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John Legend and Wendy Williams were the only celebrities to participate in the Surviving R. Kelly documentary on Lifetime. According to executive producer Dream Hampton, the likes of Jay Z, Questlove, Erykah Badu, Mary J. Blige and all said no. Not because they stand with Kelly per say, but because they just didn’t want to touch it.
“I asked Jay-Z, I asked Mary J. Blige, I asked Lil Kim, Erykah Badu, Dave Chappelle…I mean, most people just don’t want to touch it. I remember Ahmir [”Questlove” Thompson] was like, ‘I would do anything for you but I can’t do this.’ It’s not because they support him, it’s because it’s so messy and muddy. It’s that turning away that has allowed this to go on.”
The first part of the documentary aired last night with commentary from Legend, condemning R. Kelly for the heinous acts he committed against young girls. The Grammy award winning artist was praised for having the courage to be involved. But Legend didn’t feel any risk being involved, he called it an “easy decision.”
“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 fuck about protecting a serial child rapist. Easy decision.,” he tweeted.
The Twittersphere is up in arms about the documentary and refusing to let R. Kelly get away with the heinous crimes he committed against young Black girls. See their tweets below:
Black Twitter Has A Funeral For R. Kelly After Disturbing ‘Surviving R. Kelly’ Documentary was originally published on hellobeautiful.com
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It should go without saying that Black girls should matter more than good music & a musical gift; that a minor should not be maligned as a manipulator of a man. Let’s teach boys that girls’ bodies are not theirs to molest & misuse. Not theirs to do anything with. #SurvivingRKelly
— Be A King (@BerniceKing) January 4, 2019
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If y’all think “girls are fast” what are y’all calling THE GROWN MEN chasing and catching them? #SurvivingRKelly
— George M Johnson (@IamGMJohnson) January 4, 2019
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We gotta kill this "Well those girls were fast" narrative. KILL IT #SurvivingRKelly
— Mrs. O 💞 Veruca Salt (@JereeSaidSo) January 4, 2019
Black folks
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Now that I’m actually thinking about the lyrics to Bump n Grind, “My mind is telling me no but my body is telling me yes.”
— April Barrera (@spursnation77) January 4, 2019
It sounds like we’ve been singing along to a song about child molestation the whole time.
Messed up my head up. #SurvivingRKelly pic.twitter.com/qD1CzcQsMd
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In the Black community, we blame women/girls. Holding men accountable takes a backseat to us being “fast” or “fresh.” We shouldn’t be there or we wanted it, but nobody gives us the tools to deal when it happens. “I didn’t know how to say no” is a real feeling. #survivingrkelly
— Shamika Sanders (@Shamika_Sanders) January 4, 2019
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Um, lemme tell ya what they not gon' do, act like #RKelly is holding young girls captive because he had a tough childhood. LOTS of folks had tough childhoods and did not go on to do what he is alleged to have done. #CutItOut! #SurvivingRKelly
— yvette nicole brown (@YNB) January 4, 2019
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When “Ignition” comes on in the club #SurvivingRKelly pic.twitter.com/uyK8EDU76A
— Rebecca JeanBaptiste (@_RebeccaJB_) January 4, 2019
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The whole Aaliyah situation should’ve let everybody know the type of sicko R Kelly was. Him producing this album for her. Him posted on the cover. Then marrying her at like 15-16. He’s honestly been a creep. And it’s sad how swept under the rug it’s been for him #SurvivingRKelly pic.twitter.com/nUkXlKyx1Q
— Ե (@_yogirlt) January 4, 2019
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What bothered me the most about this part of the documentary, is the fact that ALL these men they interviewing said something like "I knew something wasn't right about that" or "I felt uncomfortable when..." 🗣 BUT NONE OF Y'ALL SAID ANYTHING #SurvivingRKelly
— Kleo Patrah (@badasskleo) January 4, 2019
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“I wanted so much to grab Aaliyah and talk to her.” But you didn’t. Instead you forged marriage papers and co-signed this sick shit. You failed the hell out of that girl.#SurvivingRKelly
— iYush (@iYush_420) January 4, 2019
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Him, his brother calling it a preference, his crew who helped forge documents, the judge who found him not guilty, the apologists saying separate the music from the personal life....how do y'all sleep at night? #SurvivingRKelly pic.twitter.com/oQedziaqEq
— Bombay BI-cycle Club (@thatapricotboi) January 4, 2019
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R. Kelly is a disgusting human and if u even part your lips to defend him block me pls. if u think that the young girls “should have known better” block me w ur ignorant ass. there’s no excuse for what he’s done. #SurvivingRKelly
— 8 (@columbicolumbi) January 4, 2019
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"I forged some paperwork for Aaliyah to marry Robert"
— iYush (@iYush_420) January 4, 2019
"If Robert pointed out a girl he wanted, I'd go get her for him"
"I remember walking in on Robert rubbing on this girl who looked young. She was clearly a baby in my eyes but I didn't ask for ID."
Feds:#SurvivingRKelly pic.twitter.com/wcwUx22txC
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We NEED to discuss the sexual abuse Black boys go through and the trauma they endure BUT not at the expense of Black girls. That’s a deflection tactic. R. Kelly’s predatory ways cannot be justified because of a traumatic upbringing. #SurvivingRKelly
— mo ✨ (@themorganjael) January 4, 2019
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I have a 15 year old daughter. Not saying that you need to in order to understand, but it provides real life understanding FOR ME.
— April (@ReignOfApril) January 4, 2019
There is NO way that it is appropriate for teenage girls to be meeting/texting/talking to men nearly twice their age. None. #SurvivingRKelly
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Also, the #SurvivingRKelly doc made me think of why I’ve thought the “girls mature faster” idea can be toxic, especially for Black girls. There’s studies that show people see Black girls as older, more mature, in less need of help, less innocent than their non-black counterparts.
— JOSHUA (@JournoJoshua) January 4, 2019
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Also: Countless studies have shown that people — black people included — highly sexualize black girls and look at them as ✌🏾older✌🏾No different than how black boys are always looked at as advanced in age. It’s used to dehumanize us.
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) January 4, 2019
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listen..Sparkle said it can never be her...but it ended up being her niece. #SurvivingRKelly
— HelloBeautiful (@HelloBeautiful) January 4, 2019
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We...don’t call the cops on men who threaten or harm us because we feel duty-bound to keep men out the system. Please tell me this isn’t real and that these brokeyardigans haven’t stooped this low. https://t.co/scO0s4DutY
— Jamilah Lemieux (@JamilahLemieux) November 24, 2018
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We need to let “I didn’t know how to say no” be enough. Stop asking why she wasn’t stronger. Why she didn’t defend herself. Why she didn’t fight. She. Didn’t. Know. How. #SurvivingRKelly
— Keyaira Kelly (@keyairakelly) January 4, 2019
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If you take away anything from the first ep of #SurvivingRKelly is that we don't value Black girls and women, because while y'all quick to call us "Black Queens," y'all are THIS quick to call us liars, fast-tailed girls, gold-diggers, whores and incapable of being victims. pic.twitter.com/5zQB0zvqlo
— HelloBeautiful (@HelloBeautiful) January 4, 2019
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We should all thank my friend @dreamhampton for her very necessary work to create #SurvivingRKelly. These survivors deserved to be lifted up and heard. I hope it gets them closer to some kind of justice.
— John Legend (@johnlegend) January 4, 2019
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While we all sit here aghast, bros too, let’s make a collective commitment to not EVER let this happen again. That is the only way the shame that my gen feels for not having done/said more can be reconciled. #SurvigingRKelly
— Kierna Mayo (@kiernamayo) January 4, 2019
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So proud of the women telling their truth tonight. It's finally time for the music industry to be held ACCOUNTABLE.#SurvivingRKelly https://t.co/IDZkLJot8V
— terry crews (@terrycrews) January 4, 2019
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This is what happens when you give power to corrupt black men. We REALLY have to do better, this is why our black women will NEVER trust us. #SurvivingRKelly
— Mr. Wrestlemania (@MetaversalCash) January 4, 2019