R. Kelly denied allegations of sexually abusing women and controlling their lives during an interview with Gayle King on Wednesday, calling the accusations "not true" and blaming social media for fueling the claims.
The R&B singer, who faces 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse from Cook County prosecutors, insisted all accusers are lying. "I didn’t do this stuff! This is not me! I’m fighting for my fing life," he said in the CBS This Morning segment.
He specifically addressed the documentary series "Surviving R. Kelly," which prompted the charges, stating: "Whether they’re old rumours, new rumours, future rumours, not true." When asked if he held women against their will, Kelly responded, "That’s stupid!"
The singer argued that fame makes artists vulnerable to false accusations, saying, "Something like this can happen to any artist. Anybody famous can get accused of so many different things." He also dismissed the idea of "chaining girls up in my basement," calling it "stupid" and "crazy."
Despite the allegations, Kelly’s music sales increased on Spotify following the documentary’s release. The singer remains out on bail as the case proceeds.
