M R Kelly Popular Books

M R Kelly Biography & Facts

Robert Sylvester Kelly (born January 8, 1967) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and convicted felon. He achieved tremendous success in R&B, hip hop, and popular music, earning nicknames such as "the King of R&B", "the King of Pop-Soul", and "the Pied Piper of R&B". However, his illustrious career has been overshadowed by convictions involving the sexual abuse of minors, including federal racketeering and sex trafficking charges in 2021 and 2022, for which he is currently serving a 31-year prison sentence.Kelly has released 18 studio albums which yielded a number of hit singles, including "I Believe I Can Fly", "Bump N' Grind", "Your Body's Callin'", "Fiesta (Remix)", "Ignition (Remix)", "Step in the Name of Love (Remix)", "If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time", "The World's Greatest", "I'm a Flirt (Remix)", and the hip hopera Trapped in the Closet. In 1998, he won three Grammy Awards for "I Believe I Can Fly".In addition to his own recordings, Kelly's extensive songwriting and production work for other artists include credits for Michael Jackson, Britney Spears, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, The Isley Brothers, Aaliyah, Toni Braxton, Luther Vandross, Mary J. Blige, Trisha Yearwood, and B2K, among others. In 1996, Kelly received a Grammy Award nomination for writing and producing "You Are Not Alone" for Jackson, which also earned a Guinness World Record as the first song in history to debut atop the Billboard Hot 100. Kelly's 1998 collaboration with Dion, "I'm Your Angel" did so once more. Kelly has sold over 75 million albums and singles worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time, and the most successful R&B male artist of the 1990s. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has recognized Kelly as one of the best-selling music artists in the United States with 40 million albums sold. In March 2011, Kelly was named the most successful R&B artist of the last 25 years by Billboard. Throughout his career, Kelly has been awarded Grammy Awards, BET Awards, Soul Train Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards, NAACP Image Awards, and American Music Awards. Following leaked video recordings, Kelly was prosecuted on child pornography charges in 2002, leading to a controversial trial that ended with his acquittal in 2008 on all charges. Renewed interest in the allegations resulted in additional investigations by law enforcement beginning in 2019, which led to multiple convictions and Kelly's arrest. In 2021 and 2022, Kelly was convicted on multiple charges involving child sexual abuse. As of 2023, Kelly is serving a 31-year combined sentence at FCI Butner Medium I. Early life Robert Sylvester Kelly was born on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois, on January 8, 1967, at Chicago Lying-In Hospital (now University of Chicago Medical Center) in the city's Hyde Park neighborhood. He has five siblings (three of whom are half), two older sisters and brother, along with a younger brother and sister. His mother, Joanne, was a schoolteacher and devout Baptist. She was born in Arkansas. The identity of his father, who was absent from Kelly's life and later raised two children, is not known. His family lived in the Ida B. Wells Homes public housing project in the Black Metropolis–Bronzeville District of Chicago's Douglas neighborhood, also on the city's south side. Around the time he was five years old, Kelly's mother married his stepfather, Lucious, who reportedly worked for an airline. Kelly began singing in the church choir at age eight. Trauma and abuse Kelly described having a girlfriend, Lulu, at age eight, in his autobiography. He stated that their last play date turned tragic when, after fighting with older children over a play area by a creek, she was pushed into the water, swept downstream by a fast-moving current, and drowned. Kelly called Lulu his first musical inspiration.Kelly said members of his household would act differently when his mother and grandparents were not home. This included highly provocative dress and behavior. Kelly stated that when he was eight, an adult woman in the household coerced him into photographing her while having intercourse with an adult male partner.From age 8 to 14, he was often sexually abused by an older female family member. Kelly's younger brother, Carey, stated that he suffered from years of sexual abuse at the hands of his older sister, Theresa, who was entrusted with babysitting her siblings. Carey stated that although their older brother, Bruce, was spared and allowed to play outside, both he and Kelly were punished at separate times indoors by Theresa, who refused to acknowledge the abuse when confronted years later.Explaining why he never told anyone, Kelly's 2012 autobiography, Soulacoaster: The Diary of Me, explained that he was "too afraid and too ashamed". Around age 10, Kelly was also sexually abused by an older male who was a friend of the family. In his autobiography, Kelly describes being shot in the shoulder at age 13 by boys who were attempting to steal his bike, although a family friend claims his mother disputed this, stating that the gunshot was self-inflicted during a suicide attempt. Turn toward music In September 1980, Kelly entered Kenwood Academy in the city's Hyde Park-Kenwood district, where he met music teacher Lena McLin, who encouraged Kelly to perform Stevie Wonder's "Ribbon in the Sky" in the high school talent show. A shy Kelly put on sunglasses, was escorted onto the stage, performed the song, and was awarded first prize. McLin encouraged Kelly to leave the high school basketball team and concentrate on music. She said he was furious at first, but after his performance in the talent show, he changed his mind. Kelly was diagnosed with dyslexia, which left him unable to read or write. Kelly dropped out of high school after attending Kenwood Academy for one year. He began performing in the subway under the Chicago "L" tracks. He regularly busked at the "L" stop on the Red Line's Jackson station in the Loop.In his youth, Kelly played basketball with Illinois state champion basketball player Ben Wilson and later sang "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" at Wilson's funeral. Musical career During his recording career, Kelly sold over 75 million records worldwide, making him the most commercially successful male R&B artist of the 1990s and one of the world's best-selling music artists. He won three Grammys for his song "I Believe I Can Fly", and was also nominated for his song "You Are Not Alone" recorded by Michael Jackson. Critics dubbed him "the King of R&B" while he billed himself the "Pied Piper of R&B". 1989–1994: Born into the 90's and 12 Play MGM (Musically Gifted Men or Mentally Gifted Men) was formed in 1989 with Robert Kelly, Marc McWilliams, Vincent Walker and Shawn Brooks. In 1990, MGM were offered a contract with an independent label, Tavdash Records. Shortly after, they recorded and relea.... Discover the M R Kelly popular books. Find the top 100 most popular M R Kelly books.

Best Seller M R Kelly Books of 2024

  • The Brown Reader synopsis, comments

    The Brown Reader

    Judy Sternlight

    “To be up all night in the darkness of your youth but to be ready for the day to come…that was what going to Brown felt like.” Jeffrey EugenidesIn celebration of Brown University’s...

  • Mammoth Books presents That Haunted Feeling synopsis, comments

    Mammoth Books presents That Haunted Feeling

    Barbara Roden, Chris Bell, John Gaskin, M.R. James, Michael Kelly, Reggie Oliver, Richard Christian Matheson & Stephen Jones

    Six short stories to shake you to your core.Out and Back by Barbara RodenAn abandoned amusement park attracts unwary thrill seekersThe Game of Bear Reggie Oliver & M. R. James...

  • Those Last 10 Pounds synopsis, comments

    Those Last 10 Pounds

    R.M. Kelly

    Harriet is finally figuring things out as a single mom with a blossoming action star career when her new, sweet and sexy, trainer Colton makes Harriet realize how much better life ...