One of the biggest stories last week was the news of R. Kelly's sentencing in his federal racketeering and sex trafficking case in Brooklyn. The now-disgraced R&B superstar, who had been formerly lauded as a musical genius and pioneer — was sentenced to 30 years in prison and ordered to undergo sexual disorder treatment in the event that he is released.
While some people and public figures have celebrated R. Kelly's sentencing, others, like Boosie Badazz, have argued that the Chicago artist's sentence was too severe, especially in the light of Ghislaine Maxwell's 20-year sentence for the sex trafficking of minors.
In a new street interview with TMZ, Kirk Franklin also touched on R. Kelly's legal situation, and while he didn't show support for the jailed artist, he did speak on the severity of the situation.
"I think it's very difficult to separate the artist from the art," Kirk Franklin responded when asked whether it's okay to listen to R. Kelly's music, "and I think that's why the microphone is a very responsible thing. Even with myself because I've made mistakes, and I have to be able to be responsible to know that to whom much is given, much is required."
"We don't put ourselves above people because all of us could make mistakes," the gospel artist continued, "but it is important to know that when we do, a lot of times the trust is broken. We have to be responsible for that trust."
Watch the TMZ interview with Kirk Franklin here, and let us know in the comment how you feel about the renowned gospel artist's comments.
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