Like a man desperately flailing about while stuck in quicksand, R. Kelly seems to be sinking further with every strained syllable uttered in his defense against a score of sex abuse charges and investigations. Case in point is when he blamed the parents of the alleged victims for “selling” their daughters to the “I Believe I Can Fly” singer.
R. Kelly broached the topic regarding some of the women’s parents towards the conclusion of his marathon interview with “CBS This Morning” co-host Gayle King. Kelly’s unprovoked outburst prompted the TV cameras to stop rolling at one point.
Kelly’s publicist stepped in to calm the singer down. Then the cameras started rolling again after his makeup was reapplied, CBS News reports.
“I hope this camera keep going. This is not true. It doesn’t even make sense,” Kelly stewed. “Why would I hold all these women?”
The 52-year-old singer, whose birth name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, pleaded not guilty last month to 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse — all felonies that carry a maximum of seven years in prison per count if he is convicted. The alleged incidents date back 30 years.
Kelly insists that he is in a mutual relationship with Jocelyn Savage and Azriel Clary. These are the two women who were seen entering the courtroom on Kelly’s behalf after he first turned himself over to Chicago police and then met with the judge. They continue to support the “Bump-N-Grind” crooner, despite the avalanche of negative publicity and mountainous evidence.
“What kind of love is it that keeps these young women away from their families?” King asked as the interview revved back up.
“What kind of father, what kind of mother would sell their daughter to a man?” Kelly retorted.
“So you’re saying the parents handed their daughters, Azriel and Jocelyn, to you?” King asked. “Is that what you’re saying?”
“Absolutely,” Kelly answered.
There is a widespread belief that the parents of the late singer Aaliyah also gave her over to R. Kelly at age 14 for financial gain, knowing the two were having sexual relations —something Aaliyah’s parents vehemently deny.
Kelly said he only agreed to the interview with CBS because he’s “very tired of all of the lies.”
“I’ve been hearing things, and you know, and seeing things on the blogs, and you know, you know, I’m just tired,” Kelly said.
King then asked, “What are the lies that you’re hearing that disturb you most?”
“Oh my God. Um — all of them, got little girls trapped in the basement … helicopters over my house trying to rescue someone that doesn’t need rescuing because they’re not in my house,” Kelly replied, adding, “Handcuffing people, starving people. I have a harem, what you call it — a cult. I don’t even really know what a cult is. But I know I don’t have one.”
