Lady Gaga has apologised for working with R Kelly in a powerful and honest statement posted to her Twitter account.
The Born This Way singer had been criticised by the public for staying silent since the Surviving R. Kelly documentary aired earlier this month.
The Golden Globe winner said that she believes the women who spoke out against the 52-year-old.
She wrote: “I stand behind these women 1000%, believe them, know they are suffering and in pain, and feel strongly that their voices should be heard and taken seriously.”
Speaking of the allegations made against R. Kelly, Gaga said they are “absolutely horrifying and indefensible.”
She also stressed that she will have her collaboration Do What U Want removed from iTunes and other streaming services.
“As a victim of sexual assault myself, I made both the song and the video at a dark time in my life, my intention was to create something extremely defiant and provocative because I was angry and still hadn’t processed the trauma that had occurred in my own life,” the Edge of Glory singer explained.
“The song is called “Do What U Want (With My Body),” I think it’s clear how explicitly twisted my thinking was at the time,” she added.
Gaga also admitted that she wishes she could go back in time and speak to her younger self and seek the help she so badly needed following her sexual assault.
“I can’t go back, but I can go forward and continue to support women, men and people of all sexual identities, and of all races, who are victims of sexual assault. I have demonstrated my stance on this issue and others many times throughout my career,” she added.
The Shallow singer said she is sincerely sorry for her silence on the matter and vowed to never work with R. Kelly again.
The six-hour docu-series premiered on Lifetime and shocked its audience with its graphic and emotionally harrowing stories from dozens of accusers.
On-camera interviews with women who claim to have been held captive in incredibly abusive situations with Kelly provided upsetting testimonies, and now an investigation will officially take place.
TMZ reports that Georgia investigators received hundreds of calls once the episodes started airing in the US on January 3, and they are still aiming to speak with accusers.
The district attorney's office has yet to publicly comment on its investigation, but in Illinois, State Attorney Kim Foxx urged members of the public to come forward with relevant information.
Despite this, she stopped short of opening up her own criminal investigation, but said in a press conference that; "Listening to survivors and giving survivors a platform to tell their stories was heartbreaking,"
She also told reporters that she was "sickened" as both as a mother and as a prosecutor by the sexual abuse allegations made.
Kelly's manager has shockingly been accused of threatening the parents of Jocylen Savage, one of the alleged predator's abuse victims, in an attempt to dissuade them from appearing in the documentary.
Timothy Savage told an officer the day the series aired that Don Russell, the R&B singer's manager, texted him to say it would be best for his family if the documentary never aired.
Savage claimed himself and his wife were both involved with Lifetime's harrowing series.
NEW: Timothy Savage, father of alleged R. Kelly victim Jocelyn Savage, has filed this police report in Henry County claiming R. Kelly’s manager Don Russell is threatening his family for speaking out in the docu-series #SurvivingRKelly, @BrittanyEdney will have more on @cbs46 at 9 pic.twitter.com/XZoiisW9PV
Surviving R Kelly was created by feminist author and filmmaker dream hampton, and also includes celebrity appearances from John Legend and Chance the Rapper, who said collaborating with the Ignition singer was a "mistake."
Chance came under fire for admitting that he didn't listen to the women's testimony or value their stories "because they are black women".
A BBC Three documentary about the singer is also available to stream now. R Kelly has strenuously denied 30 years of abuse allegations made against him, including those made in the latest miniseries.
The R&B and soul singer was one of few celebrities to appear in the Surviving R Kelly documentary, with stars such as Jay Z, Mary J Blige and Lady Gaga declining to appear.
While John Legend was applauded for speaking out against notorious sex predator Kelly in the Lifetime docu-series, which recounts the multiple abuse claims the musician has faced over the last three decades.
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.
While appearing in the documentary was of monumental importance, Legend has now landed himself in hot water.
Fans were surprised to see a resurfaced photo of the 40-year-old and his wife happily posing for a photo with Harvey at the Sundance Film Festival in 2016, only a few months before the #MeToo movement took off.
The infamous 66-year-old movie mogul at the heart of the #MeToo movement is currently awaiting trial in New York on a number of related sexual assault and rape charges.
The All Of Me singer was forced to defend himself, writing a response to his Twitter followers;
I took a photo with and worked with Harvey on several occasions before his abuse was known to me and the rest of the world. Since his being exposed, his company and career have rightfully been destroyed and he's been indicted. Sounds like something that should happen to R Kelly https://t.co/LgIOQpEnsP
"I took a photo with and worked with Harvey on several occasions before his abuse was known to me and the rest of the world."
"Since his being exposed, his company and career have rightfully been destroyed and he's been indicted. Sounds like something that should happen to R. Kelly."
He continued in a follow-up tweet, saying "If y'all wanna cape for R and discount all these women's stories, just say it. Don't bring up some old pics of me and somebody else."
If y'all wanna cape for R and discount all these women's stories, just say it. Don't bring up some old pics of me and somebody else. https://t.co/2wus2P7vNm
That being said, allegedly Harvey Weinstein's abuse was widely known throughout the entire entertainment industry for decades, so we find it difficult to believe that he had no clue what the movie producer was capable of.
What's your stance, do you think the image is important, or should the focus be on listening to the voices of R Kelly's victims and speaking out against enablers?
Warning: this article may be upsetting for anyone who has experienced sexual abuse, assault or harassment.
In case you've missed the drama surrounding R Kelly following the release of a six-hour length Lifetime documentary regarding his sexual predation, the explosive TV episodes have one again brought the dangerous rapper to light.
Horrifying allegations have been made against singer R Kelly for three decades, including an upsetting trial involving 21 counts of child pornography.
The six-part documentary made by Dream Hampton, Surviving R Kelly, retraced reports of the R&B artist's consistent manipulation and abuse of underage girls and sexual misconduct going back 30 years, for which he has never faced any consequences.
Lady Gaga is now being sufficiently ROASTED for declining to appear in the documentary, despite having collaborated with him back in 2013 on the (ironic) track Do What U Want.
Twitter users are calling her out on her debated hypocrisy, as she plays a large role in the #MeToo movement and declared that she has had her own abuser, though won't name him, yet works with known paedophiles.
Her silence in 2019 on the issue has allowed the public to instead retrace a damaging 2013 interview, where the Shallow singer DEFENDS him while in Japan;
"R Kelly and I have sometimes, very untrue things written about us, so in a way this was a bond between us." Whoa, whoa, whoa. This doesn't look good for Gaga, we have to admit.
I'm confused how #LadyGaga can be so vocal in her support of #MeToo yet remain silent about R. Kelly who by the time she collaborated with him was a well known pedophile and sexual predator. #SurvivingRKelly
She is choosing to remain silent for the moment, though more than a dozen victims who claim to have been raped, enslaved and abused while underage by Kelly have spoken out in the documentary.
Gaga was one of many celebrities who declined to participate in the Surviving R Kelly series, as well as Jay-Z (another collaborator), Dave Chapelle and Mary J Blige.
The move has angered many Gaga fans, given her public history of supporting sexual assault victims.
While Lady Gaga is getting ready for the #GoldenGlobes…she is still silent on R. Kelly…
Jay Z, who during that time did a collaboration album with him, also choose to stay silent…
Is this your pop queen? Is this your Hip-hop king? #SurvivingRKelly
The rage online is palpable, as numerous fans have pointed out that this exact silence is how Kelly has been left to his own enabled devices for years.
In reality, he has had a support system around him who helped him with his predation.
Despite his child pornography trial taking place in 2002, hundreds of high profile celebrities have collaborated with him since, and are potentially only appearing regretful now because it is damaging to their brand.
Here some of the people who have collaborated with R Kelly since his 2002 indictment:
-Jay-Z
-The Game
-T. I.
-T-Pain
-Ludacris
-Kid Rock
-Usher
-Keri Hilson
-2 Chainz
-Lil Wayne
-Jeremih
-Nick Cannon
-Snoop Dogg
-Ciara
-Bow Wow
-Chance the Rapper
A conversation has also arisen surrounding the notion of sexual assault victims and race, with many pointing out that if these women had been black, their stories may have ended differently.
Chance the Rapper has apologised for collaborating with the singer, but upset many people by admitting that he didn't care about the women because they were, in fact, black.
"Making a song with R. Kelly was a mistake. I didn't value the accusers' stories because they were black."
His honesty may be important in continuing this important talk, but the words have understandably hurt millions of women of the black community, who face oppression daily in America.
He later apologised for the quotes, saying they were taken out of context and explaining that the focus should be on the fact that those young black victims were never cared for.
Jada Pinkett Smith is among the celebrities who are asking the same imperative question; Do young black women matter?
“It was incredibly difficult to get people who had collaborated with Kelly to come forward." Heartbreakingly, even friends such as Questlove declined to appear, despite believing the accusers' words.
John Legend was the only high-profile person who appeared in the film, writing on Twitter that it was 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.
R. Kelly has continuously denied the allegations and was acquitted in 2002 of child pornography charges, yet the evidence to the contrary is overwhelming.
The documentary is massively upsetting to watch, with woman after woman telling stories with paralleling patterns of his behaviour.
Families of young women are still claiming that their daughters are being held captive by R. Kelly as 'sex slaves.'
Chicago reporter Jim DeRogatis made a report in July of 2017 in which he asserts that Kelly keeps his victims captive in Chicago and Atlanta, and two victims (Joycelyn Savage and Azriel Clary) remain in his captivity.
Human rights organisation BlackWomensBlueprint tweeted,
"The sad truth is survivors still face push-back from naysayers who question their stories or dismiss the crisis of sexual assault- especially against black women and girls. It's a terrible burden to have to endure."
Jerhonda Pace, a survivor of R.Kelly, said, “I felt like a prisoner. I didn’t have anyone to talk to. It was just me. I went into a depression. I was mentally drained, because he would break me down, then build me up, then make me feel like sh*t again, then do it all over again."
"He would really manipulate my mind. The breaking point for me was when Rob slapped me, and he choked me until I blacked out," she concluded.
Let's not forget that when the singer was 27-years-old, he forged then 15-year-old R&B sensation Aaliyah's documents to claim she was 18 in order to marry her.
The Princess of Urban Pop later died in a plane crash in the Bahamas in 2001 after the unlicensed pilot had cocaine and alcohol in his system.
The documentary's film-maker Dream Hampton claims she hopes "Surviving R. Kelly" serves as a starter tool to "shift culture" and "talk about rape culture and organise against patriarchy, which harms us all."
Non-for-profit advocacy organisation Color of Change tweeted the "strength of black women & girls is determined by how much suffering we can endure. The women in #SurvivingRKelly are our heroes."
Let's hope the conversation will finally spark action and justice for these women.
It was alleged in an extensive investigative report by Buzzfeed a number of weeks ago that noughties rapper R. Kelly has been holding women hostage in a cult in a number of his US properties.
The article says that the families of numerous women are concerned for the safety of their ‘brainwashed’ daughters who are residing in a cult-like atmosphere with the RnB star, who allegedly controls all aspects of their lives.
According to members of R. Kelly’s former posse, the singer controls what the women eat, how they dress, when they bathe, when they sleep, and how they engage in sexual encounters, says Buzzfeed.
R Kelly has officially declared the rumours to be 'crap' in a recent video, in which he insists he will be going ahead with his planned US tour.
'I just want to let all of my fans out there know that despite all of the crap y’all hearing I will be coming to the east coast to do my show.'
'And believe me, y’all, it’s a bunch of crap.'
'All right, so I hope to see y'all there. I love y'all.'
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA you were amazing! Thx for partying with ya boy not only last night, but for the last 30 years of my career! Love y'all! pic.twitter.com/ashlbfVzkY
The video, posted to Twitter shows the rapper in grainy lighting.
'We can only wonder why folks would persist in defaming a great artist who loves his fans, works 24/7, and takes care of all of the people in his life,' R Kelly's lawyer previously told Buzzfeed.
'He works hard to become the best person and artist he can be. It is interesting that stories and tales debunked many years ago turn up when his goal is to stop the violence; put down the guns; and embrace peace and love.'
'I suppose that is the price of fame. Like all of us, Mr. Kelly deserves a personal life. Please respect that.'
It was revealed earlier this month that R-Kelly’s 13-year-old child, previously known as Jaya, had come out as a transgender man named Jay.
It looks like the rapper is having a hard time coming to terms with the transformation though, as he gave a radio interview on Monday and he seemed to be addressing the situation as if it were just a rumour: ““You don’t really wanna open it up by saying my daughter is becoming my son.
“As far as that is concerned, always believe what you see with your own eyes, that is, I’ve heard a lot of things about a lot of people and it was never true. You gotta know there’s a back story. There’s a background. That’s why you can’t judge nobody.”
Jay isn’t without support though – he says his mother Drea Kelly is really proud of him:
“[My mom] was like, ‘Baby, you know I love you if you were bi, gay, [lesbian], you name it and I would still love you so much.
“She was very proud of me, I was like, ‘Thank you mum for accepting the fact that I’m a transgender.’”
While it must be a little strange at first, we hope R-Kelly can come to terms with it soon too!
Lady Gaga has apparently had to stop the release of her music video for her song, Do What U Want, due to the sexual assault and harassment allegations surrounding Terry Richardson, the director of the video.
The video which was believed to be shot in September features a duet with R.Kelly, who acts as a doctor to a sick Lady Gaga in the video.
The song faced scepticism even before its release, due to sexual controversies surrounding R.Kelly himself.
TMZ managed to obtain a short clip of the controversial video, which is sure to raise some eyebrows.
Warning the clip below does contain some graphic content.
