by Sherrill Fulghum

Created on: May 28, 2008

Like Bad Bad Leroy Brown R Kelly was born on the south side of Chicago. He shares a birthday with British rock star and legend David Bowie Robert Sylvester Kelly was born on January 8.

In an age when creative classes are the first things to go when the school budget gets tight; Kelly was lucky to have a music teacher. It was that music teacher who inspired Kelly to on to a singing career.

R Kelly's music combines hip-hop beats, funk, soul, urban, and R&B. His lyrics are also very explicit; not something that is suitable for all audiences.

R Kelly's first foray into the music business was as a part of a group known as Public Assistance. Kelly released his first album in 1992. But it wasn't until 1993 when Kelly released the album "12 Play" that he came to the notice of the to music buying public. The album went on to sell six million copies and was certified multi platinum. An album is certified platinum when it sells one million copies and an additional platinum is added for each additional million album copies sold.

Before the end of the decade was over R Kelly would become one of the top selling male artists with the most singles in the top ten on the Billboard charts. R Kelly has sold some 24 million albums around the world.

R Kelly has seen six of his albums sell at least two million copies with one "R" selling the most with eight million copies. His self titled album "R Kelly" sold five minnion copies, "TP-2.COM" sold four million copies, "Chocolate Factory" sold two million and "Happy People Saved" sold three million. R Kelly's two video projects "Trapped in the Closet" also went platinum.

R Kelly has two collaborations with rapper Jay Z. While the albums were flops both of the albums went on to be certified platinum with each selling one million copies. Besides the Jay Z collaborations R Kelly has had songs appear on the soundtracks of "Space Jam", "Batman", and "Ali". The song "I Believe I Can Fly" from the movie "Space Jam" won R Kelly three Grammy Awards.

With all his success R Kelly could not escape controversy. Kelly has had several accusations made toward him for having intimate relations with teen aged girls. Because of these accusations which first appeared in the nineties some fans and radio stations refused to play, buy, or support the artist. Despite such setbacks R Kelly has still had a successful career a R&B artist.

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