French Montana has clarified his comments about R Kelly after initially appearing to support the singer, who faces allegations of sexual assault and holding women hostage.
Speaking to TMZ, Montana had said that people don’t let stars caught up in controversy or faced with allegations of serious crimes “have their legendary moments.” Montana said: “They did Michael Jackson like that, they did R Kelly like that. All the greats went down like that. Let somebody enjoy their legacy. Whatever happened, happened, man.”
But Montana has now issued a statement via Twitter, saying that he supports the victims of sexual assault.
Let me be clear. My heart is with the victims. I never thought the people I looked up to as a kid, who sang and danced and gave me hope to become a superstar would become drug addicts, child molestors and rapists. I am hoping we as a culture create better leaders. We need them.
— French Montana (@FrencHMonTanA) January 13, 2019
“Let me be clear, my heart is with the victims,” Montana wrote. “I never thought the people I looked up to as a kid, who sang and danced and gave me hope to become a superstar would become drug addicts, child molestors and rapists. I am hoping we as a culture create better leaders. We need them.”
The renewed claims come after the airing of Lifetime’s recent docuseries Surviving R Kelly, in which multiple women spoke out against the star. Since the documentary was broadcast, numerous musicians who have worked with Kelly, including Lady Gaga and Phoenix, have apologised for doing so.
Kelly has always denied claims against him but issued a fresh denial through his lawyer, Steve Greenberg, last week (January 11). Greenberg told Associated Press: “The allegations aren’t true because he never knowingly had sex with an underage woman, he never forced anyone to do anything, he never held anyone captive, he never abused anyone.”
On Friday, it was reported that Chicago police officers had visited Kelly’s Trump Tower apartment to question two women over claims he was holding them against their will.
Jocelyn Savage and Azriel Clary are said to have spoken to officers alone and stated multiple times during the questioning that they were there of their volition.