Many public figures have shown courage in their choice to speak out against rape culture in Lifetime's documentary series, Surviving R. Kelly. Questlove was among those who decided to opt out of participating in the production. The musician has recently explained why he decided to turn down the interview. In now-deleted tweets, Quest cited his being asked to acknowledge R. Kelly's "genius" as the reason for his refusal. A screenshot circulating online shows dream hampton, the producer of the documentary, calling him out and alluding to his dishonesty.
"I didn't ask you about his 'Genius'. I've never thought he was a genius. I asked you to come on camera and say the same thing you said on Twitter. I told you I needed Black Male allies." The screenshotted tweet does not appear on dream's Twitter. It may have been deleted like Quest's original post.
If "genius" hadn't ever been mentioned, why would Questlove claim it as the motivation behind his decision? Social media users are speculating about the implications of speaking on record against industry luminaries. Some are even entertaining the idea that those who are remaining silent are somehow intertwined in their own problematic situations that risk being uncovered if everyone starts talking. Either way, fans are upset by the seemingly fickle characters.