R. Kelly, born on the south side of Chicago, Illinois, was inspired to become a singer by his music teacher-mentor, Lena McLinin, at Kenwood Academy High School. He started his career with a group called Public Announcement. Kelly is a master producer, composer, and performer, known for his spiritually inspirational and extremely sexual music. He gained acclaim for producing Aaliyah's debut album, "Age Ain't Nothin but a Number", and later married her, but the marriage was annulled shortly after.
Kelly continued to produce hit albums and songs, including "I Believe I Can Fly" from Space Jam and "World's Greatest" for the 1996 summer Olympics. He also collaborated with Celine Dion and married Andrea Lee, with whom he had three children.
In 2001, Kelly teamed up with Jay-Z to produce an album, "The Best of Both Worlds", but before its release, an alleged videotape of Kelly with a 14-year-old girl surfaced, sparking backlash and allegations of child pornography. Kelly denied the allegations and was later acquitted.
Kelly continued to release music, including the album "Chocolate Factory" and the song "Snake", which became the basis for the reggae riddim "Baghdad". He also released the album "TP.3", which included the song "Trapped in the Closet: Chapters 1-12", a bold and daring experiment in R&B and soap opera.
Throughout his career, Kelly has been known for his talent and innovative approach to music, but has also faced controversy and criticism due to his personal life and legal issues.
