As an on air personality I will be the first to say that I am guilty. I ofted do 90's shows where I will play atists like Jade, Silk, Shai, H-Town, and the like. Last year I did one and I played some R Kelly. I knew the man was wrong as two left shoes and I tried to justify his actions by saying "Well, he made some good music!" but deep down, my conscience was fucking with me. Right before the #MeToo movement took off, I said to myself that I could not play his music anymore. I felt like to spin his music was to say that it was okay to condone his behavior and it's not. So I got rid of ALL my R Kelly music! MP3's got deleted from the hard drive and CD's tossed in the trash. And then there's the Age Ain't Nothing But a Number album from Aaliyah. I loved that album but I can't listen to it anymore, considering what that child went through while with Kelly. In my opinion, just like Cosby and Weinstein, it's long overdue to hold Kelly accountable for his behavior. This has nothing to do with race; it has to do with justice.
I actually think that people were silent for too long because he was abusing black girls and women. If he was abusing white women, there would be quicker backlash because white women are considered more valuable than the black ones, especially if they are abused by a black man... But if he was white, he would get away with that. White men have so many privileges.
the only people I ever heard defend R-Kelly's child molestation tape were African Americans. Where I was working at the time there was a guy that would come by selling bootleg VHS...and one day he had the R-Kelly tape... and about 10 of my black co-workers were asking to buy one... and I stepped up and when full on Jesus in the temple mode and chased him out and said I was going to report them for child porn. He slinked off and a few of them realized I was correct but several were mad at me.
Yes, when RKelly was being initially investigated on this African-Americans were crying racism and how they had to look out for 'their' artists.
NEW YORK — The Time's Up campaign is taking aim at R. Kelly over allegations he has sexually abused women.
The organization devoted to helping women in the aftermath of sexual abuse issued a statement Monday urging further investigation into Kelly's behavior, which has come under closer scrutiny over the last year as women have come forward to accuse him of everything from sexual coercion to physical abuse. Kelly has denied such charges.
"We demand appropriate investigations and inquiries into the allegations of R. Kelly's abuse made by women and their families for more than two decades now. And we declare with great vigilance and a united voice to anyone who wants to silence us — their time is up," the statement said.
The statement was issued by the Women of Color committee within Time's Up, which includes Oscar-nominated director Ava DuVernay, TV mogul Shonda Rhimes and actress Jurnee Smollett-Bell.
The social media campaign #MuteRKelly has sought to stop his music from being played and to cancel his concerts, and Time's Up said it is joining that call. Specifically, Time's Up is seeking action from RCA Records, Kelly's label; Spotify and Apple Music, which stream Kelly's catalog; and Ticketmaster, which has sold tickets to his concerts. And it is calling for the cancellation of a May 11 concert in Greensboro, North Carolina. RCA, Spotify, Apple Music and Ticketmaster didn't immediately respond to email requests placed late Sunday night.
The Time's Up letter was addressed to women of color. It started by saying, "We see you. We feel you. Because we are you." It continued: "For too long, our community has ignored our pain. The pain we bear is a burden that too many women of color have had to bear for centuries. The wounds run deep. As Women of Color within Time's Up, we recognize we have a responsibility to help right this wrong. We intend to shine a bright light on our WOC sisters in need."
Time's Up cited Bill Cosby's conviction last week for sexual assault as a step in the right direction but said it was "just a start."
In a further statement to The Associated Press, Smollett-Bell said: "We stand linked with our sisters and will no longer tolerate the predatory behavior of R. Kelly to go unchecked. This is a call to action to #MuteRKelly. His music must be turned down and the voices of these brave survivors must be heard."
R. Kelly, whose hits include "Ignition," ''I Believe I Can Fly," ''Step in the Name of Love," ''Same Girl" and "Bump N' Grind," is one of pop music's best-selling artists. He has also written hits for artists ranging from Celine Dion to Michael Jackson to Lady Gaga. While he's written classic love songs and even gospel music, he is defined by sexually explicit songs such as "Feelin' on Yo Booty," ''Your Body's Calling Me," ''Sex Me" and even more explicit fare. He has long been accused of behavior that has ranged from questionable to criminal. He wed a 15-year-old Aaliyah in 1994. The late singer had been his protege, the marriage was later annulled and the two refused to confirm that it even happened. He was later accused of child pornography after a widely circulated videotape appeared to show him having sex with, and urinating on, a teenage girl. He was acquitted of all charges in 2008 and continued to rack up hits and sell out stadiums around the country.
In recent years, as more women have come forward to allege misconduct, protests against Kelly have increased. A woman told Rolling Stone last year that she was in a long-term relationship with the singer that was sexually and physically abusive. Parents claimed their daughter was being held by Kelly as part of a sex cult but their daughter, who was of age, denied their claims. And recently a woman in Dallas filed a lawsuit against the singer claiming he gave her a sexually transmitted disease, and she claimed he was grooming her to be a part of a sex cult. Kelly has denied all allegations against him.
Kelly hasn't released an album of new music since a 2016 Christmas album, and his last true album was 2015's "The Buffet," which had no major hits.
An appearance at a concert in his native Chicago scheduled for Friday was canceled.
the only people I ever heard defend R-Kelly's child molestation tape were African Americans. Where I was working at the time there was a guy that would come by selling bootleg VHS...and one day he had the R-Kelly tape... and about 10 of my black co-workers were asking to buy one... and I stepped up and when full on Jesus in the temple mode and chased him out and said I was going to report them for child porn. He slinked off and a few of them realized I was correct but several were mad at me.
Yes, when RKelly was being initially investigated on this African-Americans were crying racism and how they had to look out for 'their' artists.
. And no one gave a dam about his black wife.
And they went back to Steppin
Oh, so black people gathered at our Wed night meeting and all agreed R' Kelly was a victim? You talking gibberish and out of another part of your anatomy.
Yes, when RKelly was being initially investigated on this African-Americans were crying racism and how they had to look out for 'their' artists.
. And no one gave a dam about his black wife.
And they went back to Steppin
Oh, so black people gathered at our Wed night meeting and all agreed R' Kelly was a victim? You talking gibberish and out of another part of your anatomy.
No I'm not, and I'm not talking about all African Americans, don't get defensive. I watched this played out, and people went to bat for RKelly, crying racism.
The same with Bill. (No one cared for Camille either) . This stuff isn't coming back up for nothing. Hell, even I went to bat for him right at the beginning of it, talking about the girls purposely looking older to be with him, and how was he to know without doing a background check. But as it continued then I backed up...
.
And I say again, no one cared about how his wife coping with it, they just want to Step In the Name of Love
but it seems to be black/black-ish people coming after him. Can he play the race card in that?
What is "black-ish" people? Break this down for me please.
Just a play on the tv show, I'm multiracial and some of my biracial and mixed friends call ourselves Black-ish. This issue to be broken down is not that, it is the 'Can he play the race card, when Black folk (women especially) are coming after him. Comparing it to a 'public lynching'.
Oh, so black people gathered at our Wed night meeting and all agreed R' Kelly was a victim? You talking gibberish and out of another part of your anatomy.
No I'm not, and I'm not talking about all African Americans, don't get defensive. I watched this played out, and people went to bat for RKelly, crying racism.
The same with Bill. (No one cared for Camille either) . This stuff isn't coming back up for nothing.
.
And I say again, no one cared about how his wife coped with it, they just want to Step In the Name of Love
You could also say that about Trump supporters and apologists (especially the so-callled "evangelicals")...all they want is a wall and Supreme Court judges and "tax cuts" . That type of hypocricy is not unique...
No I'm not, and I'm not talking about all African Americans, don't get defensive. I watched this played out, and people went to bat for RKelly, crying racism.
The same with Bill. (No one cared for Camille either) . This stuff isn't coming back up for nothing.
.
And I say again, no one cared about how his wife coped with it, they just want to Step In the Name of Love
You could also say that about Trump supporters and apologists (especially the so-callled "evangelicals")...all they want is a wall and Supreme Court judges and "tax cuts" . That type of hypocricy is not unique...
That is 100% correct.
But the thread is about R Kelly and the sex abuse allegations.
.
I know people tend to come to the aid of 'celebrities' very quickly, I get it, people don't want to believe this person we 'adore' did something vile. But we give them more 'grace' than we do the average joe. I did not want to believe Bill Cosby was guilty of the drugging and rape. I knew he was guilty of Adultery, and all those ladies that are judging him still knew he was a married man when they were on the way to his house or hotel 11pm 12midnight 1am to 'discuss business' are guilty too. But that is another discussion.
. And I just realized I still have a few R Kelly songs in my files: Baby Baby Baby, Your Body's Is Callin'
Has R Kelly Really 'Done More For Black People Than Anyone?' His Soul Train Awards Appearance Raises Some Painful Questions -11.30.2015
[/
Wasn't it Erykah Badu who said that stupid shit on a recent Soul Train Awards
show?
Well of course I didn't read or see the link initially. [Edited 5/8/18 12:53pm]
Don't laugh at my funk
This funk is a serious joint
the only people I ever heard defend R-Kelly's child molestation tape were African Americans. Where I was working at the time there was a guy that would come by selling bootleg VHS...and one day he had the R-Kelly tape... and about 10 of my black co-workers were asking to buy one... and I stepped up and when full on Jesus in the temple mode and chased him out and said I was going to report them for child porn. He slinked off and a few of them realized I was correct but several were mad at me.
Yes, when RKelly was being initially investigated on this African-Americans were crying racism and how they had to look out for 'their' artists.
. And no one gave a dam about his black wife.
And they went back to Steppin
"It's not nice to fuck with K.B.! All you haters will see!" - Kitbradley
"The only true wisdom is knowing you know nothing." - Socrates
Apparently his people are now pulling the race card. The man is sick. This has nothing to do with the fact that he's black.
I actually think that people were silent for too long because he was abusing black girls and women. If he was abusing white women, there would be quicker backlash because white women are considered more valuable than the black ones, especially if they are abused by a black man... But if he was white, he would get away with that. White men have so many privileges.
ABSOLUTELY, not to mention girls from a lower social economic status.
To be honest though, when all those allegations came oout, Women were defening him also, with the under age thing, I heard women say, "Well they lied to him and thats their fault" and many excuses like thing, i wasnt really hearing that kind of talk from men. ANd i was working in music back then and the majority talking for him were women.
Not all, but a lot. I was in the hair salon and had a women say how girls were just fast and they knew what they were doing. I just finally said, yeah, I'm sure she wanted and enjoyed having him piss in her mouth. I stopped listening to him a LONGGGGGG time ago, and tried to make sure songs he wrote for others, I avoided. I recall going to a school event where the song "I believe I can fly" was used and I sent the principal an email suggesting a list of alternate "uplifting/inspirational" songs, along with the link to The Village Voice article (https://www.villagevoice.com/2013/12/16/read-the-stomach-churning-sexual-assault-accusations-against-r-kelly-in-full/). I don't know if they stopped using his songs or not, but I try.
I think it's a bit strange that some black radio stations have opted to boycott Kanye West music but I still haven't heard any black radio stations join in the boycott of R. Kelly's music.
100%, 100%, 100%. I think Tom Joyner finally said he would boycott his music, but this was in April 2018!!! But I guess better late than never.
I think it's a bit strange that some black radio stations have opted to boycott Kanye West music but I still haven't heard any black radio stations join in the boycott of R. Kelly's music.
100%, 100%, 100%. I think Tom Joyner finally said he would boycott his music, but this was in April 2018!!! But I guess better late than never.
Tom Joyner is retiring soon.
"That mountain top situation is not really what it's all cracked up 2 B when was doing the Purple Rain tour had a lot of people who knew 'll never c again @ the concerts.just screamin n places they thought they was suppose 2 scream."
Has R Kelly Really 'Done More For Black People Than Anyone?' His Soul Train Awards Appearance Raises Some Painful Questions -11.30.2015
[/ Wasn't it Erykah Badu who said that stupid shit on a recent Soul Train Awards show? Well of course I didn't read or see the link initially. [Edited 5/8/18 12:53pm]
To be honest though, when all those allegations came oout, Women were defening him also, with the under age thing, I heard women say, "Well they lied to him and thats their fault" and many excuses like thing, i wasnt really hearing that kind of talk from men. ANd i was working in music back then and the majority talking for him were women.
The over-whelming majority of his fans are women and of course, they are going to defend him. They think he's a sexy bad boy. You know how a lot of women will go out of their way to defend a bad boy. They often fantasize about being with one or are only attracted to that type of dude. And then they whine when that type of dude treats them like crap.
Y'all better preach! I tried saying R. Kelly was a pedo and need to go to jail and girls in women bodies attacked me so even tried to fight me. But then when it happens to them they want me to have their back. Not happening, and I really wish I could find more women that respect themselves and want a faithful husband that is loving and uplifting but that's seen as boring now.
AND when he's gone R.Kelly's music will be right back in place again.
"That mountain top situation is not really what it's all cracked up 2 B when was doing the Purple Rain tour had a lot of people who knew 'll never c again @ the concerts.just screamin n places they thought they was suppose 2 scream."
I feel some of these women that are allowing him to do this to them should take some responsibility. I mean are they that desperate for a man? It's no way they couldn't have known about his reputation ALL these years.
"That mountain top situation is not really what it's all cracked up 2 B when was doing the Purple Rain tour had a lot of people who knew 'll never c again @ the concerts.just screamin n places they thought they was suppose 2 scream."
I feel some of these women that are allowing him to do this to them should take some responsibility. I mean are they that desperate for a man? It's no way they couldn't have known about his reputation ALL these years.
My issue is that underage girls are involved. I'm still trying to figure out where the hell all these people were over a decade ago when R-ruh was pissing on people's children on camera because I have not effed with him since waaay back then.
People laughed at me.
It would be interesting to see how far people want to take this regarding the criminal behavior of celebs. There is a looong ass list of people who are suspect but so far only a few have been held accountable such as Bill Cosby, Anthony Weiner, and R-ruh.
Are we applying this retroactively to artists such as Marvin Gaye, David Ruffin, James Brown, Elvis and Bowie or just the living?
Thoughts?
Prince, in you I found a kindred spirit...Rest In Paradise.