Chuck D. drew ire from social media after suggesting that R.Kelly may be worthy of redemption and offered other excuses for his behavior.
Starting from the top, Chuck took to Twitter to express his opinions on the now, legally-disgraced Kelly and his recent convictions. First, he compared the convicted rapist to Ike Turner and Rick James, two other famous abusers.
Abused in his youth… an addict as a adult… Ike Turner served 18 months in prison.. Rick James did similar time. Ike came out a changed positive human being. How long should R Kelly spend in prison -and does a USA system give a man a chance for a man to change his world around?
— Chuck D (@MrChuckD) September 28, 2021
An astute Twitter scholar, “Monique” noted that Ike Turner never acknowledged his wrongs against icon Tina Turner, much like Kelly, who still maintains his innocence in the face of evidence more consequential than Mount Everest.
To that point, Chuck D. responded as terribly as every rape apologist does.
Good points. Question is the penalty..execution castrations or prison where the USA is at a crossroads funding the prison system in the 2020s-you know that there’s little rehab and they are releasing as opposed to the fixing of the problem. Mothers burying sons & visiting prisons
— Chuck D (@MrChuckD) September 28, 2021
Huh?
Rightfully, Twitter was not having Chuck D. and his excuses for why a man who sexually abused Black girls for almost three decades deserves a chance at redemption.
Chuck D jumped out the window with that one. Starting a convo about proper punishment or rehabilitation in the justice system with R. Kelly as the point of a reference is a nah bruh. ??
— A Phizer A (@Aqua174) September 28, 2021
I keep telling y’all to stop putting faith into these dusty rappers. Public Enemy was such a powerful voice in my 20s. For Favor Flav to end up a caricature and Chuck D to be an R Kelly apologist is just really sad.
— Daryl Sturgis
? (@darylsturgis) September 28, 2021
This tweet brought up the elephant in the room. If you can excuse a particular behavior, it just might be because you’ve engaged in said behavior.
Not Chuck D dry snitching on himself. Anyone who goes out of their way to defend R Kelly is a pedophile and rapist themselves. Full ?
— Sun Valley reject
? (@Mo_TheWriter) September 29, 2021
Y esto también (this too).
HATE this from Chuck D. First of all R Kelly already had a second chance when he miraculously beat his original charges. What did he do? He got even more brazen and amassed even more victims. He is right where he needs to be . https://t.co/LF7z61T0rR
— brandon baskin (no relation) (@brandonbaskin) September 28, 2021
In the end, Chuck D. “clarified” his comments and issued an apology that wasn’t an apology because it contained the word “if” in it.
JUST TO BE CLEAR, I’m not the R Kelly fan here. 75 million sold somewhere & I ain’t got 1 of his songs. And his actions were criminal my apologies if the wings of perception loomed beyond than the words on this slaveApp. My clarity launches on my own https://t.co/NXDrLBaWCA Oct1
— Chuck D (@MrChuckD) September 29, 2021
Between Bill Cosby, Rep. Danny Davis and social media trolls, there is a sincere hope that Chuck D. will be the last person to open their mouth (or keyboard) to suggest that a serial rapist should get a 45th chance to do life that correct way.
