Yesterday afternoon, I sat down and tried to read GQ’s profile of R. Kelly. I got three paragraphs in before I had to tap out. That’s not on GQ or the journalist (although I don’t understand why R. Kelly is worthy of such a traditional celebrity profile). The problem is that R. Kelly is a terrible person. Enough has been written about his crimes, his statutory rape of dozens of young girls, his payoffs and hush money to the families, so we all know that he’s an awful person. So what’s the point of profiling R. Kelly at this point? Just to have him go on the record about how he’s not really a bad guy? Anyway, you can read GQ’s profile here. Since I couldn’t force myself to read the whole piece, I’m going with highlights from other outlets.
R.Kelly on Bill Cosby: “Well, my opinion on that is, I don’t know what happened. I’m a fan of Bill Cosby’s from [The Cosby Show], of course — who’s not? — and for me to give my opinion on something that I have no idea if it’s true or not, all I can say is that it was a long time ago. And when I look on TV and I see the 70-, 80-, 90-year-old ladies talking about what happened when they were 17, 18, or 19, there’s something strange about it. That’s my opinion. It’s just strange…It’s strange. Strange is strange. I can’t explain strange. That’s why strange is strange. Because it’s something we can’t explain.”
The dropped sexual misconduct charges: “When a person is found not guilty, they’re found not guilty. And it doesn’t matter if it’s a murder case, it doesn’t matter what case it is, when they’re found not guilty, they’re not guilty. And I think that a lot of haters out there wanted to see me go down. Because of my lawyers, to this day I cannot have those kinds of conversations. Being advised by my lawyers in this. Because they could come back to haunt me. Things could come back and they can just restart all over again. And I have to protect myself.”
He regrets settling out-of-court with several of his accusers: “It wasn’t like it was a whole ton of people. But the people that did were absolutely lying. Absolutely. Look, if I break up with a girl, and she don’t wanna break up, and I’m R. Kelly, she’s gonna be pissed. So pissed that she’s gonna go out there, she’s gonna say this, she’s gonna say that, she’s gonna say the other. And if she’s really pissed, whoever she said it to is gonna spread the rumor, and if the wrong people get a hold of that rumor, that’s gonna come out. I’m not, you know, this innocent guy with a halo over his head. No, I love women. Do I like to sleep with underage girls? Absolutely not. I’ve said it a million times. But do I have people trying to destroy my career? Absolutely.”
I would think that even Bill Cosby is like, “please don’t defend me.” But maybe not. I get the feeling that R.Kelly doesn’t believe that crimes “count” if the crimes are against minors, or if the crimes happened many years ago. I also think he comes dangerously close to acknowledging that he was actually committing statutory rape of underage girls, and when he would break it off with those girls for someone new and younger, they would start to talk. Talk to their parents, to the cops, to a lawyer, whomever. This man is a criminal. I don’t know what else to write about him.
R. Kelly admits he still sleeps in a closet https://t.co/lsPl7fD74V pic.twitter.com/SPoIjaIHLF
— GQ Magazine (@GQMagazine) January 20, 2016
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet.
He’s so gross. Everything about him screams sleaze.
The leper defending the pariah is never a good thing. R. Kelly should hang his head in shame, and never be heard from again. The fact that he is not behind bars, but spouting this revisionary verbal gymnastics, is a stain on the face of justice, and a testament to the notion that justice in this country is only for those who can afford to avoid it.
Yuckkk…!
Dear R. Kelly,
Not Guilty is not the same thing as Innocent.
Also, you should have stopped talking years ago. You and Bill Cosby are one in the same.
Thank you, Lama Bean. Being found “not guilty” in a court of law only means there wasn’t enough evidence to prove you were guilty. You may in real life be guilty of the crime, but the court simply doesn’t have enough evidence to punish you for the crime.
R. Kelly is so ignorant. He probably believes that if someone doesn’t see him, he’s not actually there!
One AND the same, actually.
Thanks, grammar police. I hope that was fulfilling for you.
I never understand these comments. Perhaps the commenter is typing on a phone and became a victim of autocorrect. Perhaps English is not her first language. What exactly do people get out of correcting a stranger’s grammar on the Internet?
Gross. In that first answer he reminds me of the chapelle sketch about the r Kelly juror who wouldn’t convict unless there was a video that his mama recorded.
Or the sketch on the Boondocks where they replayed the tape in court. R. Kelly says “how do you know that’s me?” And the next second on the tape, he says his full name and social security number.
One of my favorites.
There is something strange about An older women talking about abuse suffered years ago..? What a wanker
Well, we know how he feels about older women in general…
Creepy rapist says words about another creepy rapist.
He hedges and deflects JUST like Bill Cosby. Rambling on about nothing in hopes that we’ll all magically forget about what he’s done. He’s probably looking at the guy for pointers, not just defending him.
Exactly. Maybe they should ask Roman Polanski and woody Allen what they think too.
AND CEE-LO GREEN! Another rapist who got away with it!
Oh please no ✋🏾 not today. R. Kelly is disgusting in every sense of the word. Of course he would take up for Bill Cosby! I don’t ever again want to hear anything he has to say.
“Look, if I break up with a girl, and she don’t wanna break up, and I’m R. Kelly, she’s gonna be pissed.”
Is he really talking out loud about breaking up with a minor who is probably 14, 15 years of age. What a sick man. I remember on this reality show Hollywood Exes his ex wife was upset because people kept talking about R. Kelly and his statutory rape cases. She said it was hard for her and her kids and I get that. I honestly felt bad for her. Though I wondered if she knew that he was carrying on affairs with teenage girls while they were still married.
I still think about him marrying Aaliyah when she was 15. Talented artist but a despicable man.
Just reading that statement makes me recoil. I feel bad for his ex wife and kids as well… His sick actions are something they will have to live with and be reminded of for the rest of their lives.
I think my eyes are bleeding.
Kelly could care less about Bill. This Kelly’s self Serving way of justifying his unsavory past.
Could hardly read that. SO full of himself. Also, his lawyers don’t want him to talk about it because more young women may come out with stories about him. Paying people off is never a good idea. As far as women talking about an incident years later – it happens. My oldest daughter was at a movie one night when one of the scenes brought back a memory of a previous boyfriend (10 years before) that had tried to rape her. Those memories DO get repressed or women don’t do anything about it because of the way they get treated when reporting a rape (especially when someone as powerful as Cosby is, is involved). R. Kelly is the biggest D-bag.
Of course, R. Kelly, an upstanding citizen who has in no way, shape or form sexually abused a teenager would think that. You go R. Kelly….good for you for standing up for what you believe in. Guess sexual abusers and perverts do find their own level, like water, let’s have Woody Allen and Polanski weigh in too. Sickos!!!
As a victim of assault when I was 20 by a person I thought was my friend, I can tell you that no matter how long ago it was , the trauma still affects many years later. He’s disgusting and so is Cosby. I just don’t know what else to say other than they both need to STFU.
They’re both utter sociopaths without a sense of right or wrong, or a conscience apparently. I say send them to jail and don’t protect them from the regular inmates….they will be given appropriate justice.
^^^ Yes, these 2 have committed crimes that other criminals do not tolerate.
Aaliyah (May You Rest In Peace, Baby Girl) must be rolling in her grave right now. This man is indeed a criminal.
The holocaust was a long time ago too. So, yeah based on that logic alls hunky dory then.
Cringing. . .
Dear victims of sexual abuse and rape, please stop talking (esp. if you are older/old), because another abuser thinks it’s strange. Please stop making people uncomfortable. Please stop having feelings. Please stop telling the truth.
Perfect.
I was drugged and raped by two guys when I was in high school. It changed my life forever and I didn’t tell a soul until I was 32….16 years later. It was a relief to finally tell someone the truth (my husband) and get support from him. However, it was like reliving it when I did tell someone. I finally started therapy to get through it. F**k R. Kelly. He’s a disgusting pedophile and a criminal.
Be well Skipper!
Best wishes towards your continued recovery.
Thank you so much! Your support means so much to me. 🙂
@skipper Wishing you peace & healing on your journey. There are so many stages to trauma recovery. Just when I think I’m at peace with an aspect, unexpected emotions will surprise me. Be strong and feel proud that you have the courage to be true to yourself.
@justagirl You are absolutely right. Thank you so very much!
OMG skipper! The same thing happened to me!! And it took me forever to get help, or even realise that it wasn’t my fault. Same as you, I only really began to understand in my early 30’s. We have every right to talk about it as much as we want (or not talk about it). Screw you R Kelly, you know nothing. And as for you Skipper, stay the course! It’s not easy, but be proud of who you are! Strong and wonderful, moving forward 🙂
“It happened a long time ago.”
He does not seem to understand that these things effect the entire rest of your life. I suppose that’s the same mindset that allowed him to do what he himself has done and not take responsibility.
Yes, the lack of understanding is startling and unsettling…but predators lack empathy, so it all makes sense.
And we can take “It happened a long time ago.” as his own mantra to not judge him for his past, because it happened a long time ago. I’m disturbed that any media outlet is giving him time & space, let alone a long article.
ROFL, Of course he did! He’s a sexual predator, too! (responding to his “long time ago” comment of course). This man is just awful….crazy and AWFUL! Too bad no one ever took the 2nd amendment to him.
Does anyone know of any nifty add-ons I can get for Spotify which automatically filter out songs of sex offenders or domestic abusers? I follow a few 2000s playlists and keep running into R Kelly, Ce Lo Green and Chris Brown. Isn’t there a Kardashian internet filter? Can someone make a Spotify “Anti Women-Haters” filter?
AND for the record: It was not “just” about statutory rape (of girls as young as thirteen, no less) with this one. In some cases, it was simply rape. R. Kelly is a monster. A monster with a system.
Just Fricking uggh! Every single word he said, every sentence, every paragraph, uggh!!!