Randee St. Nicholas/RCA RecordsR. Kelly has released a lengthy new track titled “I Admit,” in which he confesses to sleeping with “young ladies,” and reveals that he was abused by a family member as a child.
On the 19-minute-plus song released on Facebook Live, the singer addresses rumors about his life, including decades-long allegations of sexual misconduct. He also shares an incident that occurred when he was “a child to the age of 14” — he claims that “a family member touched me…while I laid asleep, took my virginity.”
“So scared to say something, so I just put the blame on me,” he sings on the track. “Now here I am, and I’m tryin’ my best to be honest/’Cause the sources out there tryna keep me from being an artist/I admit I’m at rock bottom.”
The singer also explains why he’s addressing the rumors through music.
“I never thought it would come to this, to be the most disrespected artist/So I had to write a song about this, ’cause they always take my words and twist it,” he sings. “Believe me it’s hard to admit all this, but I’m in my feelings about this s***/But I had to set the f***in’ record straight.”
Here’s a breakdown of what R. Kelly discusses in the song:
On creating a cult:
“What’s the definition of a cult?/Whats the definition of a sex slave?/Go to the dictionary, look it up/Let me know I’ll be here waiting…Some like to get branded/And what some of these girls want, is too much for the radio station/Look I’m just a man y’all/Not a monster or beast/But I admit there are times when these girls so fine, they’ll chill with a n**** for a week.”
On rumors that he’s slept with underage women:
“I admit I f*** with all the ladies, that’s both older and young ladies/But tell me how they call it pedophile because that s*** is crazy/You may have your opinions, entitled to your opinions/But really am I supposed to go to jail or lose my career because of your opinion?”
On past alleged sex tape with teenage girl:
“She said ‘What about the tape?’/I said ‘hush’/I said my lawyer said ‘Don’t say noth’/But I can tell you I’ve been set up.”
On rumors that he’s illiterate:
“I admit I can’t spell for s***/I admit that all I hear is hits/I admit that I couldn’t read the teleprompter when the Grammys asked me to present.”
On the Time’s Up movement’s campaign to #MuteRKelly:
“Cancel my shows, that s*** ain’t right/How they gon’ say I don’t respect these women, when all I’ve done is represent/Take my career and turn it upside down, ’cause you mad I’ve got some girlfriends…/Ain’t seen my kids in years, they tryna lock me up like Bill.”
ABC News reached out to a rep for the singer for additional comment, but didn’t immediately hear back
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