R. Kelly makes clemency appeal to President Donald Trump

R. Kelly has filed for clemency with the US Department of Justice’s Office of the Pardon Attorney.

The disgraced rapper’s lawyer, Beau B. Brindley, told TMZ on Wednesday that he had worked with Kelly on the petition to reduce his 30-year sentence.

The I Believe I Can Fly singer is seeking to commute his combined sentence stemming from his two convictions. He is currently behind bars at a medium-security prison in North Carolina, after he was found guilty of federal racketeering, sex trafficking and several other offences.

Brindley also told the outlet that Kelly is experiencing multiple health issues as a result of his incarceration, including a potentially dangerous blood clot in his neck.

Kelly was convicted in New York on nine counts of racketeering and sex trafficking charges in September 2021. The following year, he was found guilty of producing and receiving child pornography and enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity in his Chicago case.

Kelly has vehemently denied all allegations of sexual abuse, sex trafficking and racketeering. The Ignition musician appealed the court’s decision, but the judge’s ruling was upheld in February last year. Kelly then asked the Supreme Court to overturn his conviction, but the request to hear his case was denied in June 2025.

Kelly will be eligible for release around January 2046.

Trump has not yet publicly commented on Kelly’s case nor his request for assistance.