chicago’s Hyde Park district to study. A physically active young man, he played basketball for his high school team. His music teacher, Lena McLin, who spotted his musical talent, recommended he abandon the sport and concentrate on music.
He had a tight relationship with his mother, who took him to church and clubs where she performed. In 1993, she died of cancer.
| Name | R. Kelly |
| Real Name | Robert Sylvester Kelly |
| Date of Birth | January 8, 1967 |
| Age | 57 |
| Birthplace | Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Height | 1.85m |
| Weight | 91 |
The Career of R Kelly
Kelly began his singing career in 1991, following years of street performance in Chicago. The following year, he signed with Jive Records and released his debut album, Born Into The 90s. With the tracks “Slow Dancing (Hello Mr. Dj)” and “Honey Love,” his debut album was a huge success.
Bump N’ Grind was his first No. 1 pop chart record in 1993. Once his mother died, he lived true to his moniker “Prince of Pillowtalk.” He was dubbed the “King of R&B” and released the superhit “I Believe I Can Fly” in 1996, garring three Grammy awards in 1997.
Kelly has worked with many performers, including Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, and Gladys Knight. In the 1990s, he remained the R&B king. He released his album “R” in 1998 with a duet with Celine Dion called “I’m Your Angel,” which sold over 7 million copies.
Kelly and Sean “Puffy” Combs charted with “Satisfy You” in 1999. Kelly collaborated with rap mogul Jay-Z two years later to make another hit, “Fiesta.” In 2012, he released “Write Me Back,” following in the footsteps of Teddy Pendergrass and Marvin Gaye.
Since then, Kelly has worked hard to create new tracks. During the 1990s, he was known as the R&B king, and his music has sold millions of copies. As of April 2023, R Kelly’s net worth is $2 million.
Here are some of the best highlights of R Kelly’s career:
- Billboard Awards (Number One R&B Producer, 1994)
- Grammy Award (Best R&B song “I Believe I Can Fly”, 1998)
- BET Awards (Best Male R&B Artist, 2003)
- R Kelly (Album, 1995)
- Soulacoaster: The Diary of Me (Autobiography, 2012)
- “Ignition” (Song, 2003)
- “I Believe I Can Fly” (Song, 1993)
- “Bump n’ Grind” (Song, 1993)
Personal Life of R Kelly
Joanne, Kelly’s mother, died of cancer in 1993. He has given various tales of where he was at the time of his mother’s death. JoAnn (born in 1998) was named after the singer’s mother, Buku Abi.
Kelly married Andrea Kelly, his former backup dancer and the mother of his three children, the JoAnn mentioned above, Jaah (b. 2000), and Robert, Jr., in 1996. (b. 2002) Andrea obtained a restraining order against Kelly in September 2005, following a physical incident, and eventually filed for divorce in 2006. After 13 years of marriage, their divorce was formalized in January 2009. Andrea later accused Kelly of physical, verbal, and mental abuse, as she detailed in Surviving R. Kelly (2019).
Following the 2007 school shooting at Virginia Tech, Kelly released the song “Rise” in April 2007 and donated the net revenues to the victims’ families.
Kelly wrote “Sign of a Win” for the FIFA World Cup in 2010, with all proceeds benefiting African charities. On April 6, 2011, he performed at a charity event in Chicago for Clara’s House, an institution dedicated to providing jobs, housing, health care, and education in Chicago’s projects. Kelly contributed containers of water to the Flint water crisis in 2016.
Net Worth of R Kelly
R. Kelly is a singer, songwriter, actor, and record producer from the United States. R Kelly has a net worth of -$2 million. R. Kelly’s net worth was easily in the tens of millions, even as high as $100 million, during his peak. That fortune has vanished. Kelly revealed to a judge in April 2020, while arguing for his release from jail, that he owes approximately $1.9 million to the IRS alone, in addition to other creditors. Please scroll down a few paragraphs for a more extensive breakdown of R. Kelly’s present financial issues and peak popularity.
FAQs on Kelly
How much is R Kelly worth?
R Kelly’s net worth is estimated to be -$2 Million.
When was R Kelly born?
He was born on January 8, 1967.
How old is R Kelly?
He is currently 57 years old.
How tall is R Kelly?
R Kelly’s height is 1.85 m, equal to 6 ft 1 in.
Who is the stepfather of R Kelly?
Lucious
Who is the mother of R Kelly?
Joanne Kelly
What is the nationality of R Kelly?
African-American
Conclusion
His song ‘You Are Not Alone’ was declared the ‘First Song to Debut at Number One on the US Single Billboard’ in the ‘Guinness Book of World Records 1995. R. Kelly has three ‘Grammy Awards,’ including ‘Best Male R&B Vocal Performance,’ ‘Best R&B Song,’ and ‘Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television, or Other Visual Media.’ He received the ‘American Music Award’ for ‘Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist’ twice, in 2000 and 2005. R Kelly’s net worth is -$2 million, which is nowhere near what it once was. So much turmoil has been generated by his achievement.
