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‘I Never Said I Was Perfect’: R. Kelly Sings About Sex Cult And Abuse Allegations In New Song
In “I Admit,” Kelly comments on everything from the “sex cult” accusations surrounding him to being molested as a child.
Following recent sexual misconduct allegations, R. Kelly has released new music addressing the many accusations hurled at him over the years, including claims that he’s groomed women for inclusion in his “sex cult.”
Kelly premiered his new 19-minute song titled “I Admit” on Soundcloud on Monday and in it, the 51-year-old singer admits arbitrary things like not being a great speller (and not so arbitrary offenses like having sex with his girlfriend’s best friend). He also bemoans the harm various allegations have done to his career and calls abuse accusations “absurd.”
After describing himself as “falsely accused” and pointing out that he hasn’t been convicted or arrested, he seems to take aim at his fans, singing, “All this work to be successful, when you abandon me ’cause of what you heard.”
“I admit that I am not perfect, I never said I was perfect. Say I’m abusing these women, what the f*ck? That’s some absurd sh*t,” he continued. “They’re brainwashed, really? Kidnapped, really? Can’t eat, really? Real talk, that sh*t sound silly.”
Accusations of sexual misconduct have long followed Robert Sylvester Kelly.
He was accused of recording himself having sex with an underage girl in 2003, but was acquitted on all 14 counts of child pornography in 2008, after the alleged victim refused to testify.
Buzzfeed’s July 2017 report containing allegations that Kelly grooms women for inclusion in a “sex cult” were met with shock and outrage. Kelly’s lawyer Linda Mensch later denied the allegations on Kelly’s behalf in a statement to Us Weekly, reading, “Mr. Kelly unequivocally denies such allegations and will work diligently and forcibly to pursue his accusers and clear his name.”
Numerous women have spoken out about Kelly’s alleged proclivities and aberrations in recent years.
Faith Rodgers, 20, filed a lawsuit against Kelly alleging sexual battery, false imprisonment, and failure to disclose a sexually transmitted disease in May. Rodgers, who was 19 at the time of her relationship with Kelly, claimed during an interview with CBS News that the singer routinely “pursues teenage/underage” girls and “lures” them into engaging in sexual acts.
Kelly’s ex-wife Andrea Kelly also alleged just earlier this month that Kelly was abusive during their marriage.
In “I Admit,” Kelly addresses the “sex cult” rumors, singing, “What’s the definition of a cult? What’s the definition of a sex slave? Go to the dictionary, look it up. Let me know, I’ll be here waiting.”
In addition to opening up about his financial struggles as a “broke a** legend,” Kelly also sang about being molested as a child, with the revealing lyrics, “Now, I admit a family member touched me. From a child to the age 14, yeah. While I laid asleep, took my virginity. So scared to say something, so I just put the blame on me.”
Kelly has been the subject of widespread backlash in recent months. Activists called for a boycott of Kelly’s music earlier this year, and Spotify announced in May that they would no longer be promoting Kelly’s music on their app.
[Photo: R. Kelly attends the 2015 Soul Train Music Awards at the Orleans Arena on November 6, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. By Earl Gibson/BET/Getty Images for BET]
