Allegations have floated around for years about the secret personal life of rapper R. Kelly. The perception that his dating life was not operating within legal limits has never gone away, despite adamant televise denials.
Trapped In The Closet
R. Kelly is facing a court case that alleges 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, obstruction of justice, child pornography, forced labor, and kidnapping.
We looked into his family history and a timeline of events starting in the 1990s to investigate these claims.
We report, you decide!
King of the World
Robert Sylvester Kelly is the real name of the man we know as R. Kelly, born in 1967. His industry titles include singer, record producer, songwriter, and even semi-professional basketball player.
The "King of R&B" has sold more than 75 million records worldwide, making him the 55th best-selling music artist in America. R. Kelly has Grammys, BET Awards, American Music Awards, Soul Train Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards, and even the NAACP Image Award.
Shocking Touch
How did R. Kelly get to this point, beginning life as a poor kid in a Chicago neighborhood in the 1970s? The truth is, there were more than a few bumps along the way.
Sexual abuse occurred at age 8, detailed in the rapper's autobiography several years back. He wrote about being raped by a female family member when his mother wasn't home, after enjoying an evening watching The Jeffersons and Three’s Company.
What happened next in his young life?
More Abuse Ahead
R. Kelly wrote his sexual abuse by the female family member continued until age 14. At age 10, a male friend of the family also touched him inappropriately. Why keep it hidden? He explained: "I was too afraid and too ashamed".
At age 11, R. Kelly says he was shot while riding his bike. Today, the bullet is still in his shoulder. There's dispute whether thieves attempted to steal his bike at gunpoint, or if it was a suicide attempt.
Reflecting On Hell
In recent years, R. Kelly has come to terms with this early trauma:
"I, well, definitely forgive them... As I'm older, I look at it and I know that it had to be not just about me and them, but them and somebody older than them when they were younger, and whatever happened to them when they were younger. I looked at it as if there was a sort of like, I don't know, a generational curse, so to speak, going down through the family. Not just started with her doing that to me."
Sexual abuse is no foundation to start out life, but millions of men and women out there have been forced to forge a positive path forward despite the pain.
Forbidden Love
In 1994, R. Kelly married 15-year-old Aaliyah!
The R&B singer made her debut album in 1994, aged 14. R. Kelly then in his late 20s was her main songwriter.
Their 1995 marriage certificate filed in Illinois revealed Aaliyah’s age had been falsely recorded as 18. The truth sadly went down with Aaliyah who perished in a 2001 plane crash.
"Out of respect for her mother who’s sick and her father who’s passed, I will never have that conversation with anyone," said R. Kelly in a GQ interview.
Secret Ceremony
Aged 27, R. Kelly married 15-year-old Aaliyah at a ceremony in Chicago. According to a Chicago Sun-Times story, an annulment was granted from a Michigan judge not long after.
Aaliyah's family also expunged the marriage record, and she ended her relationship with R. Kelly completely.
"When people ask me, I tell them, 'Hey, don't believe all that mess... We're close and people took it the wrong way," Aaliyah publically said regarding the experience.
Young Love, Again
In 1996, R. Kelly was sued for emotional distress and personal injuries by Tiffany Hawkins, an ex of three years.
During the lawsuit, Tiffany claimed their sexual relationship began when she was only 15 years old. R. Kelly was 24, a nine-year age difference. And illegal, too!
She originally asked for $10 million but accepted $250,000 in a 1998 settlement. R. Kelly was just at the beginning of an expensive journey, however. Who would accuse him next?
Teen Troubles
Next, R. Kelly was sued by an intern at Epic Records in 2001. Tracy Sampson accused the star of bringing her into "an indecent sexual relationship" at age 17. She said she was "treated as his personal sex object and cast aside".
During the legal proceedings, she revealed, "He often tried to control every aspect of my life including who I would see and where I would go".
R. Kelly chose to settle the case out of court.
XXX-Files
In 2002, two additional court cases popped up to sting him. Patrice Jones was a Chicago woman claiming an underage pregnancy that resulted in an abortion.
Montina Woods claimed the singer secretly videotaped them during sex, which was alleged to be the video circulating as R. Kelly Triple-X on the bootleg market.
Again, R. Kelly chose to settle the cases without a high profile court case. An undisclosed sum and a non-disclosure agreement were implemented, and the women went away.
That Pee Tape Though
In 2002, R. Kelly was charged with the most outrageous offense yet: Child pornography. A whopping 21 counts included making child pornography with intercourse, oral sex, and oddly — urination.
The Chicago police arrested him after authenticating a video sent anonymously to the local newspaper. Yikes!
R. Kelly posted $750,000 in bail, and immediately denied the accusations on MTV. In court, he pleaded not guilty. Would the world really believe him after such a public, speckled history with other underage girls?
Crap In The Closet
Six years passed before the case made it to trial, but R. Kelly didn't sit by idly. He created his famous Trapped In The Closet album, and the music world applauded. He was nominated for an NAACP Image Award during this period!
The case concluded in his favor. The prosecution couldn't prove the female in the video was underage because she decided not to testify. The jury was forced to conclude he was not guilty of all 14 counts!
Sunny Days In Florida
In the early 2000s, R. Kelly was arrested yet again for child pornography at his Florida holiday house. Police grabbed his camera during the apprehension, and more incriminating footage was discovered of young looking girls. Would these charges finally stick?
No, everything was dropped when a judge agreed with the defense team. The overzealous police, in this case, lacked evidence to justify a search in the first place. R. Kelly was finally out of the woods, right?
Kelly Cult
In 2017, bizarre allegations surfaced about an R. Kelly sex cult. Buzzfeed released a long expose where six women claimed they were abused by the star.
According to the women, the singer seduced them when they asked for help with their careers. He controlled "what they eat, how they dress, when they bathe, when they sleep, and how they engage in sexual encounters that he records".
He also held on to their phone so they couldn't call anyone for help!
Decisive Denial
R. Kelly denied the entire story! One girl cited in the story later denied the idea that she was trapped against her will, helping R. Kelly's case. Joycelyn Savage, 21, spoke to TMZ: "I'm not being brainwashed or anything like that."
The singer's lawyer said his client was "alarmed and disturbed at the recent revelations" and wanted to "work diligently and forcibly to pursue his accusers and clear his name". Would he really be able to do that?
Tour From Hell
Starting in 2017, self-described victims began approaching cameras everywhere. Kitti Jones said that R. Kelly starved her, physically abused her, and pressured her into sexual encounters with women.
She spoke to the BBC with others who knew him, and claimed the singer had scouts to locate women "that looked young".
Jones joined Asante McGee to talk about shared experiences on The Today Show. Kitty said, "I had to wear sweatpants, I had to stand up when he would walk in a room." Asante said women had to call the singer "daddy" or they'd get in trouble!
Mute That Man
In 2018, a new movement popped up on social media: #MuteRKelly. Atlanta Arts Administrator Oronike Odeleye decided to start a petition to get the singer's music off the local airwaves.
According to Oronike: “I have been hearing about R. Kelly’s sexual abuse of young black women since I was in my teens. Every few years more women come out with their stories. More images and videos surface. More black girls are scarred for life just as they are coming into their womanhood and sexuality."
And he went further: “Someone had to stand up for black women, and if I wasn’t willing to do my part—no matter how small—then I couldn’t continue to complain. It’s time for us to end this man’s career. Enough is beyond enough."
Cancel Kelly
The #MuteRKelly campaign asked record label RCA to cut ties with the star. They demanded concert promoters and streaming services comply with the boycott. At first, Apple, Spotify, and Pandora agreed to remove his hits from their playlists. Later, it was reversed!
“We will continue to disrupt, continue to demonstrate, continue to call him out, continue to raise awareness until hopefully one day soon, we can step in the name of justice at his trial.”
Activist Action
The #MuteRKelly movement says supporters should share protest social media posts with all friends and family. They can also donate to help run ads and print flyers and posters for public protests of R. Kelly's concerts.
A petition can be signed to show support for the women and pressure music services!
People are encouraged to click thumbs down on his songs on streaming services and contact local DJs to ask for an artist ban at weddings, graduations, and other events.
I Don't Admit It
Linda Mensch was his lawyer, personal assistant, and publicist all in one. She quit during this tumultuous period, though she claimed it was "unrelated to any allegations related to Mr. Kelly's social life."
Next, R. Kelly was sued by an ex for intentionally infecting her with a sexually transmitted disease. The singer said he "categorically denies all claims and allegations" through a rep.
During this period, he released I Admit, a song confessing unfaithfulness and reflecting on his childhood abuse: "Only God can mute me... Am I supposed to go to jail or lose my career because of your opinion?"
Unwanted Exposure
In 2019, another documentary led to fresh accusations. Painstakingly laid out in 6 parts, Surviving R. Kelly presented a detailed look at his personal history.
The documentary also found video footage of the parents who were trying to rescue their daughters. They hadn't seen them in years! Interviews during the series also showed his close network that seems to be enabling his bad decisions.
According to former tour manager Demetrius Smith, "That's the way it was... We worked for him. This is what he wanted and so this is what we were supposed to give him."
Following the broadcast, the singer was dropped by his record label. Then, concerts were canceled in the US and New Zealand.
Vicious Video
TV lawyer Michael Avenatti suddenly claimed he had a video showing R. Kelly and a 14-year-old girl having sex. Charges were filed in Chicago.
Initially, 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse were announced. Then, an additional 11 charges were filed for "sexual assault and abuse against a minor aged between 13 and 16". Documents described sexual acts taken "by the use of force or threat of force" against a minor.
In an emotional interview, R. Kelly denied the accusations!
Money Makes The World Go Round
Soon, nationwide charges would pile up. Separate federal cases in Illinois and New York would be joined by additional sex crimes charges in Minnesota. Prosecutors alleged a very organized attempt to transport minors over state lines for sex.
Child pornography production and a conspiracy to obstruct justice, destroy evidence, bribe witnesses, and engage in threats and racketeering were also in the legal mix.
According to R. Kelly's new lawyer, they "look forward to his day in court, to the truth coming out and to his vindication from what has been an unprecedented assault by others for their own personal gain".
Reality Check
In the meantime, R. Kelly was put in solitary confinement! His lawyer filed a motion to get bail, but this was denied. The judge agreed with prosecutors that he was a flight risk and a potential threat to witnesses. R. Kelly has entered a plea of not guilty to all charges so far.
Some experts say he is looking at a minimum of 15 years in prison! The new charges include the production of child pornography, which alone is a federal mandatory minimum of 15 years. In federal court, there is no early prole system!
Musical Mafia
Usually, racketeering charges are associated with mafia and gang crime. According to one legal expert:
“In layman’s terms, this alleged criminal enterprise seems to have been procuring, taking care of, and then paying off various victims on [Kelly’s] behalf and making sure these girls don’t speak about what’s happened to them — it’s not about making money. It’s not usually what we think of as a goal of criminal enterprise, that’s why it might feel like it’s about a commercial activity when it actually isn’t.”
Commentators expect to see government deals for testimony in the upcoming trials. Will these proceedings be fair? Is it even possible for someone like R. Kelly to get an objective hearing from the general public after a lifetime of accusations in the press?
Only time will tell, but it looks like a long, long road ahead for Robert Sylvester Kelly. Stay tuned, everyone!