R. Kelly Supporters Think Michael Avenatti's Arrest Is A Victory For The Singer

BY Erika Marie 13.2K Views
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R. Kelly
The lawyer was a highly vocal adversary of Kelly.

Yesterday, news broke that lawyer Michael Avenatti was arrested because he attempted to extort over $20 million from Nike. If the attorney's name sounds familiar, it's because he's been a vocal adversary of the singer, speaking on behalf of many of Kelly's alleged victims. Following Kelly's interview with Gayle King, Avenatti tweeted, "Watch this please. Importantly, R. Kelly does NOT deny sexually assaulting underage girls. In fact, [his] answer demonstrates his guilt. He fails to understand that it doesn’t matter “how long ago” it happened. And he also has no clue as to how 'double jeopardy' works."

Earlier this month, Avenatti took the time to speak with us directly for an exclusive interview. He told us that he was representing numerous clients, "whistleblowers" in Kelly's case, and detailed what he said were explicit tapes of the singer engaging in sexual acts with a 14-year-old. "It is clear. There’s no question that the victim - it’s one victim in both tapes - and there’s no question that she is 14-years of age in the tapes," Avenatti told us.

An undercover sting involving Nike was conducted and subsequently led to the lawyer's arrest, but the recordings have put his reputation under scrutiny. He told Nike representatives that he uncovered information that stated the company made illegal payments to high school athletes. He also told them that he would need millions of dollars in a "retainer fee" in order to stay hush-hush about his alleged findings. The company worked directly with law enforcement seeing as they felt as if they were being extorted. 

On the undercover tapes, Avenatti reportedly tells the company that allegations like these are mostly untrue, but the little bit of truth can hurt them in the long run. “Ninety percent of that is going to be bulls**t because it’s always bulls**t 90 percent of the time, always, whether it’s R. Kelly or Trump, the list goes on and on — but 10 percent of it is actually going to be true, and then what’s going to happen is this is going to snowball.”

Now, R. Kelly supporters see Avenatti's statements and arrest as a victory, using this moment to make claims that the singer is innocent of the sexual assault and child molestation accusations against him. According to The Blast, sources claim that those who have openly spoken out against Kelly or accused him of abuse are being targeted by his supporters. There is a hope, by those who stand behind the singer and think he's not guilty of the charges against him, that everything Avenatti worked on in Kelly's case will be discredited.

Attorney Gerald Griggs, who represents the family of Joycelyn Savage, tells The Blast, “The effect of the arrest of Michael Avenatti for unrelated allegations by the Justice Department is problematic for Mr. Avenatti. However, the effect against the R. Kelly case will be minimal as the ten charges are based on four independent accusers and other information independent of Mr. Avenatti.”

Kelly's attorney Steven Greenberg tossed a little shade Avenatti's way by saying he would represent him “since I hear he needs a good lawyer.” Avenatti posted his $300,000 bond and was released from jail.


About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.