Online Encyclopedia
Categories: 1969 births | American songwriters | Male singers | R&B musicians | United States musicians
R. Kelly
Robert S. Kelly (born January 8, 1969) is an R&B singer and songwriter from Chicago; he generally uses the name R. Kelly.
After growing up in poor circumstances in Chicago and singing on trains for pocket change, his career took off in 1991, eventually leading to both Grammy Award and platinum albums. His best known song is the ballad "I Believe I Can Fly". Some of his rap texts have been criticized for their sexual subject matter, but other songs are close to gospel and in fact Kelly has confirmed that he has "found God".
In 1994, Kelly was allegedly married briefly to the then 15-year-old singer Aaliyah (10 years younger than Kelly). She died in a plane crash in 2001.
He has had successes, collaborating with Jay-Z on the album, Best of Both Worlds, in 2002, which debuted at #2 in the US Billboard albums chart.
In recent years, Kelly has fought or settled several civil lawsuits alleging coerced or underage sexual relationships. Because of this, many radio stations in the United States have refused to play his music.
Kelly has been accused of and investigated for having had a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old daughter of an associate; this accusation gained force with a video tape that was sent anonymously to a Chicago newspaper in February 2002 and allegedly shows R. Kelly having sex with the girl. While witnesses have identified Kelly and the girl, the girl herself and her parents have denied that she is shown on the tape. Bootleg copies of the tape are widely available on the black market. The tape shows seven sex acts, and in June 2002[1] http://www.thesmokinggun.com/mugshots/rkelly1.html , Kelly was indicted in Chicago for seven counts of soliciting a minor for child pornography, seven counts of videotaping the acts, and seven counts of producing child pornography. The judge has decided that Kelly can travel in February 2004 to Los Angeles to attend the Grammy Awards, but also that he cannot associate with Michael Jackson.
In addition, Kelly was indicted in Florida in January 2003 on 12 counts of possession of child pornography. However, the charges were dropped after the search which led to the indictment was ruled illegal.
In 2003, Dave Chappelle made a skit showing R. Kelly pouring his pee and "Doo-Doo" Butter on teenage girls. Despite the apparent parody nature, R. Kelly himself was said to have been rather offended by the sketch.
In 2004, allegations emerged that among Kelly's sordid tapes was one including gospel singer, Deleon Richards, who is also the wife of NY Yankees' Gary Sheffield.
Kelly and Jay-Z released a follow up to the Best of Both Worlds album in October 2004 under the new name Unfinished Business which includes 11 previously unreleased tracks by the duo. It debuted at #1 in the US Billboard albums chart. This release is timed to coincide with The Best of Both Worlds Tour . Jay-Z eventually removed R. Kelly halfway through the tour, after R. Kelly accused Jay-Z's entourage of attacking him.
Ironically, Kelly has referred to himself on record as the Pied Piper of R&B.
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Discography
Albums
- 1991 "Born into the 90's" #42 US
- 1992 "12 Play" #2 US, #20 UK
- 1996 "R. Kelly" #1 US, #18 UK
- 1998 "R" #2 US, #27 UK
- 2000 "TP-2.com"
- 2002 "The Best of Both Worlds" (with Jay-Z) #2 US, #37 UK
- 2003 "Chocolate Factory" #1 US, #10 UK
- 2003 "The R. in R&B Collection, Vol. 1" (compilation) #4 US, #4 UK
- 2004 "Happy People/U Saved Me" #2 US, #11 UK
- 2004 "Unfinished Business" (with Jay-Z) #1 US
Hit singles
- from Born into the 90's
- 1992 "Honey Love" #39 US
- 1993 "Dedicated" #31 US
- from 12 Play
- 1993 "Sex Me, Pts. 1-2" #20 US
- 1994 "Bump N' Grind" #1 US, #8 UK (1995 release)
- 1994 "Your Body's Callin'" #13 US, #19 UK
- 1994 "Summer Bunnies" #23 UK
- from Born into the 90's
- 1994 "She's Got That Vibe" (re-issue) #3 UK
- non-album single
- 1995 "The 4 Play EPs" (Your Body's Callin'/Homie, Lover, Friend/Honey Love/Slow Dance) #23 UK
- from R. Kelly
- 1995 "You Remind Me of Something" #4 US, #24 UK
- 1996 "Down Low (Nobody Has To Know)" (feat. Ronald Isley) #4 US, #23 UK
- 1996 "Thank God It's Friday" #14 UK
- 1996 "I Can't Sleep Baby (If I)" #5 US
- from Space Jam soundtrack
- 1996 "I Believe I Can Fly" #2 US, #1 UK (1997 release)
- from Batman & Robin soundtrack
- 1997 "Gotham City" #9 US, #9 UK
- from Sparkle (Sparkle album)
- 1998 "Be Careful" (Sparkle feat. R. Kelly) #7 UK
- from R.
- 1998 "Half on a Baby" #16 UK
- 1998 "Home Alone" (feat. Keith Murray) #17 UK
- 1998 "I'm Your Angel" (with Celine Dion) #1 US, #3 UK
- 1998 "When a Woman's Fed Up" #22 US
- 1999 "Did You Ever Think" (feat. Nas) #27 US, #20 UK
- 1999 "If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time" #12 US, #2 UK
- from Forever (Puff Daddy album)
- 2000 "Satisfy You" (Puff Daddy feat. R. Kelly) #2 US, #8 UK
- from R.
- 2000 "Only the Loot Can Make Me Happy" #24 UK
- from TP-2.Com
- 2000 "I Wish" #14 US, #12 UK
- 2001 "Feelin' on Yo Booty" #36 US
- 2001 "The Storm Is Over Now" #18 UK
- 2001 "Fiesta" #6 US, #23 UK
- from Ali soundtrack
- 2002 "The World's Greatest" #34 US, #4 UK
- from The Best of Both Worlds
- 2002 "Honey" (with Jay-Z) #35 UK
- from Chocolate Factory
- 2003 "Ignition Remix" #2 US, #1 UK
- 2003 "Snake" (feat. Big Tigger) #16 US, #10 UK
- 2003 "Step in the Name of Love" #9 US (2004 release), #14 UK (double A-side with Thoia Thong in the UK)
- from The R. in R&B Collection, Vol. 1
- 2003 "Thoia Thong" #13 US
- from Split Personality (Cassidy album)
- 2004 "Hotel" (Cassidy feat. R. Kelly) #4 US, #3 UK
- from Happy People/U Saved Me
- 2004 "Happy People/U Saved Me" #6 UK
- from R.U.L.E. (Ja Rule album)
- 2004 "Wonderful" (Ja Rule feat. R. Kelly & Ashanti) #1 UK, #5 US
- from Unfinished Business
- 2004 "Big Chips" (with Jay-Z) #39 US
External links
- MTV News: The R. Kelly Reports http://www.mtv.com/news/topics/r/rkelly_archive/ (with Illinois charges)
- Florida charges http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/robertkelly1.html
- R-Kelly.net - R. Kelly Fan Site http://www.r-kelly.net R. Kelley Fan Site
Categories: 1969 births | American songwriters | Male singers | R&B musicians | United States musicians