History of R. Kelly in Timeline
Robert Sylvester Kelly, known as R. Kelly, was a highly successful American singer, songwriter, and record producer in R&B, hip hop, and pop music. Once dubbed the "King of R&B," his career ended due to his arrest in 2019. He was convicted on federal racketeering and sex trafficking charges, stemming from the sexual abuse of minors. These convictions effectively ended his music career and tarnished his legacy.
January 8, 1967: Robert Sylvester Kelly Born
On January 8, 1967, Robert Sylvester Kelly was born. He would later become known as an American singer, songwriter, and record producer.
September 1980: Enters Kenwood Academy
In September 1980, R. Kelly entered Kenwood Academy and met Lena McLin, who encouraged his musical talent.
1989: Formation of MGM
In 1989, R. Kelly formed the group MGM (Musically Gifted Men or Mentally Gifted Men) with Marc McWilliams, Vincent Walker and Shawn Brooks.
1990: MGM offered a contract with Tavdash Records
In 1990, MGM were offered a contract with an independent label, Tavdash Records.
1991: MGM wins Big Break and disbands
In 1991, MGM won the $100,000 grand prize on the talent TV show Big Break before disbanding.
1991: Signs with Jive Records
In 1991, R. Kelly signed with Jive Records, marking a significant step in his professional career.
1991: First allegations of sexual abuse emerge
In 1991, Tiffany Hawkins alleged that, starting that year when she was age 15, Kelly, aged 24, had sexual relations with her and encouraged her to entice underaged friends.
1992: Debut Album Release
In early 1992, R. Kelly's debut album, Born into the 90's, was released, credited as R. Kelly and Public Announcement, and spawned several R&B hits.
November 9, 1993: Release of 12 Play
On November 9, 1993, R. Kelly released his first solo album, 12 Play, featuring the hit "Bump N' Grind".
1993: Separation from Public Announcement
In 1993, R. Kelly separated from the group Public Announcement to pursue his solo career.
1993: Death of R. Kelly's mother
In 1993, R. Kelly's mother, Joanne, died from cancer. He has given conflicting accounts of where he was during his mother's death.
1994: Established Producer and Headlined Tours
In 1994, R. Kelly established himself as a producer for artists like Aaliyah and Janet Jackson, and co-headlined a tour with Salt-N-Pepa.
1994: 12 Play Certified Gold
In 1994, R. Kelly's album 12 Play was certified Gold by the RIAA, eventually going six times platinum.
November 14, 1995: Release of Self-Titled Album
On November 14, 1995, R. Kelly released his eponymous second studio album, R. Kelly, which was praised for its vulnerability.
December 1995: Vibe album review
In December 1995, Professor Michael Eric Dyson critiqued Kelly's self-titled album "R. Kelly" for VIBE.
1995: Grammy Nomination for "You Are Not Alone"
In 1995, R. Kelly received a Grammy Award nomination for his contributions to Michael Jackson's single, "You Are Not Alone".
November 26, 1996: Release of "I Believe I Can Fly"
On November 26, 1996, R. Kelly released "I Believe I Can Fly" on the Space Jam soundtrack.
1996: Marriage to Andrea Lee
In 1996, R. Kelly married Andrea Kelly (née Lee), his former backup dancer and mother of his three children.
1996: Faces civil suits and criminal trials
Starting in 1996, Kelly faced multiple civil suits and criminal trials when Tiffany Hawkins alleged that Kelly had sexual relations with her and encouraged her to entice underaged friends.
1997: Kelly gains international celebrity
In 1997, Nunyo Demasio of the New York Daily News noted that R. Kelly had gained international celebrity by combining streetwise rhythms with sexually explicit lyrics. His work generally focuses on love and sex.
1997: Signed to professional basketball league
In 1997, R. Kelly signed a contract to play professional basketball with the Atlantic City Seagulls of the USBL.
November 17, 1998: R. Released
On November 17, 1998, R. Kelly released his fourth studio and first double album, R.
1998: Birth of oldest daughter
In 1998, Kelly's oldest daughter, JoAnn (b. 1998), was born and named after the singer's mother, but is also known as Buku Abi.
1998: Launched Rockland Records
In 1998, R. Kelly launched his own label, Rockland Records, in a distribution deal with Interscope Records.
1998: I'm Your Angel Release
In 1998, R. Kelly released "I'm Your Angel" with Celine Dion.
1998: Grammy Awards for "I Believe I Can Fly"
In 1998, R. Kelly won three Grammy Awards for his song "I Believe I Can Fly".
1999: Soundtrack for film Life
In the summer of 1999, R. Kelly wrote and produced the soundtrack to the Martin Lawrence and Eddie Murphy film, Life, which features tracks from K-Ci & JoJo, Maxwell, Mýa, and Destiny's Child, among others.
January 2000: American Music Award
In January 2000, R. Kelly won Favorite Male Soul/R&B Artist at the American Music Awards.
August 2000: Chicago Sun-Times begins investigation
In August 2000, The Chicago Sun-Times began a long-term investigation into R. Kelly, regarding repeated accusations of sexual abuse.
November 7, 2000: Release of TP-2.com
On November 7, 2000, R. Kelly released his fifth studio album, TP-2.com, a project aligned with his breakthrough album, 12 Play.
December 2000: Sparkle's Album Certified Platinum
In December 2000, Sparkle's eponymous debut album, produced by R. Kelly, was certified platinum.
2000: Birth of Jaah Kelly
In 2000, Jaah Kelly, R. Kelly's second child, was born.
2001: Awards and Recognition for TP-2.com
In 2001, R. Kelly won the Outstanding Achievement Award at the MOBO Awards, and Billboard ranked TP-2.com high on its Top 200 Albums of the Decade.
January 24, 2002: Announcement of The Best of Both Worlds
On January 24, 2002, R. Kelly and Jay-Z announced the completion of their collaborative album, The Best of Both Worlds, with support from various celebrities.
February 8, 2002: Performance at Winter Olympics
On February 8, 2002, R. Kelly performed at the opening ceremony of the 2002 Winter Olympics, amidst a sex tape scandal.
February 22, 2002: Leak of joint album
On February 22, 2002, the joint album with Jay-Z was leaked.
March 19, 2002: Release of The Best of Both Worlds
On March 19, 2002, The Best of Both Worlds was released, selling 285,000 copies in its opening week but being a critical and commercial disappointment.
May 2002: Loveland Bootleg Leak
In May 2002, six months prior to the scheduled release, R. Kelly's sixth studio album, Loveland, was leaked as a bootleg copy.
2002: Prosecuted on child pornography charges
In 2002, R. Kelly was prosecuted on child pornography charges following leaked video recordings.
2002: Birth of Robert Kelly Jr.
In 2002, Robert Kelly Jr., R. Kelly's third child, was born.
February 18, 2003: Chocolate Factory Album Release
On February 18, 2003, R. Kelly released "Chocolate Factory", which debuted as the number one album on the Billboard 200, selling 532,000 copies in its first week, and was met with critical acclaim.
2003: Started Working on Double Album
In 2003, R. Kelly began work on a double CD album, one with "happy" tracks and another with "inspirational" tracks.
August 24, 2004: Happy People/U Saved Me Album Release
On August 24, 2004, R. Kelly released the double album, Happy People/U Saved Me, which debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, selling 264,000 copies in its first week.
October 29, 2004: Pepper Spray Incident and Tour Removal
On October 29, 2004, R. Kelly was pepper sprayed by a member of Jay-Z's entourage, leading to his removal from the tour.
November 2004: "Wonderful" Chart Success
In November 2004, R. Kelly's appearance on Ja Rule's single "Wonderful" alongside Ashanti, led to the song charting at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping the UK Singles Chart.
2004: Finished Happy People/U Saved Me and Unfinished Business
In 2004, R. Kelly finished Happy People/U Saved Me and Unfinished Business.
May 2005: "Wonderful" Certified Gold
In May 2005, the single "Wonderful", featuring R. Kelly, was certified gold by the RIAA.
July 2005: TP.3 Reloaded Album Release
In July 2005, R. Kelly released TP.3 Reloaded, which became his fifth consecutive number-one album.
September 2005: Andrea Kelly files restraining order
In September 2005, Andrea Kelly filed a restraining order against R. Kelly after a physical altercation.
2005: Extortion attempt related to sex tape
In 2005, a Chicago man was charged for attempting to extort Deleon Richards' husband, Gary Sheffield, by allegedly threatening to release a sex tape of Richards with an ex-boyfriend, reportedly Kelly.
January 2006: Man sentenced for extortion attempt
In January 2006, a man was sentenced to 27 months in prison for attempting to extort Gary Sheffield by threatening to release a sex tape of his wife, Deleon Richards, with an ex-boyfriend, reportedly Kelly.
December 2006: Guest Appearance on "I'm a Flirt"
In December 2006, R. Kelly appeared as a guest on Bow Wow's song "I'm a Flirt", building momentum for his upcoming album, Double Up.
2006: Andrea Kelly files for divorce
In 2006, Andrea Kelly filed for divorce from R. Kelly.
April 2007: Release of "Rise Up" for Virginia Tech
In April 2007, R. Kelly released the song "Rise Up" for Virginia Tech after the 2007 school shooting and donated the net proceeds to the families of the victims.
May 15, 2007: "Rise Up" Digital Download Release
On May 15, 2007, R. Kelly's song "Rise Up," a tribute to the Virginia Tech shooting victims, was released as a digital download, with proceeds donated to the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund.
May 29, 2007: Double Up Album Release
On May 29, 2007, R. Kelly released his album Double Up, which became his sixth and final album to chart at number one on the Billboard 200.
December 2007: Court Hearing Absence Due to Tour Bus Delay
In December 2007, R. Kelly failed to appear at a preliminary court hearing due to his tour bus being held up in Utah, leading to a threat to revoke his bond, which was ultimately not carried out.
2008: Release of "I'm a Beast"
In 2008, R. Kelly released a rap track titled "I'm a Beast" in which he coarsely attacked his detractors.
2008: Acquitted on child pornography charges
In 2008, R. Kelly was acquitted on all charges, following a controversial trial that started in 2002, regarding leaked video recordings that led to child pornography charges.
2008: Acquittal on all charges
In 2008, R. Kelly was acquitted on all child pornography charges in a controversial trial.
2008: Album Postponement and Leak
In 2008, R. Kelly's album 12 Play: Fourth Quarter was postponed and later leaked online, causing the title to be scrapped.
January 2009: Divorce finalized
In January 2009, the divorce between R. Kelly and Andrea Kelly was finalized after 13 years of marriage.
February 2009: Untitled Album Announcement
In February 2009, R. Kelly announced he was working on a new album called Untitled.
June 2009: Mixtape Release
In June 2009, R. Kelly released his first mixtape, The "Demo" Tape, presented by DJ Skee and DJ Drama.
June 20, 2009: Arise African Fashion Awards Headliner
On June 20, 2009, R. Kelly headlined the Arise African Fashion Awards in Johannesburg, South Africa.
June 11, 2010: 2010 FIFA World Cup Performance
On June 11, 2010, R. Kelly performed at the 2010 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony.
September 2010: Plans for Three New Albums
In September 2010, R. Kelly announced that he was working on three new albums, including Epic, Love Letter, and Zodiac.
September 21, 2010: European Release of Epic
On September 21, 2010, R. Kelly's compilation album Epic was released in Europe.
November 2010: Collaboration with One8
In November 2010, R. Kelly collaborated with several African musicians, forming a supergroup known as One8, writing and producing their first release, "Hands Across the World."
December 14, 2010: Love Letter Album Release
On December 14, 2010, R. Kelly's tenth album, Love Letter, was released, including his rendition of "You Are Not Alone".
2010: Kelly pens "Sign of a Victory"
In 2010, R. Kelly penned the song "Sign of a Victory" for the FIFA World Cup, with all proceeds benefiting African charities.
March 2011: Named Top R&B Artist
In March 2011, R. Kelly was named the No. 1 R&B artist of the last 25 years by Billboard.
April 6, 2011: Performs at Clara's House charity event
On April 6, 2011, R. Kelly performed at a charity event in Chicago benefiting Clara's House, a facility designed to build employment, housing, health care, and education in the projects of Chicago.
July 19, 2011: Hospitalized for Throat Surgery
On July 19, 2011, R. Kelly was admitted to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago for emergency throat surgery.
July 21, 2011: Released from Hospital
On July 21, 2011, R. Kelly was released from the Northwestern Memorial Hospital after undergoing emergency throat surgery.
September 23, 2011: Signed On to Write Music for Sparkle Soundtrack
On September 23, 2011, R. Kelly signed on to write original music for the Sparkle soundtrack.
October 7, 2011: Move to RCA Records
On October 7, 2011, R. Kelly was set to release music under the RCA brand after Sony's RCA Music Group consolidated Jive, Arista, and J Records into RCA Records.
December 21, 2011: First Performance After Surgery
On December 21, 2011, R. Kelly made a live appearance on The X Factor and gave his first performance after his throat surgery.
2011: Most Successful R&B Artist
In 2011, Billboard named R. Kelly the most successful R&B artist of the last 25 years.
February 2012: Performance at Whitney Houston's Homegoing
In February 2012, R. Kelly performed "I Look to You", a song he wrote for Whitney Houston, at her homegoing.
2012: Release of Autobiography
In 2012, R. Kelly released his autobiography entitled Soulacoaster: The Diary of Me, co-written with David Ritz.
June 30, 2013: BET Awards Performance and New Track
On June 30, 2013, R. Kelly performed live at the BET Awards Show, singing hits and his new track "My Story" featuring 2 Chainz.
November 16, 2013: SNL Performance of "Do What U Want"
On November 16, 2013, R. Kelly performed "Do What U Want" with Lady Gaga on Saturday Night Live.
November 17, 2013: Debut of "PYD" Collaboration
On November 17, 2013, R. Kelly and Justin Bieber debuted a collaboration entitled "PYD".
December 10, 2013: Black Panties Album Release
On December 10, 2013, R. Kelly's twelfth studio album, Black Panties, was released.
2013: Collaborations with Various Artists
In 2013, R. Kelly collaborated with several artists, including Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, and Jennifer Hudson.
2013: Kelly given key to Baton Rouge
In 2013, R. Kelly was given a key to the city of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, as "an artist whose music brings generations together".
July 2014: House Music Album Announcement
In July 2014, R. Kelly announced that he was working on a house music album.
October 21, 2016: 12 Nights of Christmas Release
On October 21, 2016, R. Kelly released his only Christmas album, also his fourteenth and final studio album in his career thus far, 12 Nights of Christmas.
2016: Donates water to Flint water crisis
In 2016, R. Kelly donated cases of water to the Flint water crisis.
July 23, 2018: "I Admit" Release on SoundCloud
On July 23, 2018, R. Kelly released the 19-minute-long "I Admit" on SoundCloud as a response to his accusers, denying allegations of domestic violence and pedophilia.
2018: Accusations of sexual abuse
In 2018, Kelly faced repeated accusations of sexual abuse for incidents dating from 1991 to 2018.
2018: Release of 19-minute song "I Admit"
In 2018, R. Kelly released a 19-minute song called "I Admit".
2019: R. Kelly's career ends following arrest
In 2019, R. Kelly's career ended following his arrest and subsequent convictions on federal racketeering and sex trafficking charges involving sexual abuse of minors.
2019: Renewed Investigations and Arrest
In 2019, following the documentary Surviving R. Kelly, renewed interest in allegations led to additional investigations and R. Kelly's arrest.
2019: RCA Records terminates Kelly's contract
In 2019, the documentary Surviving R. Kelly reexamined Kelly's alleged sexual misconduct with minors, prompting RCA Records to terminate his contract and resulting in additional investigations by law enforcement.
2019: "Do What U Want" Removal From Streaming Services
In early 2019, "Do What U Want" had since been removed from streaming services and re-releases of Gaga's Artpop album following sexual misconduct allegations against R. Kelly.
2019: Allegations of abuse
In later years, including in Surviving R. Kelly (2019), Andrea Kelly accused R. Kelly of physical, verbal, and mental abuse.
September 30, 2021: Key to Baton Rouge rescinded
On September 30, 2021, following his New York conviction of multiple sex crimes, the key to the city of Baton Rouge, previously given in 2013, was rescinded.
2021: Conviction for violations of the Mann Act and RICO Act
In 2021, R. Kelly faced conviction for violations of the Mann Act and Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.
2021: Conviction on Multiple Charges
In 2021, R. Kelly was convicted on multiple charges involving child sexual abuse.
2021: The Recording Academy declines to strip Kelly of awards
In 2021, following R. Kelly's federal conviction in New York, The Recording Academy stated that they wouldn't strip Kelly of his awards despite his "disturbing" actions.
December 9, 2022: Unauthorized Release of "I Admit It" Album
On December 9, 2022, an album credited to R. Kelly titled I Admit It was released on streaming services, but was later taken down due to not being approved by Sony or R. Kelly's team.
2022: Conviction for production of child pornography
In 2022, R. Kelly faced conviction for production of child pornography.
2022: Conviction on Multiple Charges
In 2022, R. Kelly was convicted on multiple charges involving child sexual abuse.
2023: Kelly is serving a 31-year sentence
As of 2023, R. Kelly is serving a 31-year combined sentence at FCI Butner Medium I.
July 30, 2024: Kelly asks Supreme Court to review child pornography case
On July 30, 2024, multiple news outlets reported that R. Kelly, alongside his lawyer Jennifer Bonjean, had asked the Supreme Court to review his child pornography case, which could potentially drop 20 years off his sentence.
2025: Serving Sentence
As of 2025, R. Kelly is serving a 31-year combined sentence at FCI Butner Medium I in North Carolina.
