R Kelly has apparently responded to the Surviving documentary that addresses multiple allegations of sexual abuse and misconduct against him.
Lifetime's six-part series, which aired over the course of three nights, features interviews with musicians and producers, as well as testimonies from Kelly's alleged victims. Kelly has consistently denied all allegations made against him over the past two decades.
According to TMZ, a source in “day to day contact” with the R&B singer claimed he didn't watch it but is “disgusted” by the new documentary series and plans on suing “everybody who had anything to do with this”. He reportedly believes the documentary is a "vendetta" against him, rather than a call for accountability over his alleged behaviour.
Representatives responded “no comment” to People when asked for a reaction to the allegations made in the documentary.
In an apparent attempt to capitalise on or distract from the conversation around the documentary, Kelly released a new song, “Born to My Music”, in the days leading up to the premiere of Surviving R Kelly.
However, the attention has focused more on the disturbing allegations that emerged from the series, and the fact that more and more high profile figures seem willing to denounce him.
John Legend, who was the only major musician to take part in the documentary, later tweeted that he didn't “give a f*** about protecting a serial child rapist” and dismissed praise for his courage in appearing on camera.
“It didn't feel risky at all,” he wrote. “I believe these women.”
Chance the Rapper issued an apology for working with R Kelly in the past and called their collaboration “a mistake”.
The pair of Chicago natives shared a stage at Lollapalooza festival in 2014, and released the track “Somewhere in Paradise” a year later.“
“Maybe I didn't care because I didn't value the accusers' stories because they were black women,” he said in a video. “Usually, n****s that get in trouble for s**t like this on their magnitude of celebrity, it's light-skinned women or white women. That's when it's a big story. I've never really seen any pictures of R Kelly's accusers.
“I made a mistake and I'm happy that those women are getting voices now,” he continued. “I can grow to understand better what my positioning should be or should've been when that opportunity came.”
