Robert Sylvester Kelly has been around in the music world for as long as I can remember. I say that literally because his solo debut dropped back in 1992 and I was born in 1989, so growing up I was there for most of the stages and phases of the self proclaimed “Pied Piper of R&B.”
This may not apply as much for 18 yr old and younger generation of today, but from my generation and older, I think it’s pretty safe to say that it’s virtually impossible for you to not like at least one R. Kelly song. The man has a vast catalog of timeless records. Even if his more sensual records don’t fit your personal taste, it would be harder for me to believe that a person with respectable musical taste could hear songs like “I Believe I Can Fly” “Step In The Name of Love” and “The World’s Greatest” and say that they don’t like any of them.
Which is what brings me to the general topic of this blog post.
This past week, a majority, if not all, of the initial lawsuits and police reports filed against R. Kelly were made more accessible to the public, and they were not very flattering to say the least. Most people know about R.Kelly’s infamous trial (especially since it went on for YEARS) which had him in court for charges dealing with child pornography. Some people may or may not remember this, but there was a point where “That R Kelly Sextape” was all anyone could talk about. Quite a number of people had seen the video or at least screenshots, and they all seemed to agree that the man in that video was definitely R.Kelly.
Even though he was eventually found not guilty of child pornography, it would seem like a good number of people, including myself, still suspected that he really may be guilty, if not of that then something similar, but was able to beat the case. After reading some of these police reports and lawsuits, I became aware that this is far from his first handling of disturbingly similar cases.
Naturally, as more and more people read these documents, you began to see comments about them all over social media, and how “in shock” and “enraged” people are to find this out about R Kelly, but is it really a surprise?
This is the same man who wrote an album called “Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number” for a 14 yr old Aaliyah, who he married a year later, only for her parents to have it annulled. This is the same man who calls himself the “Pied Piper of R&B” and for anyone who doesn’t know the story of the Pied Piper, you should know that it involves the piper leading many underage children away. Now you find out that his somewhat publicized case, was just one of many he was involved in, most of which were settled outside or before they got to court, a majority of them involving underage teenage girls… but man, that “Ignition Remix” is crazy right?
That last statement is where a majority of my problem lies. As I’ve said, R.Kelly has made some undeniably good music, and I’m a strong supporter of disconnecting the artist as a person and the artist as a musician, but you have to wonder if there’s ever a point in which that line can’t be drawn. There are plenty of artists that I listen to that I wish would never open their mouths unless their music was coming out of it, and I realize that no one is perfect and even the greatest individuals are flawed, but when their personal demons are reflected in their music, it’s where I begin to get uncomfortable. Sure “Seems Like You’re Ready” sounds like it could be grown man R.Kelly talking to a grown woman, but how do we know? We’re talking about a man who has subliminally admitted to being a pedophile (as far as I’m concerned) and has been accused of seducing multiple underage women, something for which he has never publicly admitted to or at least shown remorse, and we still turn a blind eye because he makes good music?
I’d like to know all of your thoughts about this topic, whether or not it’s okay to support the music and not the man, or does it all tie in together? Leave a comment below.
