The Allegations Against R. Kelly: An Abridged History
R. Kelly is no stranger to unsettling allegations.
The R&B superstar born Robert Kelly has ushered in the new year dogged by a slew of damaging headlines — in this case, prompted by TV's Surviving R. Kelly. But the roots of the broad case laid out by the six-part Lifetime docuseries, filled as it is with claims of abuse and statutory rape, date back about a quarter-century at least.
Kelly has been the subject of investigations, indictments, lawsuits and disavowals — and through it all, he has asserted that he did not commit any wrongdoing.
What follows is an attempt to explain how 25 years of controversy led to this moment. Not every notable date is included in this timeline. In particular, the many lawsuits against Kelly — beginning in the mid-1990s and continuing through the present day — have been left out for the sake of clarity.
Jump to the story behind a specific date by clicking it in the list below, or simply scroll down to begin at the beginning.
- Aug. 31, 1994: R. Kelly, then 27 years old, marries Aaliyah, then 15
- Dec. 21, 2000: Chicago Sun-Times prints the first allegations of sex with minors
- Feb. 8, 2002: Chicago police reveal investigation into alleged child pornography
- June 5, 2002: Kelly indicted on 21 counts of child pornography
- May 9, 2008: Trial begins in Kelly's case in Chicago
- June 13, 2008: Kelly is acquitted on all counts
- July 17, 2017: BuzzFeed publishes stories of women in Kelly's alleged "sex cult"
- July 23, 2018: Kelly releases 19-minute song, "I Admit"
- Kelly's ex-wife
