R. Kelly was found guilty on all charges in his ongoing sex trafficking and racketeering case at a Brooklyn federal court on Monday (September 27), leading countless people to hop on Twitter and share their conflicting views on the problematic R&B singer.
Public Enemy’s Chuck D was among the many weighing in on the latest R. Kelly development but unlike the majority of people, he became a trending Twitter topic for expressing his polarizing views.
Now, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member has issued a statement both to HipHopDX and Twitter, apologizing for how his statements were perceived.
“JUST TO BE CLEAR, I’m not the R. Kelly fan here,” he wrote. “75 million sold somewhere & I ain’t got 1 of his songs. And his actions were criminal apologies if the wings of perception loomed beyond than the words on this slaveAPP. My clarity launch on my own RsTvapp.com Oct. 1.”
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In a statement to DX, Chuck D reiterated, “JUST TO BE CLEAR, I’m not the R. Kelly fan here. I ain’t got any of his songs. And his actions were trash.”
Chuck D originally enflamed some Twitter users after weaving Ike Turner and Rick James into the conversation, two music icons with murky pasts involving drug addiction, domestic abuse and jail time.
His intent was the pose a question about how long R. Kelly or any man in general should have to serve in prison before they can be considered a changed man — but that’s not how it was perceived.
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“Abused in his youth… an addict as a adult,” he said of R. Kelly. “Ike Turner served 18 months in prison. Rick James did similar time Ike came out a changed positive human being. How long should R Kelly spend in prison -and does a USA system give a man a chance for a man to change his world around?”
Aware of what would likely follow, he added, “It’s not a sympathetic question at all. Not the least.”
Almost immediately, Chuck D’s critics began to pounce and challenge the longtime revolutionary voice for appearing to play devil’s advocate for the imprisoned Kelly. As he continued to get pressed, he explained how the music industry aided R. Kelly’s predatory behavior — or at the very least, looked the other way.
“Mixing grown folk lifestyle with black youth was so endorsed financed perpetuated as so urban cool by radio,” he said. “Black audiences were abused while 25yrs poppin’ champagne in the sandbox. The boundaries were sloppy w head nods. That dude & others gave clues that the gatekeepers ignored.”
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R. Kelly was convicted of one count of racketeering along with eight other charges, including sexual exploitation of a child, bribery, racketeering and sex trafficking involving five victims. His sentencing is scheduled for May 4 and he faces 10 years to life in prison.
The 54-year-old crooner’s defense attorney, Deveraux Cannick, spoke to reporters outside the courthouse and said he and his client were both shocked by the guilty verdict. He also suggested he planned on filing an appeal.
Chuck D Becomes Twitter Public Enemy With R. Kelly Debate: 'It's Not A Sympathetic Question'
“Of course Mr. Kelly is disappointed,” he said. “He was not anticipating this verdict because based on the evidence, why should he anticipate this verdict?… You saw witness after witness giving three, four, five different versions as to what they said happened here.”
