Robert Sylvester Kelly (born January 8, 1967) better known by his stage name R. Kelly, is an American soul and R&B singer-songwriter, occasional rapper, and record producer. Debuting in 1992 with the group Public Announcement, Kelly went solo within a year for a successful solo career starting with the album, 12 Play (1993). Kelly has been known for a collection of hit singles including "Bump N' Grind", "I Believe I Can Fly", "Ignition" and the hip-hopera "Trapped in the Closet".