R. Kelly
Known for
Acting
Born
January 8, 1967 (age 59)
Birthplace
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Biography
Robert Sylvester Kelly (born January 8, 1967) is an American former singer, songwriter, record producer, and convicted sex offender. Known professionally as R. Kelly, he is credited with prolific commercial success in R&B, hip hop, and pop music recordings, earning nicknames such as 'the King of R&B', 'the King of Pop-Soul', and 'the Pied Piper of R&B'. In 2025, Billboard ranked him 9th on their list of the 'Best R&B Artists of All Time'.
In 2023, Kelly was convicted of multiple charges of child sexual abuse—three of thirteen charges of production of child pornography and three charges of enticing a child, effectively ending his career. As of 2025, he is serving a 31-year combined sentence...
Best known work
2 Fast 2 Furious
2003
Space Jam
1996
Saturday Night Live
1975
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
2003
Late Show with David Letterman
1993
Sparkle
2012
Surviving R. Kelly
2019
Trapped in the Closet: Chapters 1-12
2005
Trapped in the Closet: Chapters 13-22
2007
MTV Video Music Awards
1984Filmography
2024
IMPACT x Nightline: Diddy: Drugs, Lies, & Freak Offsas Self (archive footage)
2019
Surviving R. Kelly: The Impactas Self (archive footage)
2019
The Gayle King Interview with R. Kellyas Himself
2019
2018
R Kelly: Sex, Girls and Videotapesas Himself (archive Footage)
2012
Trapped in the Closet: Chapters 1-33as Sylvester/Pimp Lucius/William Perry, Director, Writer, Producer, Music
2012
Trapped in the Closet: Chapters 23-33as Narrator / Sylvester / Pimp Lucius / Dr William T. Perry / Reverend Mosley James Evans / Beeno / Interviewer, Writer, Director
2012
SparkleSongs
2011
The One8 Project: Hands Across the Worldas Himself
2007
Trapped in the Closet: Chapters 1-22as Sylvester / Narrator / Pimp Lucious / Reverend Mosley James Evans / Randolph, Director, Writer
2007
Trapped in the Closet: Chapters 13-22as Narrator / Sylvester / Pimp Lucious / Reverend Mosley James Evans / Randolph, Writer, Director
2007
R. Kelly: Live - The Light It Up Touras CANTOR, Executive Producer
2005
Trapped in the Closet: Chapters 1-12as Sylvester / Narrator, Director
2005
2003
R. Kelly: The R. in R&B - The Video Collectionas Self, Director, Music
2003
2 Fast 2 FuriousSongs
2003
2002
Estonia Dreams of Eurovision!as Self (archive footage)
2002
1999
1996
Space JamSongs
1993
1991
Up Against the WallMusic Producer
1984
1975