R. Kelly
Source: The Irish Times

R Kelly: What is his Net Worth? Why is he in Prison?

The king of R&B, R. Kelly is going through a rough patch nowadays. American singer R. Kelly is yet to go to a trial for federal racketeering in New York. Certainly, Kelly has had a history of criminal offences and allegations. Moreover, R. Kelly has given us hit songs like “I Believe I Can Fly”, “Ignition”, “Trapped in the Closet” and “The World’s Greatest”. Above all, R. Kelly has earned nicknames such as the “King of Pop-Soul” and the “Pied Piper of R&B”. Today, we’ll discuss the career highlights of one of the best singer of his time, R. Kelly.

Who is R. Kelly?

R. Kelly, originally known as Robert Sylvester Kelly, is an American singer, songwriter, producer and a philanthropist. He is such a legendary name in the music industry. Certainly, he is known for practically redefining R&B and hip hop. In addition, Kelly is the first music artist to play professional basketball. He played with the Atlantic City Seagulls of the USBL in 1997.

R. Kelly
Source: CNN

Robert Kelly was born on 8 January, 1967 in Chicago. In 1996, he married Andrea Kelly and had three children before their divorce. Moreover, Kelly has made various donations to charities. He donated the earnings from “Soldier’s Heart” to the families of American soldiers. Similarly, he gave away the proceeds of “Rise Up” that he wrote for Virginia Tech after the 2007 school shooting. He donated it to the families of the victims. Kelly has also done shows, performances and benefit concerts.

R. Kelly’s Music Career

R. Kelly began with his music from the streets. He used to perform under the Chicago Transportation Authority and later formed a group with his friends called “MGM”.

Kelly gained public attention in 1989 when he participated in “Big Break”, a talent show. Certainly, he won the show and released his debut album “Born into the 90s” I’m 1993. Soon after his entry in the industry, Kelly became the most successful R&B male artist of the 1990s. Kelly’s no.1 hit was “Bump N’ Grind” that stayed at first rank on the Billboard chart for 12 weeks.

Later in 1995, R. Kelly got his first Grammy nominations for writing, producing and composing MJ’s “You are not Alone”. Kelly’s second album “R. Kelly” was a commercial and critical success. It became his first number one album on charts. In 1998, R. Kelly’s “I believe I Can Fly” won him three Grammys.

Subsequently, R.Kelly gave epic albums from 1997 to 2016, giving us hits like “Rise Up”, “Do What You Want”, “Love Letter” etc.

Why is R. Kelly in Prison?

R. Kelly has faced charges multiple times. But this time, R. Kelly could be in prison for longer. Currently, Kelly is in federal custody. He was arrested in July 2019 while walking his dog outside his home. Apparently, R. Kelly has been alleged to run a criminal enterprise with his associates.

R. Kelly
Source: CNN

Moreover, they were accused of recruiting underage women for illegal sexual contact and threatened them to keep them under control. Consequently, Kelly might face up to 2 decades of found guilty. Besides, Kelly has attempted to win release but trials have been denied due to COVID. However, Kelly is still hopeful about his case.

R. Kelly Net Worth

Besides all these legal troubles, R. Kelly is a legend to the music industry. He has been so successful in his work his net worth has been as high as $100 million. But currently, his earning stand at negative $2 million.