R. Kelly
- Music Artist
- Composer
- Director
R. Kelly was born on the south side of Chicago, Illinois, and attended
Kenwood Academy High School, where his music teacher-mentor Lena McLin
inspired him to become a singer. He used to sing on street corners. He
started off his career with a group by the name of Public Announcement.
R. Kelly a master producer, composer, and performer and is often
associated with music that can be described as spiritually
inspirational and extremely sexual. R. Kelly won acclaim with his
production of the late Aaliyah's debut album, "Age Ain't Nothin but a
Number." Aaliyah, then 15, soon found herself with a hit album and
fending off rumors of an alleged nuptial to Kelly who was then in his
mid-20s. Their marriage was annulled shortly afterward, and all ties
between Aaliyah and Kelly were severed. Kelly went on to produce
several more smash hit albums and songs for soundtracks, such as "I
Believe I Can Fly" from Space Jam (1996); "World's Greatest" for the 1996 summer
Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia; and a duet with French-Canadian pop diva
Céline Dion, which catapulted him to more success. Kelly soon married
Andrea Lee, who was a former back-up dancer, and had two daughters and
one son.
R. Kelly, at the pinnacle of his success, decided to team up with
another music industry leader, the hip-hop MC Jay-Z, after great
commercial successes on other collaborations with tracks such as
Jay-Z's "Not Guilty" and Kelly's "Fiesta Remix." In 2001 to do an
entire album together. Slated to be a guaranteed success, "The Best of
Both Worlds" was the most highest anticipated album for 2002. Shortly
after that year began began, and right before the release of "Best of
Both Worlds," an alleged videotape of Kelly with a 14-year-old girl
surfaced on the Internet and the streets of major cities.
Allegedly, Kelly was involved in sexual intercourse with a minor on the
tape submitted to Chicago Police by former protégé, R&B singer Sparkle.
Sparkle claimed the girl was her niece and the God-daughter of R.
Kelly's wife. This opened up an avenue of backlash from radio stations
and fans across the USA, who refused to continue to play, buy, or
support R. Kelly's music. "Best of Both Worlds" was a commercial
failure in comparison to its previous rumors of certain success. Jay-Z
refused to comment or release a video for their record, and he also
thought it would be better for Kelly to take time to sort out his
problems. In a May 2002 BET News interview with Ed Gordon, R. Kelly
denied the allegations vehemently, stating he would not watch the
videotape; he declined to comment on his relationship with Aaliyah. He
also stated that he had been receiving help for his "problem" from the
Chicago reverend James Meeks, and he wasn't the monster that the public
was making him out to be.
On June 5th, 2002, rumors surfaced that Kelly would be indicted on 21
counts of child pornography. After an alleged agreement between Kelly's
attorneys and the Chicago Police for Kelly to be able to turn himself
in, a fugitive warrant was issued for his arrest in Florida, and R.
Kelly was arrested and was extradited to Chicago. Even though the
attorney for the four women who were suing R. Kelly--one a former
back-up dancer who also appeared on the scandalous videotape (who was
an adult during the making of the tape)--stated that she thought that
due to the weak legal system, Kelly would not be convicted but did hope
he got some help. Kelly could have faced up to 15 years in prison and
be forced to pay a fine of US$100.000, register as a sexual offender,
and pay millions more in damages. Kelly reportedly stated that he had
faith in the justice system and was happy to finally get a chance to
defend himself in court. Kelly was eventually acquitted.
In 2003, Kelly released the song "Snake," from the successful album
"Chocolate Factory," which became the basis for the reggae riddim
called "Baghdad." 2004, Kelly once again teamed up with Jay-Z for the
album "Unfinished Business." Like their previous album recorded
together, this one also flopped. In 2005, however, Kelly released the
album "TP.3," which included the first five chapters of an extended
song called Trapped in the Closet: Chapters 1-12 (2005). A strange, bold, and daring experiment in a
sort-of R&B aria-meets-soap-opera, an unintended homage to and heavily
influenced by The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964), the entire saga, which has no end in sight but
currently has twelve released chapters--and supposedly as many as 34
chapters have been recorded, might be one of the most unusual
experiments in pop music of the decade, further testament to Kelly's
undeniable talent.
Kenwood Academy High School, where his music teacher-mentor Lena McLin
inspired him to become a singer. He used to sing on street corners. He
started off his career with a group by the name of Public Announcement.
R. Kelly a master producer, composer, and performer and is often
associated with music that can be described as spiritually
inspirational and extremely sexual. R. Kelly won acclaim with his
production of the late Aaliyah's debut album, "Age Ain't Nothin but a
Number." Aaliyah, then 15, soon found herself with a hit album and
fending off rumors of an alleged nuptial to Kelly who was then in his
mid-20s. Their marriage was annulled shortly afterward, and all ties
between Aaliyah and Kelly were severed. Kelly went on to produce
several more smash hit albums and songs for soundtracks, such as "I
Believe I Can Fly" from Space Jam (1996); "World's Greatest" for the 1996 summer
Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia; and a duet with French-Canadian pop diva
Céline Dion, which catapulted him to more success. Kelly soon married
Andrea Lee, who was a former back-up dancer, and had two daughters and
one son.
R. Kelly, at the pinnacle of his success, decided to team up with
another music industry leader, the hip-hop MC Jay-Z, after great
commercial successes on other collaborations with tracks such as
Jay-Z's "Not Guilty" and Kelly's "Fiesta Remix." In 2001 to do an
entire album together. Slated to be a guaranteed success, "The Best of
Both Worlds" was the most highest anticipated album for 2002. Shortly
after that year began began, and right before the release of "Best of
Both Worlds," an alleged videotape of Kelly with a 14-year-old girl
surfaced on the Internet and the streets of major cities.
Allegedly, Kelly was involved in sexual intercourse with a minor on the
tape submitted to Chicago Police by former protégé, R&B singer Sparkle.
Sparkle claimed the girl was her niece and the God-daughter of R.
Kelly's wife. This opened up an avenue of backlash from radio stations
and fans across the USA, who refused to continue to play, buy, or
support R. Kelly's music. "Best of Both Worlds" was a commercial
failure in comparison to its previous rumors of certain success. Jay-Z
refused to comment or release a video for their record, and he also
thought it would be better for Kelly to take time to sort out his
problems. In a May 2002 BET News interview with Ed Gordon, R. Kelly
denied the allegations vehemently, stating he would not watch the
videotape; he declined to comment on his relationship with Aaliyah. He
also stated that he had been receiving help for his "problem" from the
Chicago reverend James Meeks, and he wasn't the monster that the public
was making him out to be.
On June 5th, 2002, rumors surfaced that Kelly would be indicted on 21
counts of child pornography. After an alleged agreement between Kelly's
attorneys and the Chicago Police for Kelly to be able to turn himself
in, a fugitive warrant was issued for his arrest in Florida, and R.
Kelly was arrested and was extradited to Chicago. Even though the
attorney for the four women who were suing R. Kelly--one a former
back-up dancer who also appeared on the scandalous videotape (who was
an adult during the making of the tape)--stated that she thought that
due to the weak legal system, Kelly would not be convicted but did hope
he got some help. Kelly could have faced up to 15 years in prison and
be forced to pay a fine of US$100.000, register as a sexual offender,
and pay millions more in damages. Kelly reportedly stated that he had
faith in the justice system and was happy to finally get a chance to
defend himself in court. Kelly was eventually acquitted.
In 2003, Kelly released the song "Snake," from the successful album
"Chocolate Factory," which became the basis for the reggae riddim
called "Baghdad." 2004, Kelly once again teamed up with Jay-Z for the
album "Unfinished Business." Like their previous album recorded
together, this one also flopped. In 2005, however, Kelly released the
album "TP.3," which included the first five chapters of an extended
song called Trapped in the Closet: Chapters 1-12 (2005). A strange, bold, and daring experiment in a
sort-of R&B aria-meets-soap-opera, an unintended homage to and heavily
influenced by The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964), the entire saga, which has no end in sight but
currently has twelve released chapters--and supposedly as many as 34
chapters have been recorded, might be one of the most unusual
experiments in pop music of the decade, further testament to Kelly's
undeniable talent.