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R. Kelly's music career is all but over. The former chart-topper is currently incarcerated and likely will remain behind bars for decades. The singer-songwriter and producer is serving a 30-plus-year sentence in North Carolina after being convicted of multiple crimes, including those related to child pornography and racketeering.
He was dropped from his record label years ago and hasn't released any new material in a long time. Still, people are listening, and the controversial musician has just picked up a new major award.
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) recently certified dozens of songs by fellow musician Chris Brown in a sweeping move that added millions of additional certified units to his growing total. Among the tracks affected is "Back to Sleep." Several remixes of the 2015 single were released when Brown was promoting it years ago, including ones featuring Usher, Zayn, Miguel, Trey Songz -- and Kelly himself.
The remix featuring Kelly, along with Tank and Anthony Hamilton, is the one that just earned a new plaque from the RIAA. That track may now be Kelly's biggest win when it comes to certifications.
"Back to Sleep" was named a gold and then platinum hit in October 2017, and it reached double platinum status in 2019. It has now doubled again, with the RIAA certifying it for shifting 4 million equivalent units between sales and streaming activity.
It appears that "Back to Sleep" may now be Kelly's most-certified single, according to the RIAA. It marks his first new certification in years, as the last time the organization awarded one of his own tracks was back in 2007; though it's possible that some collaborations, like "Back to Sleep," may have been named without officially appearing in his total. None of his most recognizable tunes, including "I Believe I Can Fly," "Bump n' Grind," or "You Remind Me of Something," have advanced past platinum status.
More than 20 of Brown's singles either earned their first certifications or moved up on Friday (June 6), when the RIAA unveiled dozens of new awards. Two cuts -- "Loyal" featuring Tyga and Lil Wayne, and "Forever" -- moved up to eight-times platinum status, and both may soon become diamond-certified hits.
Brown already claims two of those coveted prizes, including "Look at Me Now" alongside Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes, which became his second diamond smash just last month. It joined "No Guidance" with Drake in that rare club.