Two weeks after a documentary featuring alleged victims of R Kelly was released, American singer Erykah Badu has expressed her support for the embattled “King of R&B”.
While performing at Kelly’s hometown of Chicago, Erykah Badu commented on the scandal that has seen several other musicians such as Lady Gaga, B2K, John Legend and many other publicly denounce the 52-year-old.
“I’m putting up a prayer right now for R. I hope he sees the light of day and if he done all those things we heard on TV. I hope he sees the light of day and he comes forward” adding also that ” What if one of the people that was assaulted by R. Kelly grows up to be an offender… We gonna crucify them? Just something to think about…”
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The reaction on Twitter has been one of shock and disbelief at Badu’s statements and many fans have accused her of perpetuating rape culture by supporting R Kelly.
Erykah Badu is ruining her legacy over R Kelly ?! what a fucking joke.
— Yù (@_AndJade) January 20, 2019
Hope R. Kelly was worth Erykah Badu’s career. Don’t bring you ass back to Detroit with all those tired ass songs. We don’t want you no more 🤷🏾♀️.
— 30s L A M E 🥀🌑 (@majistiii) January 20, 2019
Erykah Badu’s mindset is the same a lot of older black women have about “these fast ass girls” and why so much incest/assault goes ignored in the black community.
— Sydney Jasmine ⚜️ (@WarnTheWorld) January 20, 2019
Erykah Badu is proof that if u dress artsy & talk about “vibrations” people will think you’re deep, no matter what stupid crap comes out your mouth lol
— Chief ROCKa (@alysSAWRAH) January 20, 2019
Erykah Badu doesn’t make music for black women. She makes music for hotep men who think they know what’s best for black women. 💔
— Highly Critical (@GothicIntellect) January 20, 2019
It hurts me to say this but…
Erykah Badu is CANCELLED 😫
She’s an R.Kelly supporter 😭😭😭😭— ☥ ❤️🖤💚 ☥ (@nubianlocz) January 20, 2019
Erykah Badu saying she still loves R Kelly doesn’t shock me. This is the same woman who saw “something good in Hitler”…. ☠️
— 🇭🇹Seeester-In-Chief 🇭🇹 (@TheJessieWoo) January 20, 2019
Erykah Badu has shown a tendency to throw girls under the bus to defend rapey men. Remember the “little girls need to dress better” to not make grown adults turned on https://t.co/0dZJpySTyQ
— Me (@The_Lion_) January 20, 2019
Since fresh allegations of R Kelly’s predatory actions were aired in the Lifetime series, he has been evicted from a studio and has been dropped by SONY, the record label he’d been signed to for over a decade.