DISGRACED singer-songwriter R. Kelly has made millions throughout his career but after spending the last few years behind bars his bank balance has drastically worsened.
The dark world of the convicted criminal was made public in 2019 in a bombshell documentary titled "Surviving R. Kelly" which is set to resurface on TV screens tonight in the UK.
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What is R. Kelly's net worth?
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Robert Sylvester Kelly has an estimated net worth of around minus $2million.
It was revealed in 2020 that Kelly owes over $1.9million to the Internal Revenue Service.
At the peak of his career, it is estimated that Kelly was worth around $100million.
Accusations made against R. Kelly and his convictions
Since the 90s, R. Kelly has faced several sex crime accusations.
Some of them have been dismissed, others he is now in jail for.
Here we take a look at those accusations and the crimes he was found guilty of:
1996:Teenager Tiffany Hawkins sues Kelly for 'inappropriate sexual conduct' - the case was settled out of court for £250K.
2002:Kelly is charged with 21 counts of making child pornography. He is acquitted of all charges.
2017:The singer is accused of running a “sex cult” , something he denied.
2019:Kelly is arrested on federal charges alleging sex crimes, people trafficking and obstruction of justice The charges against him included child pornography, kidnapping and forced labour.
2021:The singer is found guilty in September 2021 on all nine charges against him. He is sentenced to 30 years in prison.
2022: Kelly faces a second trial, this time he is found guilty ofsexually abusing his 14-year-old goddaughterand of sexual misconduct with two other minors around the same time period, as well.
2023:The shamed star is jailed for a second time, his sentence is 20 years.
He splashed his cash during his career with one of the biggest purchases being a luxury mansion in Atlanta.
It is alleged that the home is the spot where R. Kelly held women captive and forced them to participate in orgies.
The property was sold in 2022 for $1.7million after the sadistic truths around the house were revealed.
Who is R. Kelly?
A Chicago native, R. Kelly broke into the R&B scene in 1993 with his first successful solo album, 12 Play.
Kelly is widely known for his musical career and his "gospel-like vocals and highly sexualized lyrics," according to Britannica.
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Despite being trained to sing in churches. Kelly's music is far from holy and features some questionable messages.
At age 16, Kelly and his family moved from the projects, and he was enlisted in a prestigious school, Kenwood Academy.
R. Kelly guilty on multiple counts in sex abuse trial
His teacher entered him in a local talent show to perform a Stevie Wonder song.
Then at 22 years old, Kelly and his then-group, MGM, won a $100K cash prize for competing on the television show, Big Break.
They eventually broke up due to a conflict over the money.
Kelly would go on to have the most successful career out of his bandmates.
What are R. Kelly's most popular songs?
R. Kelly exploded onto the music scene in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
He quickly managed to gain more Billboard Top 40 hits than any other male solo artist at the time and cemented his legacy of a great of his era.
According to Billboard, Step in the Name of Love (2011) is his third most popular song of all time, followed by Bump n' Grind (1993) and I Wish (2000).
Some of his other biggest hits include Ignition (2003) and Same Girl (2007).
He also made the iconic track I Believe I Can Fly (1995), featured in the basketball movie Space Jam.
But in 2021, R. Kelly was found guilty of nine charges made against him.
These included bribery, forced labor, kidnapping, exploitation of a child, racketeering - involving six alleged victims - and sexual trafficking across state lines.
On Wednesday, June 29, 2022, R. Kelly was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
How much is the R. Kelly catalogue worth?
The price of R. Kelly’s catalogue is rumoured to be worth up to $21million, say Billboard.
Reports aid Kelly tried to sell off his music rights when he was arrested to try and find some cash but it is widely believed that no one offered a penny to get them.
Despite the $21million potential, the price is thought to have significantly dropped since he was arrested back in 2019.
His radio airtime dropped by up to 95 per cent since the allegations came out and his music became shunned in public.
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The latest estimates before he was found guilty of several crimes valued his music between $8.4million and $10.5million.
Although the source told Billboard the guilty sentence would result in it being a "fire sale" meaning a further huge discount would've been expected.
But even with the discounts, one popular music buyer claims they "wouldn’t go near it with a 10-foot pole”.
How to watch Surviving R. Kelly?
The documentary into the crimes of the disgraced rapper will air on Channel 4 in the UK tonight at 12:05am.
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Titled Surviving R Kelly, it features comments from alleged victims and was partly responsible the public push for his arrest back in 2019.
The powerful series was first aired on Netflix in 2019 and is still available on the streaming platform in many regions.
Sexual assault helplines and support
IF you or someone you know is affected by any issues raised in this story then we are here to help.
Try calling RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) at 800-656-HOPE (4673).
Alternatively call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
Or see if your area has a sexual assault referral center or similar support group.
They provide a safe space and dedicated care for people who have been raped, sexually assaulted, or abused.
Remember, it is never too late to speak up.
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