Embattled singer R. Kelly wins big at music awards
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R. Kelly performs Wednesday during the Billboard Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
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LOS ANGELES, California (Reuters) -- R&B singer R. Kelly, who faces multiple child pornography charges in two U.S. states, was one of the big winners Wednesday at the Billboard Music Awards, which honor the year's top selling artists.
Kelly, whose given name is Robert, picked up four prizes, as did Destiny's Child singer Beyonce Knowles, who is enjoying massive solo success outside the popular female trio.
Canadian Country-pop singer Shania Twain, rapper 50 Cent and hip-hop trio Lil Jon & the Eastside Boyz each took home three prizes. The awards were handed out during a ceremony at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Kelly was named Hot 100 producer, R&B producer, Hot 100 songwriter and R&B songwriter. Knowles won awards for Hot 100 female artist, new R&B artist, new female artist and a special Hot 100 award for most weeks this year at Number 1.
Both performed at the event, as did Twain and other acts such as Evanescence, No Doubt, Foo Fighters and Pink.
In June 2002, Kelly was charged with 21 counts of child pornography in his Chicago hometown on the basis of a widely circulated videotape depicting a man having sex with a girl police said was 14 at the time.
This past January, he was charged with 12 counts of possession of child pornography in Miami after police said they found digital images of an underage girl. Kelly, 36, has denied guilt, claiming the video was doctored and the photos depict lookalikes.
His legal woes seem to have done little harm to his career. He currently has a Top 10 single, while his album "Chocolate Factory," debuted at No. 1 earlier this year. He picked up two Grammy Award nominations last week.
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