In an interview with BET News on Tuesday (Sept. 16), R. Kelly spoke on his acquittal on child pornography charges [click here].
“If it has had any impact, I would hope it would be a positive impact
and I can move on with my life,” said Kelly, responding to a question about whether or not the trial had tarnished his career. “I hope people can give
me my life back.“
Kelly asserted that people who had publicly spoken out against him offered biased opinions because he had fired them – particularly his brother, Carey Kelly. The singer’s brother had told New York’s Hot 97 radio station that R. Kelly tried to bribe him if he would say the images in the pornographic videos in the trial were of himself and not his brother,
“Unfortunately the people that don’t work for me say
that … and the people that don’t work for me were fired,” said Kelly.
“Do not listen to the people that were fired, listen to the facts. I
know people are out to get me because I’m very vulnerable, especially
during a seven-year trial.”
Kelly was also asked about his predeliction for teenage sexual partners, to which he responded, “When you say teenage, how old do you mean? I have some 19-year-old
friends, but I don’t like anyone illegal if that’s what we are talking
about, underage.”
“I’m not going to let this affect my gift,” he said in an interview. “I’ve done vintage
R. Kelly songs during the trial because I said no matter what, I’m not
going to let this make me run under a rock and not do my job. Some
people fall off and I chose not to do that.“
Kelly is currently planning an African tour, where he hopes to do some humanitarian work. He will also work on his next album, 12 Pay 4th Quarter on Jive.
