Chance The Rapper offered his sincere apologies for working with embattled singer R. Kelly after Lifetime Network aired a much-hyped docuseries detailing sexual abuse allegations against the crooner.
Chance, real name Chancelor Jonathan Bennett, apologized in a video clip, saying it was a “mistake” to work with the 51-year-old singer after Saturday’s final episode of the three-night, six-hour docuseries aired. WENN.com reports.
Chance did not appear in the documentary, but a quote taken from a May interview with lifestyle blog Cassius was included in the final episode.
“We’re programed to really be hypersensitive to black male oppression,” he said in the May interview. “But black women are exponentially higher oppressed and violated group of people just in comparison to the whole world. Maybe I didn’t care because I didn’t value the accusers’ stories because they were black women.”
Chance, 25, took to Twitter.com to claim the quote was taken out of context. He also said he regrets making the 2015 track “Somewhere In Paradise” with Kelly and wanted to apologize to survivors for ignoring past accusations.
“(T)he truth is any of us who ever ignored the R Kelly stories, or ever believed he was being setup/attacked by the system (as black men often are) were doing so at the detriment of black women and girls,” he wrote. “I apologize to all of his survivors for working with him and for taking this long to speak out.”
Kelly, who was acquitted on 21 child pornography charges in 2008, has been accused of engaging in sexually and emotionally abusive relationships with young women.
The new docuseries features interviews with former girlfriends, associates, and his ex-wife Andrea Kelly, as well as John Legend and singer Stephanie ‘Sparkle’ Edwards, who released a new single on Monday.
Singer John Legend defended his decision to participate in the docuseries in a series of tweets last Thursday.
“To everyone telling me how courageous I am for appearing in the doc, it didn’t feel risky at all. I believe these women and don’t give a f*** about protecting a serial child rapist. Easy decision.”
Celebrities who declined to appear in the documentary include Lady Gaga, Celine Dion, Jay-Z, and Dave Chappelle.
Photos by Prince Williams/ATLPics.Net, BACKGRID
