Robert Sylvester Kelly, known professionally as R. Kelly, is an American recording artist, songwriter, record producer, and convicted sex offender. A native of Chicago, Illinois, often referred to as the King of R&B, Kelly began performing during the late 1980s and debuted in 1992 with the group Public Announcement. In 1993, Kelly went solo, releasing 14 albums in his career. Kelly has also written, produced, and remixed songs and albums for many artists. On September 27, 2021, he was convicted in a New York City criminal courthouse on all counts of sexual misconduct, racketeering, bribery and violations of the Mann act.