"I Believe I Can Fly" is a song written, produced, and performed by American singer R. Kelly from the soundtrack to the 1996 film Space Jam.

It was originally released on November 26, 1996, and was later included on Kelly's 1998 album R. In early 1997, "I Believe I Can Fly" reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100.

Internationally, "I Believe I Can Fly" topped the charts in eight countries, including Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

"[2] A writer for Associated Press described the song as "majestic" and "gospel-styled", noting that "hearing R. Kelly's booming voice reach a crescendo while backed up by a choir is a rousing performance that will get many replays".

There's not another singer alive with the same combination of ability, earnest conviction, and personal demons—demons that Kelly believes he needs the listener's support to fight."

He added that the singer "calls on strings and a choir and every bit of strength available in his lungs and vocal chords to rise above the broad struggle described in the lyrics.

"[6] David Browne from Entertainment Weekly opined that the "go-for-it lyrics and florid orchestration seem to have been written with a future Disney musical in mind.

[12] Sunday Mirror rated it five out of ten, writing, "'I believe I can soar' sings R. Kelly but I suppose we should be thankful that he's released a proper song for once instead of those awful rap cover versions which are clogging up the charts these days.

[24] In addition to the NBA, the song also found use at other sporting events, most notably at Major League Baseball's New York Yankees home games during their four consecutive World Series runs from 1998 to 2001, the first three of which they won.

[25] On October 13, 2012, when the Space Shuttle Endeavour was being transferred from Los Angeles International Airport to the California Science Center through the streets of Los Angeles, the recording was played as the shuttle left The Forum, and the song was performed live by James Ingram later that day at Debbie Allen's live show celebrating the Endeavour's arrival at the corner of Crenshaw Blvd and Martin Luther King Blvd.