,

The Rise and Fall of R.Kelly

His journey from R&B legend to a disgraced singer and criminal.

R. Kelly’s rise was meteoric, but his fall was disgraceful. At one time, Kelly was one of the most successful and popular singers and songwriters in R&B. But, he became one of the most well-known examples of a celebrity using his power to take advantage of others and as a result, he was convicted of nine counts of racketeering and sex trafficking and was sentenced to 30 years in prison because of it.

Video will return here when scrolled back into view
Trump’s Tariffs Might Stick Around. What Should We Buy Now?
Trump’s Tariffs Might Stick Around. What Should We Buy Now?

Here’s his rise and fall.

Born Into The 90s

Photo: Getty Images Al Pereira/Michael Ochs Archives/

Kelly’s debut album with Public Announcement, Born Into The 90s was released in January 1992 and a year later the album was certified platinum.

12 Play

Photo: Getty Images Raymond Boyd

The Chicago singer’s sophomore album 12 Play catapulted Kelly into superstardom with hit singles like “Sex Me” and “Bump N Grind.”

Marries Aaliyah

Photo: AP AP Photo

While Kelly is 27 and Aaliyah is 15, the two get married secretly at a hotel in Chicago in 1994. The marriage was later annulled because Alliyah was not of age. Later that year, her debut album Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number was released. Kelly was the executive producer of the album. Aaliyah died seven years later in a plane crash at the age of 22.

First Grammy Nomination

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAyKJAtDNCw

Kelly received his first Grammy nomination as the writer behind the Michael Jackson track, “You Are Not Alone, which was nominated for Song of the Year.

R. Kelly

Photo: Getty Images Brian Rasic

Kelly’s self-titled third album was released in November 1996 and became one of the most popular albums of the year thanks to the song “I Believe I Can Fly” which was featured on the soundtrack for the movie Space Jam. He went on to win three Grammys for the song and became a pop star from this point on.

Marries Andrea Lee

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPqL5RAIJa8

In 1996, Kelly married one of the dancers from his touring troupe, Andrea Lee. The couple went on to have three children together.

Sex tape and first criminal indictment

Photo: Getty Images Tasos Katopodis

A video was released and sent to the Chicago Sun-Times by an unknown source and a story was published on February 8, 2002, the same day Kelly performed at the opening ceremony for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. Later that year in June 2002, Kelly was indicted on 21 counts of child pornography in Chicago.

Child pornography trial

Photo: AP Nam Y. Huh

The victim in the child pornography case refused to testify in court and a jury found Kelly not guilty on all counts of child pornography in June 2008.

Huffington Post Live Interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwiN_Rq6DmY

This was one of the first times Kelly was asked about allegations against him on a public platform. In an interview with journalist Caroline Modaressy-Tehrani on Huffington Post Live, she asked him questions about the sexual abuse allegations against him. Kelly got defensive and angry and kept shouting at Modaressy-Tehrani. He ended up leaving before it ended.

Sex cult allegations

Photo: AP Mark Lennihan

Jim Derogatis, a reporter for BuzzFeed News reported that Kelly was accused by multiple sets of parents of holding their daughter hostage in an “abusive cult.” The victims and Kelly denied the allegations. One of the most outspoken alleged victims was Joycelyn Savage who has both defended the singer and claimed she was a victim.

Fans, artists and streaming services #MuteRKelly

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7EDTf1A_CE

A boycott of Kelly’s was started by the Time’s Up movement called #MuteRKellty. Spotify, the music streaming service announced in May 2018 that they would stop promoting or recommending his music. Although, that decision was later reversed.

Surviving R. Kelly

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeDXSSEf-9k

In January 2019, Lifetime aired a six-part documentary that detailed the sexual abuse and misconduct allegations against the Chicago singer. His ex-wife, Andrea, and many other victims and celebrities appeared in the documentary.

Interview with Gayle King

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pafJHx-o21k

In an interview with Gayle King, Kelly had an impassioned plea for his innocence and blamed social media for the allegation against him. King also interviewed Azriel Clary and Joycelyn Savage who at the time denied the claims that they were being held hostage and defended Kelly.

More criminal indictments

Photo: AP Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune

In July 2019, Kelly was arrested on charges alleging sex crimes and obstruction of justice by investigators with U.S. Homeland Security and NYPD detectives. Shortly after, he was arrested again. Federal prosecutors in Chicago and New York indicted Kelly on a plethora of charges including child sexual exploitation, child pornography, sex trafficking, kidnapping, racketeering, forced labor and many others.

Federal trial

Photo: AP Amr Alfiky

During the federal trial in New York, Kelly’s attorneys made outlandish closing arguments in his defense including comparing him to Martin Luther King Jr., Hugh Hefner and Mike Pence.

Criminal conviction 

Photo: AP Elizabeth Williams

In September 2021, Kelly was convicted on one charge of racketeering and eight counts of violation of the Mann Act, a federal sex-trafficking law that criminalizes “the transportation of ‘any woman or girl for the purpose of prostitution or debauchery, or for any other immoral purpose.’”

Sentencing

Photo: AP Elizabeth Williams

During his sentencing hearing, the disgraced signer was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He has since appealed his conviction and been moved to a federal jail in Chicago before his trial on child pornography and obstruction of justice charges.

Straight From The Root

Sign up for our free daily newsletter.

Latest from The Root

The True and Tragic Story of TLC's Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes

The True and Tragic Story of TLC’s Lisa ‘Left Eye’ Lopes

One third of one of the biggest female music acts in history, Lisa Lopes also dealt with many demons ...
The Ever-Growing List of Lawsuits Against Sean 'Diddy' Combs

The Ever-Growing List of Lawsuits Against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs

Even after a "victory" in the federal case against him, Diddy still has an uphill legal battle that could cost him millions ...

Spades? What Diddy Will Be Doing In Prison This Fourth Of July

Spades? What Diddy Will Be Doing In Prison This Fourth Of July

Wondering what Diddy will be eating and Doing this holiday? Here's all the tea ...
A White Male TikToker Decided To Use Black Hair Relaxer... The Results Will Surprise You

A White Male TikToker Decided To Use Black Hair Relaxer… The Results Will Surprise You

A white TikTok Creator decided to use relaxer on his hair and... it worked? ...
Diddy's Best Friend Charlie Liucci is Being <i>Loud</i> About His Next Moves Will Be Following Acquittal

Diddy’s Best Friend Charlie Liucci is Being Loud About His Next Moves Will Be Following Acquittal

He's been spotted wearing "FREE PUFF" merch, now, Charlie Liucci has an inside scoop on what Diddy will do once released ...
How Baltimore Beat 'The Wire' Homicide Curse Under This Black Mayor

How Baltimore Beat ‘The Wire’ Homicide Curse Under This Black Mayor

Violent crime has plagued Baltimore for generations, and "The Wire's" depiction of drug and gang life surely hasn't helped... but there's hope ...
Best Self-Help Reads for Black Resilience in Uncertain Times

Best Self-Help Reads for Black Resilience in Uncertain Times

In these challenging times, these books can give you the hope you need ...
'Hey Google' and Other Voice Assistants Are Terrifying Children and Confusing Bemused Parents

‘Hey Google’ and Other Voice Assistants Are Terrifying Children and Confusing Bemused Parents

Social media is buzzing about the strange reaction kids are having to smart speakers in their homes ...
Internet Believes Eerie Photo Predicted Black Fort Worth Family's Tragedy

Internet Believes Eerie Photo Predicted Black Fort Worth Family’s Tragedy

A big rig driver admitted he fell asleep at the wheel in Kaufman County before he collided with stopped traffic ...
Why Philadelphia is Going Viral For Streets That Look Like a Landfill

Why Philadelphia is Going Viral For Streets That Look Like a Landfill

Libraries are closed, the medical examiner's office has a backlog of bodies, and trash is piling up everywhere ...
How Bakari Sellers Just Got the Ultimate Revenge on His MAGA CNN Colleague

How Bakari Sellers Just Got the Ultimate Revenge on His MAGA CNN Colleague

Sellers and Jennings often go back and forth on the CNN show, and this was only amplified when Jennings asked Sellers not to touch him during one viral interaction from December ...
The Scary Reason 'American Idol' Winner Jamal Roberts Declined a Key to This Southern Town

The Scary Reason ‘American Idol’ Winner Jamal Roberts Declined a Key to This Southern Town

While Roberts' reasoning is understandable, it's a shame he had to make the decision in the first place ...
A Black Mom Posted Video of a Terrifying Exchange She had with Police in Delaware

A Black Mom Posted Video of a Terrifying Exchange She had with Police in Delaware

Black Mom Says Cops Approached Her and Her Children With Guns Drawn ...
Why Are There Still Black People Listening To R. Kelly At The Summer Cookouts -- And What Does That Say About Us?

Why Are There Still Black People Listening To R. Kelly At The Summer Cookouts — And What Does That Say About Us?

Despite convictions and backlash, his music continues to collect streams. Why is the "Pied Piper" still on the cookout playlist? ...
How Diddy Could Still End Up With a Long Sentence, Despite The Acquittals

How Diddy Could Still End Up With a Long Sentence, Despite The Acquittals

Even with credit for time served, Diddy, 55, wouldn’t be free to break out the baby oil until 2031 ...
Why the Internet is Convinced Stephen A. Smith's And His Daughter Samantha Are Twins

Why the Internet is Convinced Stephen A. Smith’s And His Daughter Samantha Are Twins

Samantha Smith is the spitting image of her controversial sports commentator dad ...
Flint's Water Crisis Ends With A Major Development

Flint’s Water Crisis Ends With A Major Development

This milestone marks a record for one of the worst water crises in the nation's history ...
NBA's Mike Beasley's Alleged Gambling Issues Have Him Owing Money to <i>Who??</i>

NBA’s Mike Beasley’s Alleged Gambling Issues Have Him Owing Money to Who??

The amount of money Beasley apparently owes to his barber is insane ...
Diddy's Dramatic Reaction to His Trial Verdict Says it All...

Diddy’s Dramatic Reaction to His Trial Verdict Says it All…

After giving death stares to reporters and throwing up heart symbols to his children throughout the trial, Diddy's demeanor has taken a turn ...
Lizzo Reveals The Meals She Ate To Lose 100 Pounds

Lizzo Reveals The Meals She Ate To Lose 100 Pounds

The popular singer is finally sharing some secrets behind her amazing weight loss journey and we're taking notes! ...