R. Kelly (birth name: Robert Sylvester Kelly) is serving time in prison for his racketeering and sexual abuse crimes, but recently, a report surfaced about an alleged drug overdose behind bars at the hands of prison staff. As a result, the disgraced former hip-hop artist was reportedly rushed to a hospital. Below, we’re breaking down everything we know so far about Kelly’s reported hospitalization.
Where Is R. Kelly Now?
Kelly is behind bars at FCI Butner Medium I in North Carolina. He is serving a combined prison sentence of 31 years after being convicted of nine counts of “a superseding indictment charging him with racketeering predicated on criminal conduct including sexual exploitation of children, forced labor and Mann Act violations involving the coercion and transportation of women and girls in interstate commerce to engage in illegal sexual activity,” according to the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Homeland Security Investigations.
Did R. Kelly Overdose?
AllHipHop reported on June 16, 2025, that attorney Beau B. Brindley claimed Kelly had overdosed in solitary confinement after allegedly being given extra medication by prison employees.
“That means that, within two days of the filing of his motion, Bureau of Prisons officials administered an amount of medication that significantly exceeded a safe dose and caused Mr. Kelly to overdose, putting his life in jeopardy,” Brindley said, according to the outlet. “They gave him an amount of medicine that could have killed him.”
Is R. Kelly at the Hospital?
According to AllHipHop, Kelly was hospitalized after allegedly being drugged by prison staff. In court filings from an emergency motion obtained by the outlet, the former R&B singer was placed in isolation on June 10, 2025, and was administered additional medication by staff members on June 12. The following morning, Kelly reportedly felt dizzy and experienced vision loss before being brought to Duke University Hospital.
It’s unclear what the alleged drug in question was.
Doctors kept Kelly under observation for two days after discovering he had been given a “life-threatening dose” of medication, the outlet reported. Furthermore, they found blood clots in both of Kelly’s lungs and legs, according to AllHipHop. After medical staff recommended surgery for Kelly, prison officials allegedly took Kelly out of the hospital.
“Within an hour, officers with guns came into his hospital room and removed Mr. Kelly,” Brindley claimed, per AllHipHop. “He was taken from the hospital against his will and against the directives of the doctors. He was denied the surgery he needs to clear blood clots in his lungs that threaten his life. This happened. This will be confirmed by hospital records. It is undeniable.”
Kelly’s legal team has argued that he’s been subjected to unfair treatment while in solitary confinement. Calling the conditions “inhumane,” Brindley claimed that Kelly has gone days without eating because he feared being poisoned, cannot eat food from the commissary, sleeps with spiders crawling on him and has no access to phone calls, per AllHipHop.
Kelly’s attorneys are also arguing for his temporary release to home detention. Meanwhile, prosecutors called the motion and Kelly’s accusations against prison staff “repugnant,” according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
If you or anyone you know has been sexually abused, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). A trained staff member will provide confidential, judgment-free support as well as local resources to assist in healing, recovering and more.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).