#Surviving R. Kelly: To Support or Not Support.

For the past 3 days, many households of all races have sat in front of their televisions, with eyes glued to Lifetime intently watching Surviving R. Kelly. In shock and awe at the information that poured out over the last 3 days, of information that we knew of and didn’t know of R. Kelly. This post is not condoning or condemning R. Kelly. This post is expressing my thoughts and feelings. Whatever they are, they may not align with your thinking and that’s perfectly okay.

So over 20+ years ago we learned that R. Kelly may have married the then 15 year old, Aaliyah Houghton secretly. On the first tonight of the docuseries, it was definitely confirmed for all who didn’t really know if the marriage took place. Back then I remembered all the talks and the how wrongs it was but nothing was really done about it. Everyone went on playing his music, going to his concert, etc. Over the years, more allegations have come out about his habits of hooking up with young girls between the ages of 12-19 years of age. Nothing was really done about it.

The infamous sex tape with the 14 year old girl in which he was urinating on her. He went to trial for it and was found not guilty. Although the evidence was there of him doing the acts and the knowledge of his appetite for young girls, we STILL continued to support him by going to concerts and buying his music.

Now present day 2019, after the docuseries has ended. I’m seeing all the outrage of people who now want to #muteRKelly. In particular, celebrities like Jada Pinkett Smith, was baffled that downloads and streaming shares has skyrocketed. I can share my thoughts why? Because of everyone’s outraged, disgruntled people are going to threaten to boycott these streaming and downloading site if they don’t pull his music. So, people are downloading and streaming his music so that they will have it. Also, people are listening to the music to focus on the words of his music, many want to know what exactly was he singing about now that all this information has been ousted.

But here’s where I’m baffled……. where was that same outrage when you KNEW he peed on that 14 year old? Where was the outrage when you KNEW he married 15 year old Aaliyah? Why should we stop listening to his music now because of what you now know when you KNEW something about his actions years ago? This question is not just for Jada but for all the other people who now want to boycott his music. No one care about the lyrics when they didn’t know but you had the ability to listen to the words you was singing.

Yes, he needs to be jailed for the rest of his life for what he did to and with those underage girls. To me his music is separate from what he did behind closed door. Yes, I hear everyone stating “well his music is talking about what he did behind those close doors”. Lets be honest, many of us when we hear a song that we like after about 3 or 4 listens, we already know the words. So, many of you knew what he was singing about and yet you still danced and sung along with it. Those lyrics did nothing for you to change how you felt about the music.

My question to you now is…..are you going to stop listening to that artist that was in a domestic abuse situation? No, you still turning up the tempo and singing along to the lyrics. Are you going to stop listening to all the rap artists, who rap about drugs and called women bitches and hoes? No, but why not? Drugs are killing our family members and friends, but is it not illegal and wrong? You want to be respected, but you still listening as they call us women out of our names. Many of our grandfathers (great-grand fathers) married our (great) grandmothers when they when they were just babies themselves, but we don’t hate or not listen to them (Okay that is a little different, but its still…you get what I’m saying).

We can’t get mad at others for still wanting to support someone’s career by listening to their music. R. Kelly, no matter what he did behind closed doors, was a musical legend, you don’t have to agree. He made a lot of hits, that you can’t deny that you listened and danced too. I know for myself, I’ve never been to a concert of his and if he is ever lucky to have another one. I will not be spending any money to support him. I won’t be wearing any t-shirts with his face on it BUT if a song comes up in my rotation, I will shake my head at the craziness of his life but I will more than likely sing along with the lyrics. That doesn’t mean, I’m supporting him, it just means I like the music he made.

Whether you support him or not, that’s sole up for you to decide but don’t condemn someone else for choosing to support or not support the man; especially if you supporting any artist, person, or whatever and they are doing anything that is illegal and should be in jail for.

Sorry not sorry.