John Legend
For John Legend, publicly denouncing R. Kelly for his history of sexual misconduct—allegedly even against minors—“didn’t feel risky at all.”
In an appearance in Lifetime’s three-part docuseries “Surviving R. Kelly,” John said that the controversial R&B singer “has brought so much pain to so many people.”
“#TimesUp for R. Kelly,” he added.
Because John was the only big-named music artist who agreed to speak on camera and participate in the series—which likewise features interviews with R. Kelly’s victims—many people lauded him for being brave. But it was, as John tweeted, “an easy decision” to make.
“I believe these women, and I don’t give a f*ck about protecting a serial child rapist,” wrote John, who also thanked the woman behind the series, Dream Hampton, for her “very necessary work.” “These survivors deserved to be lifted up and heard. I hope it gets them closer to some kind of justice.”
Meanwhile, in an interview with the Detroit Free Press, Dream said she had sought other singers and celebrities who had worked with R. Kelly in the past to appear in the documentary.
“We asked Lady Gaga. We asked Erykah Badu. We asked Celine Dion. We asked Jay-Z. We asked Dave Chappelle—people who have been critical of him,” she related. “It was incredibly difficult to get people who had collaborated with Kelly to come forward.” —ALLAN POLICARPIO