R. Kelly
Known for: Acting
Robert Sylvester Kelly (born January 8, 1967) is an American former singer, songwriter, record producer, and convicted sex offender. Known professionally as R. Kelly, he is credited with prolific commercial success in R&B, hip hop, and pop music recordings, earning nicknames such as 'the King of R&B', 'the King of Pop-Soul', and 'the Pied Piper of R&B'. In 2025, Billboard ranked him 9th on their list of the 'Best R&B Artists of All Time'. In 2023, Kelly was convicted of multiple charges of child sexual abuse—three of thirteen charges of production of child pornography and three charges of enticing a child, effectively ending his career. As of 2025, he is serving a 31-year combined sentence at FCI Butner Medium I in North Carolina.
Filmography
Series
Late Show with David Letterman
Self - Musical Guest
1993
Series
Saturday Night Live
Self - Musical Guest
1975
Series
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self
2003
Series
MTV Video Music Awards
Self
1984
Series
American Music Awards
Self - Musical Guest
1974
Series
Trapped in the Closet
2005
Series
Surviving R. Kelly
Self (archive footage)
2019
Film
IMPACT x Nightline: Diddy: Drugs, Lies, & Freak Offs
Self (archive footage)
2024
Film
R Kelly: Sex, Girls and Videotapes
Himself (archive Footage)
2018
Film
R. Kelly: The R. in R&B - The Video Collection
Self
2003
Film
Estonia Dreams of Eurovision!
Self (archive footage)
2002
Series
Teen Choice Awards
Self
1999
Film
Trapped in the Closet: Chapters 23-33
Narrator / Sylvester / Pimp Lucius / Dr William T. Perry / Reverend Mosley James Evans / Beeno / Interviewer
2012
Film
Trapped in the Closet: Chapters 1-33
Sylvester/Pimp Lucius/William Perry
2012
Film
Trapped in the Closet: Chapters 1-22
Sylvester / Narrator / Pimp Lucious / Reverend Mosley James Evans / Randolph
2007
Film
Surviving R. Kelly: The Impact
Self (archive footage)
2019
Film
Hype Williams: The Videos Vol. 1
2002
Film
Trapped in the Closet: Chapters 1-12
Sylvester / Narrator
2005
Film
Trapped in the Closet: Chapters 13-22
Narrator / Sylvester / Pimp Lucious / Reverend Mosley James Evans / Randolph
2007
Film
R. Kelly: Live - The Light It Up Tour
CANTOR
2007
Film
The Gayle King Interview with R. Kelly
Himself
2019
The One8 Project: Hands Across the World
Himself
2011