The marriage was annulled in February 1995 at the behest of Aaliyah's family by a Michigan judge. Kelly stating that Aaliyah was aged 14 years less than a year before the marriage took place. In 2019, a contemporaneous video surfaced showing R. Kelly had been introduced to Aaliyah by her uncle, Barry Hankerson, just three years prior when she was 12 years old.

In a 2008 interview, Kelly's tour manager, Demetrius Smith, said that he facilitated the wedding by obtaining falsified identification for Aaliyah which listed her as 18 years of age. Upon meeting Kelly and prior to the nuptials, Aaliyah admitted she had falsely stated she was 18. Kelly separated from the group in January 1993.Īccording to Vibe and the Chicago Sun-Times, 27-year-old Kelly and 15-year-old protégée Aaliyah were illegally married in a secret ceremony on August 31, 1994, in Cook County. This would be the only album co-credited with Public Announcement. During late 1992, Kelly and Public Announcement embarked on a tour entitled '60653' after the zip code of their Chicago neighborhood. Released during the new jack swing period of the early 1990s, the album yielded the R&B hits 'She's Got That Vibe', 'Honey Love', 'Dedicated', and 'Slow Dance (Hey Mr. Subsequently, Kelly's debut album Born into the 90's was released in early 1992 (credited as R. Kelly went on to win the $100,000 grand prize. Kelly gained national recognition in 1989 when he, along with Marc McWilliams, Vincent Walker and Shawn Brooks, participated on the talent TV show Big Break, hosted by Natalie Cole. He would later name his eldest daughter after her. Kelly was extremely close to his mother Joanne, who took him with her to church and a local club where she performed. In 1990, MGM recorded and released one single 'Why You Wanna Play Me' after its release the group disbanded. In 1989, they formed the group MGM (Musically Gifted Men). He dropped out of high school and as a teenager, Kelly began street performing under the Chicago Transportation Authority 'El' tracks and eventually formed a group with friends Marc McWilliams, Vincent Walker and Shawn Brooks. An undiagnosed and untreated learning disability, believed to be dyslexia, left Kelly unable to read or write. Kelly played basketball with the late Illinois state champion basketball player Ben Wilson and sang 'It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday' at Wilson's funeral.

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