(ThyBlackMan.com) Recently, R&B singer R. Kelly did an interview with Gayle King for CBS. Knowing his history with being put on the stove over these underaged girls, you’d think he’d avoid interviews in general. Even if he has a show, tour or album to promote just avoid interviews, man. Now with Surviving R. Kelly, his kingdom is starting to crumble and all of his recently dirty laundry is being aired out.
Feeling cornered and hurting from losing his record label—among other things—R. Kelly gets right in front of the camera to defend himself. It’s to be expected but not everyone is their best lawyer or their best PR agent. This is the case with Robert.
He just doesn’t do well in these kinds of interviews. Even when the interview is supposed to be promotional, he knows that his past history could come up. When you can’t go a decade without any controversy, you’re chum for reporters who will bring their A+ game.
The R. Kelly-Gayle King Interview
As far as television interviews go, this one started off pretty run-of-the-mill. He was asked how he was doing, he went into the recent allegations then it escalated into him shouting and upset about how he—R. Kelly, the Piped Piper of R&B—could possibly be the 
subject of Surviving R. Kelly. How he could be such a target? He’s the victim here, not these women. Obviously, they’re boppers. It’s just unthinkable to Mr. Kelly. A toxic history with women couldn’t possibly put the spotlight on him. What is this, 2019?
So, R. Kelly is worked into a meltdown by Gayle King’s professional and indifferent approach to the interview. She hit him with judgment without being aggressively judgmental. Sometimes a “Hmm.” oozes judgment and other times it’s just a “Hmm.”
This interview was one that should’ve been avoided. Some interviews will toss out softball questions. They can do a light interviews and keep on topic promotion-wise. Then you have those interviewers who are snipers. They bring the questions—not even the hard questions. It’s just in how they ask them can tie people up.
His PR team looked at this potential interview, mulled it over and didn’t do the maximum to protect R. Kelly. If he said “I’ll do it” they should’ve really tried to steer him away from it. They’re the filter, they can reject or accept these interviews before they even reach him. R. Kelly definitely wanted to defend himself but this wasn’t the venue.
Can He Even Defend Himself
The stuff he’s charged with are serious. No doubt about it. He has a previous history and evidence filmed himself that he traffics in this kind of stuff. It’s not a reach to say he’s holding women against their will and being violent towards them. Rick James did roughly the same thing. Hell, it’s even been joked about—the same with R. Kelly’s stuff.
He can’t really defend himself. This stuff can’t be twisted as a positive or that all these girls are just coming out now. It’s a different time where people are being listened to when abuse takes place. When a ton of these girls got scooped up by R. Kelly no one was listening to that. People knew it was happening and people pointed out that this grown man was just hanging around scouting or observing teenagers.
Folks disregard that older men can shoot game to a teenage girl’s head. Not all of them are successful and not all teenage girls just go full bopper and jump into a nice girl minutes after 3:30PM on a school day. Some of us have seen this happen either as parents or as high school students. It will be disregarded that money can make people disregard their stances, upbringing, or how you know you should avoid certain situations.
In January I said that defending him ain’t it. They will do this all in defense of defending him, someone who just can’t be defended. Sure, an attempt can be made but that’s an exercise in futility. It’s like defending a nuclear strike with an umbrella and a trashcan lid.
So, can he defend himself? Given his experience in interviews where his issue pop up: no. He’s constantly eaten alive and it’s a mixture of humor and just sad. No, I have no sympathy for R. Kelly at all. However, a well-deserved beating can go too long and it becomes a case of his PR team—or to use a fight team example—should’ve turned down the fight.
Staff Writer; M. Swift
This talented writer is also a podcast host, and comic book fan who loves all things old school. One may also find him on Twitter at; metalswift.