*French Montana has clarified his comments about R Kelly after initially appearing to support the R&B singer by saying he should be “allowed to enjoy his legacy”.
Since the broadcast of Lifetime’s “Surviving R. Kelly” documentary, criticism of Kelly has intensified as he continues to deny allegations of sexual assault and holding women hostage.
Speaking to TMZ, Montana said fans refuse to let controversial stars be great and “have their legendary moments.”
“They did Michael Jackson like that, they did R Kelly like that. All the greats went down like that. Let somebody enjoy their legacy. Whatever happened, happened, man.”
Let me be clear. My heart is with the victims. I never thought the people I looked up to as a kid, who sang and danced and gave me hope to become a superstar would become drug addicts, child molestors and rapists. I am hoping we as a culture create better leaders. We need them.
— French Montana (@FrencHMonTanA) January 13, 2019
As expected, the backlash to his comments was swift and Montana was forced to follow up in a statement via Twitter, saying that he supports the victims of sexual assault.
“Let me be clear, my heart is with the victims,” Montana wrote. “I never thought the people I looked up to as a kid, who sang and danced and gave me hope to become a superstar would become drug addicts, child molestors and rapists. I am hoping we as a culture create better leaders. We need them.”
R. Kelly has always denied the claims against him and last week his lawyer, Steve Greenberg, told Associated Press: “The allegations aren’t true because he never knowingly had sex with an underage woman, he never forced anyone to do anything, he never held anyone captive, he never abused anyone.”
As previously reported, Prosecutors in Chicago and Atlanta are seeking information from any potential victims or witnesses of the alleged sexual and physical abuse by the singer.
In related news, sources tell TMZ that Kelly’s label RCA/Sony will not produce any of his new music, nor will it put money behind any of his projects, and it will not release any additional music until the criminal investigations in Georgia are resolved.
Kelly is said to be pissed because he’s been in the studio recording new music to fulfill his RCA contract … which requires 2 new albums, the report states.
Meanwhile, as the fallout from the docuseries continues, a concert that was to take place in Springfield in April and hosted by Kellz will reportedly be scrapped due to security concerns following the #muteRkelly protests.
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