Does R Kelly's Family Have To Deal With His Negative $2 Million Net Worth?
R Kelly has steadily become one of the most reviled men in the music biz. The “I Believe I Can Fly” singer has been on an endless downward spiral ever since news of his alleged pedophilia first surfaced. Now, he is finally on trial, having been charged with 22 federal counts. His downfall has been detrimental not only to himself but his family as well.
Had he not allegedly groomed underage girls and boys for decades, R Kelly would now be worth a whopping $200 million. However, he is now left with a negative net worth of -$2 million. This has been disastrous for the disgraced singer's family. Does R Kelly's family have to deal with his negative $2 million net worth on top of everything else? Keep reading to find out.
7 How Did R Kelly End Up With A Negative Net Worth?
Back in the '90s and 2000s, R Kelly was flying high, amassing millions of dollars through his hit songs, the most famous of which, "I Believe I Can Fly", appeared on the soundtrack to Space Jam. However, he soon saw his account balance dwindle due to owing the IRS millions in back taxes and facing hefty legal bills when he was accused of creating and disseminating child pornography in 2002.
6 The Negative Association With Being R Kelly's Child
R Kelly's daughter Joann Kelly, better known as Buku Abi, is a singer in her own right, having relseased her album Don't Call Me in 2019. Despite her immense talent, she cannot escape the stigma of being the daughter of an alleged predator. This has led to issues with propelling her own music career, which has inevitably impacted her financial situation.
"I definitely run across challenges — people wanting to work with me to spite him or people not wanting to work with me just because of who he is," she told the Hollywood Reporter in 2019. "I’ve definitely come across turmoil … being judged for really no reason at all, just based off associations."
5 R Kelly Hasn't Been Paying His Child Support
With a negative net worth, it should come as little surprise that R Kelly hasn't been paying his child support bills. In fact, he was sent to jail in 2019 over unpaid child support. According to reports, he owed more than $160,000 in upaid maintenance payments.
On top of having the detrimental association with the name R Kelly, the singer's family are also left suffering due to his negative net worth.
4 A Court Ordered That His Royalties Should Pay For His Child Support Bills, But Did They Receive Any Money?
Following his legal troubles relating to unpaid child support, a judge ordered that Kelly use his royalty payments to pay off the past-due debts. The judge cautioned the singer that he could stave off further jail time as long as he kept up with monthly payments. It is uncertain whether his family actually received this money, however, as Kelly's attorney, Devereaux Cannick, has recently claimed in court that the star's "funds are depleted."
3 He Claims He Can't Pay Child Support Because His Ex-Wife Is "Destroying" His Name
R Kelly's ex-wife, Drea, has been vocal in her condemnation of her former spouse, having featured prominently in the documentary exposé Surviving R Kelly. But her bravery comes at a cost. In addition to surviving the abuse she allegedly endured at the hands of the singer, she is also suffering due to his financial situation.
However, Kelly blames his money woes on Drea, launching an invective against her during his now infamous Gayle King interview. "How can I pay child support? How? If my ex-wife is destroying my name and I can't work? How can I work? How can I get paid?" he beseeched.
2 He Has A Pot Of Gold In A Royalties Account, But His Family Isn't Benefiting From It
The Chicago Sun Times has reported that, despite his negative net worth, R Kelly has $1.5 million in a royalties account with Sony. However, his family do not benefit from this vast amount of money. This is because the money partly goes to his former landlord, who is one of his accusers, to pay off past-due rent. Subsequently, the royalties account was frozen and his family is unable to access it.
1 He Allegedly Offered His Brother Money To Take The Rap
According to Kelly's brother Carey Kelly, the singer offered him money to take the rap for his child pornography charges. As reported by the Metro, "he was offered a car, a record deal, and $50,000 to say it was him appearing in the 27-minute-long sex tape."
But Carey Kelly refused. He claims that he told his brother, "Let me tell you something, man. You ain’t got enough money for me to say that’s me. Because it ain’t worth me selling my soul." This incident exemplifies R Kelly’s laissez faire attitude towards his finances, which has ultimately left deep wounds in the lives of his relatives.
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