Many believe that R. Kelly's legacy has been tainted. For decades, the music icon has faced allegations of sexual misconduct—whether it be his marriage to a 15-year-old Aaliyah, allegations that he held young women against their will, or accusations that he was involved in child pornography. For those who love his music, the debate of Kelly's "cancelation" has been ongoing, even after he was found guilty of several sex crimes.
Some of his supporters blame the accusers or their parents, while some don't believe Kelly has ever been inappropriate. Chingy was asked about his encounters with his "Leave Wit Me" collaborator, and according to the rapper, he never witnessed Kelly be inappropriate with anyone.
"Very unfortunate," said Chingy. "People tend to get a little too serious about that topic with him and what's going on. I'm not finna touch on all of that. I will say this: I've been around him in clubs, in VIPs, and everything with women around him."
"I've only seen him be respectful to women," Chingy continued. "My personal experience. I've only seen him be respectful to women and have fun with women. And guess what? Older women. Women who had to—women I watched them checkin' IDs and doing everything for them to come around us."
"So, all the other stuff, I don't know about."
Weeks ago, Grey's Anatomy actor Isaiah Washington found himself on the receiving end of backlash after he made controversial statements about Aaliyah's relationship with Kelly. The late singer reportedly met Kelly when he was in his 20s and she was just 12, and three years later, the two reportedly wed illegally.
In an interview, Washington, who worked with Aaliyah on Romeo Must Die, suggested that the beloved singer wasn't a victim. He claimed that she was in control and knew what she was doing in her interactions with the imprisoned star.
Check out Chingy's clip with VladTV below.
For more on this story, make sure to check out: R. Kelly Found Guilty For 6 Of 13 Charges In Federal Child Pornography Trial