Robert Earl "Kool" Bell, also known by his Muslim name Muhammad Bayyan, is an American musician, singer, and songwriter, born on October 8, 1950, in Youngstown, Ohio.
He is one of the founding members of the renowned American R&B, soul, funk, and disco band Kool & the Gang.
Bell grew up in Jersey City, New Jersey, with his parents Aminah Bayyan and Robert "Bobby" Bell. He was nicknamed "Kool" due to being "laid back", a moniker that stuck with him throughout his life.
Along with his brother Ronald Bell, he began playing jazz in 1964, forming a group called The Jazziacs, which later evolved into Kool & the Gang. They played at various clubs in New York City under different band names before settling on their iconic name in 1968.
Their debut album was released in 1969, and their first major hit, Jungle Boogie, charted at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1973. They went on to release numerous successful albums, including Spirit of the Boogie, which reached number one in 1975.
Bell, along with Kool & the Gang members James "J.T." Taylor and Dennis Thomas, participated in the 1984 charity supergroup Band Aid.
Throughout his career, Bell has received numerous accolades, including two Grammy Awards, seven American Music Awards, and a Music Business Association Chairman's Award for artistic achievement in 2006.
Kool & the Gang have had an impressive run, with nine No. 1 R&B singles, seven American Music Awards, 25 Top Ten R&B hits, nine Top Ten Pop hits, 31 gold and platinum albums, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Bell's personal life has been marked by significant events, including the passing of his younger brother Ronald Bell in 2020 and his wife Deborah Jones in 2018. He is still actively touring with Kool & the Gang, alongside original member George Brown, as of 2023.
