R Kelly Reveals Massive Streaming Income Despite Being Locked Up

R Kelly is one of the most disgraced figures in modern music. The R&B superstar was found guilty of federal racketeering and sex trafficking involving sexual abuse of minors in 2019. He’s been behind bars ever since. He’s been unable to record new music since being locked up, but his bank account suggests that he doesn’t have to. R Kelly paid off a massive federal judgement on November 29. One that would’ve been impossible to satisfy were it not for the fact that he still earns a healthy income from his old music.

AllHipHop confirms that R Kelly paid a $520,549.90 federal judgment that was connected to his criminal convictions. The judgement was formally announced on December 7, 2022, and broke down into sizable chunks. R Kelly was ordered to pay $379,649.90 in restitution, in addition to a $100,000 fine, a $40,000 assessment from the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, and a special assessment for $900. A bit over $520K in total, which Kelly managed to satisfy in one massive payment. It may seem odd to consider the fact that the Pied Piper of R&B is still pulling in thousands of dollars, but it’s true.

Lifetime aired the three-part docuseries Surviving R Kelly in 2019. The series detailed the allegations against the singer in gruesome detail. It also featured firsthand accounts from Kelly’s alleged victims. It’s the sort of expose that ends careers, and it did, to an extent. R Kelly has not released new music since the docuseries aired. That said, the singer’s old catalog experience a massive boost in streaming after Surviving R Kelly took the culture by storm. Billboard reported that Kelly’s old music earned 4.3 million on-demand streams in the U.S. This represented a 116% jump from the week before documentary aired.

Songs like “Ignition (Remix),” “Bump N’ Grind,” and “Same Girl” saw massive boosts in terms of Spotify streams. “Same Girl,” for example, increased by 126% following Surviving R Kelly‘s final episode. Interest has waned somewhat in the five years since the docuseries premiered. Regardless, Kel’s music remains beloved by many. He continues to earn sizable incomes from various streaming platforms, and will likely continue to do so for the duration of his prison sentence.