Jermaine Dupri Defends R. Kelly as the 'R in R&B' Amid the Singer's Sex Crime Convictions
Jermaine Dupri recently defended R. Kelly's musical legacy during an Instagram Live session on October 1, despite the singer's convictions for sex crimes.
The iconic producer made it clear that while he acknowledges the serious allegations and charges against Kelly, he believes his impact on the R&B genre cannot be overlooked.
"R. Kelly put the 'R' in R&B," Dupri, 52, declared. "We gotta stop playing around. I get it. I understand. I'm not here to talk about none of that [stuff] he's involved with. He is the R in R&B. Hands down."
Dupri's comments sparked discussion, as he separated R. Kelly's contributions to music from the disturbing legal issues that have tarnished his reputation. While the producer refrained from delving into the Chicago native's crimes, his statement highlighted the internal conflict some feel when addressing Kelly's legacy in light of his musical influence.
Meanwhile, R. Kelly, 57, continues to fight his convictions.
In July, his legal team petitioned the United States Supreme Court, hoping to overturn his convictions for various sex crimes. Kelly's defense argues that the charges, which date back to the 1990s, fall outside the statute of limitations of the PROTECT Act, a law enacted in 2003.
His attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, has contended that the statute's expanded limitations do not apply to Kelly's case, and the Supreme Court is expected to decide whether to hear the appeal in the coming months.
In 2022, the "I Believe I Can Fly" artist was convicted on six of 13 federal charges, including child pornography and sexual abuse of minors. The disgraced R&B singer was also found guilty of producing videos of himself sexually assaulting his 14-year-old goddaughter, which resulted in additional charges.
Kelly, real name Robert Sylvester Kelly, recently defended Diddy amid his legal troubles.
According to 'RadarOnline,' the R&B phenom — who was convicted of similar charges to the Bad Boy Entertainment boss — refuses to believe a word they tell him about Puffy due to his own experience with federal authorities.
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"I don't believe none of this s***t. You could tell me about Puffy, you could tell me about anybody," he said. "You could tell me on the news, the weather, the sky is blue, I'm not gonna believe [it]."
