R. Kelly Net Worth (Money & Salary)
R. Kelly Net Worth (Money & Salary)
March 18, 2025
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R. Kelly’s net worth – What is it?
An American singer, songwriter, actor, and record producer, R. Kelly has a net worth of negative $2 million. During his prime, R. Kelly amassed a fortune that could have exceeded $100 million. However, as of April 2020, Kelly revealed in court that he owes close to $1.9 million to the IRS alone, along with other debts. For a more detailed analysis of R. Kelly’s financial situation and peak success, read on below.
In the 1990s, R. Kelly was incredibly popular and successful, earning nicknames like the “King of R&B” and “the Pied Piper of R&B.” His hits, including “Bump n’ Grind,” “I Believe I Can Fly,” and “Trapped in the Closet,” were chart-toppers. Selling nearly 40 million albums in the US and another 54 million worldwide, Kelly established himself as a music legend. He garnered 24 Grammy nominations, winning three.
Notorious for both his musical achievements and controversial personal life, R. Kelly faced several charges and was convicted of serious crimes, resulting in a lengthy prison sentence. Convicted of sex trafficking, child pornography, and racketeering, Kelly is currently incarcerated at the FCI Butner Medium I prison complex as of 2023.
Jason Kempin/Getty Images
Beginnings and Early Career Life
Robert Sylvester Kelly, born on January 8, 1967, on the south side of Chicago, gained recognition as a subway musician after dropping out of high school. His big break came when he won $100,000 on the TV show Big Break. Signing with Jive Records in 1991, his group Public Announcement released the album “Born into the 90s” in 1993.
Accolades
In 1993, R. Kelly launched his solo debut album “12 Play,” which went six times platinum partly due to the hit single “Bump n’ Grind.” Simultaneously, Kelly ventured into producing records for other artists, including Aaliyah, whom he introduced to the music scene.
Contributing hit songs to artists like Michael Jackson and Destiny’s Child, Kelly’s success continued with albums like “R. Kelly” and singles like “I Believe I Can Fly,” which won three Grammy Awards.
Releasing numerous successful albums in the 2000s and the hip-hop opera Trapped in the Closet, Kelly’s career was prosperous until legal troubles struck.
R. Kelly (MATT CAMPBELL/AFP/Getty Images)
With 14 studio albums, five compilations, and three collaborations, Kelly’s honors include three Grammys and several other prestigious awards. His albums “Black Panties” and “The Buffet,” released in 2013 and 2015, were well-received. Having embarked on 12 worldwide tours between 1994 and 2013, Kelly’s influence on music has been profound.
(Photo by Mike Pont/Getty Images)
Life Outside Music
In 1994, Kelly married Aaliyah secretly when she was just 15, sparking controversy over their relationship starting when she was 13 or 14. After annulling the marriage in 1995, Kelly married dancer Andrea Lee, with whom he had three children before separating in 2009.
Untangling Finances
If not for his legal battles, R. Kelly’s net worth could have exceeded $50-100 million. Settling multiple lawsuits for allegations of abuse cost Kelly a considerable portion of his fortune, especially during his marriage to Andrea Lee.
His financial woes deepened in 2012 when he owed $4.8 million in unpaid taxes to the IRS, allocated over several years.
- $1,472,366.77 for 2005
- $710,520.51 for 2006
- $376,180.11 for 2007
- $1,122,694.90 for 2008
- $173,815.18 for 2009
- $992,495.24 for 2010
Totaling $4,848,072.71
Monetary and Legal Woes
In July 2018, Kelly released a 19-minute track on Spotify addressing his allegations and financial struggles. Admitting to being broke and owing the IRS $20 million at one point, Kelly revealed he borrowed millions from his label to cover expenses. His inability to tour globally has further compounded his financial crisis.
Frequently blocked by protests are R. Kelly’s U.S. tours and his controversies. Services like Spotify have ceased including his songs in their public playlists. Although individuals can still stream his music from their personal accounts on Spotify, his songs will not be recommended in public playlists such as Discover Weekly or other Spotify-curated playlists and radio channels.
Building inspectors in Chicago were granted permission in January 2019 to search R. Kelly’s recording studio due to reports of multiple renovations without permits. R. Kelly has rented the studio since 2017, as he does not own it. At the time of inspection, the 8,000-square-foot building was listed for sale at $4 million. Concurrently, the building owner filed a lawsuit against R. Kelly for unpaid rent. The lawsuit revealed that Kelly owed $167,000 in rent, as his monthly rent was $23,000 and he hadn’t paid for seven months.
RCA/Sony, R. Kelly’s record label, announced on January 14 that they were halting the release of his future music, essentially cutting off his income. Kelly was obligated to deliver two more albums under his existing record contract with RCA/Sony. Furthermore, RCA/Sony declined to fund new music videos. Following the release of the documentary “Surviving R. Kelly” in 2019, which detailed his sexual misconduct with minors, RCA Records terminated his contract.
In late February 2019, R. Kelly faced a series of new charges leading to his arrest. His bail was set at $1 million, with an option to pay $100,000 for release. Kelly struggled to gather the money and had to wait several days. Ultimately, a woman named Valencia Love provided the $100,000, with her relationship to R. Kelly remaining unclear. During his incarceration, Kelly’s ex-wife Andrea initiated legal action seeking $160,000 in unpaid child support.
In 2023, reports surfaced that Federal prosecutors aimed to garnish R. Kelly’s music royalties to compensate two of his victims, potentially holding the record label accountable for up to $500,000.
Real Estate
In 1994, R. Kelly acquired an 8,400 square-foot mansion in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood dating back to the early 1900s for $1.107 million. He later sold the mansion in 2002 for $2.25 million.
In 1997, R. Kelly purchased a 4-acre lakefront property in Olympia Fields, a Chicago suburb, and built a 14,000-square-foot mansion known as “the Chocolate Factory.” The mansion featured six bedrooms, eight bathrooms, an indoor pool, home theater, and basketball court, and was appraised at $5.2 million in 2009. Legal disputes arose in 2007 when neighbors sued Kelly for illegal parking of his tour bus, unauthorized guard house construction, and breeding dogs on the property.
While owning the mansion, Kelly held a nearly $3 million mortgage with JP Morgan Chase bank. In 2011, the bank commenced foreclosure proceedings after Kelly reportedly missed mortgage payments for about a year. The home was auctioned in March 2013, with JP Morgan bidding $950,000. Subsequently, the bank sold the property in November 2013 for $587,500 to singer Rudolph Isley. In 2024, Rudolph’s widow listed the property, now named “The Isley Estate,” for $3.49 million. Here is a video tour of R. Kelly’s former “Chocolate Factory,” now known as “The Isley Estate”:
All other properties owned by R. Kelly, including a residence in Atlanta and a condo in Chicago’s Trump International, were rented. In 2018, Kelly faced eviction from two homes in Atlanta due to unpaid rent exceeding $30,000.
The data provided is from 2023 and 2024, with forecasted data extending to 2025, 2026, 2027, and 2028.
* This information was taken from various sources around the world, including these countries:
Australia, Canada, USA, UK, UAE, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Indonesia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Kenya, US, United Kingdom, United States of America, Malaysia, U.S., South Africa, New Zealand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates.
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antarctica, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan.
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Bouvet Island, Brazil, British Indian Ocean Territory, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi.
Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling Islands), Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Croatia (Hrvatska), Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic.
Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Faroe Islands, Fiji, Finland, France, Metropolitan, French Guiana, French Polynesia, French Southern Territories.
Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Heard and McDonald Islands, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy.
Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg.
Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar.
Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, New Zealand (NZ), Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway.
Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Pitcairn, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and The Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe.
Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, St. Helena, St. Pierre and Miquelon, Sudan, Suriname, Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria.
Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates (UAE), UK (United Kingdom), USA (United States of America, U.S.), US Minor Outlying Islands.
Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vatican City State (Holy See), Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands (British), Virgin Islands (US), Wallis and Futuna Islands, Western Sahara, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
R. Kelly Net Worth (Money & Salary)
