Who Is Jaya Kelly? Everything About R. Kelly’s Son

Admin January 3, 2026

0 19 5 minutes read

Jaya Kelly, now known as Jay Kelly, is the transgender son of famous R&B singer R. Kelly. When you hear the name R. Kelly, you might think of his famous music career. But today, we want to talk about someone special in his family – his son, Jay Kelly. Born as Jaya Kelly, this young person has shown great courage in living their true life. Let’s learn about Jay’s story, family, and journey.

Table of Contents

Quick Bio Table

Detail	Information
Full Name	Jaya Kelly (now known as Jay Kelly)
Stage Name	Jaah Baby
Date of Birth	November 26, 2000
Age	24 years old (as of 2024)
Place of Birth	Los Angeles, California, USA
Gender Identity	Transgender male
Parents	R. Kelly (father), Andrea Lee (mother)
Siblings	Joann Kelly (older sister), Robert Kelly Jr. (younger brother)
Profession	Singer, songwriter, music producer
Famous For	Being R. Kelly’s son, transgender journey, music career
Net Worth	$300,000 – $500,000 (estimated)
Social Media	Instagram: @Jaah.bby

Early Life and Family Background

Jaya Kelly was born in 2000 in Los Angeles, California. He grew up in a famous family. His father, R. Kelly, is a well-known R&B singer who sold over 100 million records around the world. His mother, Andrea Lee, is a talented dancer and choreographer who appeared on TV shows.

Jay is the middle child in the family. He has an older sister named Joann Kelly, who was born in 1998. She is also a singer and uses the name Buku Abi. His younger brother is Robert Kelly Jr., born in 2002.

Growing up was not always easy for Jay. His parents got married in 1996 but divorced in 2009 when Jay was young. After the divorce, Jay and his siblings lived with their mother, Andrea. She gave them a loving and caring home.

The Brave Decision: Coming Out as Transgender

One of the most important parts of Jay’s story happened in 2014. When he was just 14 years old, Jay made a brave choice. He told the world that he is transgender. This means he was born as a girl but always felt like a boy inside.

Jaya Kelly shared his feelings on a website called Ask.fm. He explained that he knew he was a boy since he was 6 or 7 years old. He said, “I hated dresses, I liked girls, I didn’t want breasts, I didn’t want long hair, I am a boy.” This was a big and difficult decision. Jay changed his name from Jaya to Jay. He started living as his true self – as a young man.

Family Support and Challenges

When Jay came out as transgender, his family had different reactions. His mother, Andrea Kelly, was very supportive. She told Jay, “Baby, you know I love you if you were bi, gay, lesbian, you name it, and I would still love you so much.” His older sister Joann also supported him completely.

However, things were harder with his father. When reporters asked R. Kelly about Jay’s transition, he seemed uncomfortable. In a radio interview in 2014, R. Kelly said he didn’t want to talk about it. He never publicly supported Jay’s decision, which made Jay sad.

Jaya Kelly later said that his father did not reach out to him after he came out. Their relationship was already difficult, and this made it worse. But Jay stayed strong and focused on the people who loved and supported him.

The Struggle with Mental Health

Coming out as transgender in public was not easy for Jay. He was only a teenager, and many people were watching him. The pressure was very high, especially because his father is so famous.

Jaya Kelly has talked about struggling with depression after coming out. The situation became so serious that he spent three weeks in a psychiatric hospital. This shows how hard it can be for young transgender people, especially when they don’t have support from everyone in their family.

But Jay got through this difficult time with help from his mother and sister. Today, he continues to live his life with courage and honesty.

Music Career: Following the Family Talent

Just like his father and sister, Jay loves music. He started making music when he was very young. At age 13, he released his first song called “Reservoir” in 2014. He performs under the stage name “Jaah Baby.”

Jay’s music style is different from his father’s. He makes hip-hop and techno music. You can find his songs on SoundCloud, a music platform on the internet. Some of his popular songs include “Lost It,” which came out in 2020.

Unlike his father, Jay keeps his music career more private. He doesn’t try to be very famous. Instead, he makes music for himself and his fans who really support him. He once tried to release a song about his experiences with his father, but technical problems stopped him.

Jay’s sister, Joann (Buku Abi), is also making music. She performs and produces songs but stays away from her father’s shadow. The two siblings support each other in their music careers.

Life Today and Net Worth

Today, Jaya Kelly is 24 years old. He lives a private life and doesn’t share much on social media. His Instagram account has only a few posts, and he rarely updates it. This is probably because he wants to avoid negative comments, especially after his father’s legal troubles.

R. Kelly was convicted of serious crimes in 2023 and is now in prison for over 30 years. This has affected the whole family, and Jay has chosen to distance himself from his father’s actions.

Even though he keeps a low profile, Jay has built a small career in music. Experts believe his net worth is between $300,000 and $500,000. He makes money from his music, streaming royalties, and live performances. This is impressive for someone who is still young and building their career.

Conclusion

Jaya Kelly has lived a remarkable life. Born into fame as R. Kelly’s child, he could have stayed quiet and hidden. Instead, he chose to be honest about who he is. He came out as transgender as a teenager and has continued to live his truth ever since.

Today, Jaya Kelly is a young man making his own path in music and life. He has faced many challenges – from his father’s lack of support to struggles with mental health. But through it all, he has shown great strength.

Jaya Kelly teaches us that being yourself is more important than fame or what others think. His story reminds us to support young people who are discovering their identity. And most importantly, it shows that with love and support from even just a few people, we can overcome very difficult situations.