The musical achievements of R&B superstar R Kelly has long been overshadowed by claims that he sexually abused minors and women. The singer was recently found guilty of child pornography in his hometown of Chicago, but was cleared of a charge of conspiring to obstruct justice that claimed he fixed his state child pornography trial in 2008.
The verdict follows his June sentencing in New York to 30 years in prison on federal sex trafficking charges. Despite Kelly’s vehement denial of the accusations, his accusers testified that he subjected them to perverse and sadistic whims when they were minors. Kelly, real name Robert Sylvester Kelly, was born.
A timeline of R Kelly life, including his career as an R&B musician:
— 1990: Natalie Cole’s syndicated television talent show “Big Break” awards R. Kelly’s R&B group MGM the $100,000 grand prize. That is the last time the group performs as a unit due to financial issues.
— “Born Into The ’90s” by R. Kelly and Public Announcement made its debut in January 1992. The album achieved platinum status after being released.
— November 1993: The release of his album “12 Play,” which goes on to sell over 5 million copies. “Sex Me” and “Bump N’ Grind,” which holds the record for the longest-running No. 1 R&B song in more than 30 years, are examples of hit singles.
— On August 31, 1994, R Kelly, then 27 years old, wed R&B singer Aaliyah D. Haughton, then 15 years old, in a private ceremony that Kelly planned at a Chicago hotel. Months later, the marriage is dissolved due to Aaliyah’s advanced age. (Aaliyah died in a plane crash seven years later, at age 22.)
— November 1996 sees the release of R Kelly’s third studio album, “R. Kelly.” He incorporated Rockland Records a month later. The soundtrack track for “Space Jam” featuring his song “I Believe I Can Fly” reaches No. 2 on the Billboard pop chart. He married dancer Andrea Lee, 22, from his touring company, in the same year. Three children—Joanne, Jaya, and Robert Jr.—were born to the couple.
— February 1998: Kelly’s song “I Believe I Can Fly” wins three Grammys.
August 2001: Tracy Sampson files a lawsuit against Kelly, alleging that their sex was illegal under Illinois law because Kelly had “a position of authority” over an undisclosed sum that was agreed upon as a settlement outside of court.
The Chicago Sun-Times reports that on February 8, 2002, it received a videotape purportedly showing Kelly having sex with a child. According to the newspaper, the Chicago police started looking into the same girl’s and Kelly’s allegations three years prior. The girl and her parents have consistently denied having sex with Kelly at that time.
Kelly performs at the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics’ opening ceremonies on the day the news is first reported.
On June 5, 2002, R Kelly was charged in Chicago with child pornography in connection with the sex tape. When he enters a not guilty plea, a $750,000 bail is set.
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Kelly’s child pornography trial got underway on May 9, 2008.
— June 13, 2008: After less than a day of deliberations, Kelly is found not guilty on all charges.
— June 27, 2012: Kelly releases his autobiography, “Soulacoaster: The Diary of Me,” putting more of an emphasis on his personal and family life than his legal issues.
— On September 29, 2012, Kelly received two nominations for the Soul Train Awards, making him the artist with the most nominations ever.
On July 17, 2017, BuzzFeed published a story about parents’ allegations that Kelly brainwashed their daughters and kept them in a dangerous “cult.” Kelly was reportedly with one woman voluntarily. The #The MuteRKelly movement, which advocates for music boycotts, was started by activists.
— In May 2018, Spotify removed R. Kelly’s music from its playlists in accordance with its stance against hate speech. Soon after, his music was no longer promoted by Apple or Pandora. Kelly’s team responds, pointing out that other Spotify artists have been charged with or found guilty of crimes.
— January 3, 2019: The Lifetime documentary “Surviving R. Kelly” airs, revisiting previous accusations and bringing new ones to light. R Kelly is accused of holding women against their will in the BBC documentary “R Kelly: Sex, Girls, and Videotapes,” which was published the year before.
— As of January 21, 2019, RCA Records, a Sony subsidiary, and Kelly have reportedly parted ways, according to a number of media outlets. Kelly continues to deny all abuse allegations.
— February 22, 2019: Kelly is taken into custody and accused of 10 counts of severe sexual assault.
— February 25, 2019: Kelly’s attorney maintains his client is innocent. Hours later, Kelly posts bail and is released from jail in Chicago.
— On March 6, 2019, Kelly vehemently refuted the allegations of sexual abuse in an interview with After Kelly informs the judge that he is unable to pay the $161,000 in child support, Cook County authorities take him into custody.port.
— May 30, 2019: In Chicago, Kelly is accused of 11 additional sex-related offenses. One of the women who accuses him of abusing her sexually while she was a minor is involved.
— July 11, 2019: Kelly is charged with child pornography, enticing a minor, and obstructing justice by a federal grand jury in Chicago. Charges of racketeering, kidnapping, forced labor, and child sexual exploitation are included in a separate indictment that was submitted to the Eastern District of New York. Chicago police detain him once more.
— July 16, 2019: After a prosecutor warns Kelly poses a serious risk to young girls, a federal judge orders him held without bond.
— August 5, 2019: Kelly is accused of paying a 17-year-old girl $200 to dance with him while they were both naked and is facing prostitution and solicitation charges in Minnesota.
March 5, 2020: Kelly enters a not guilty plea in Chicago to a revised federal indictment that includes allegations involving child pornography and a new accuser.
— August 12, 2020: Federal prosecutors file charges against three men, including one who is suspected of setting a car on fire in Florida, for allegedly intimidating and threatening women who have accused Kelly of abusing them.
August 18, 2021: Kelly’s federal trial in New York starts with opening arguments.
— September 27, 2021: Kelly is found guilty of sex trafficking by a jury and of breaking the Mann Act, which forbids transporting people across state lines “for any immoral purpose.”
On June 29, 2022, Kelly received a 30-year prison term in New York.
August 15, 2022: Kelly’s jury selection in federal court in Chicago for charges related to child pornography, enticement, and obstruction of justice begins.
— September 14, 2022: Kelly is found guilty by a federal jury of three counts of child enticement and three counts of conspiracy, but the jury clears him of charges related to his 2008 trial, including three counts of conspiring to receive child pornography, a fourth count of pornography, and two additional enticement charges. His two co-defendants, business partners Milton Brown and Derrel McDavid, were cleared of the charges brought against them.
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