New R. Kelly Album Pulled From Streaming Services [UPDATED]

Updated as of 12/9/2022 at 3:24 p.m. ET:

On my list of things I did not expect to see in 2022, this one might be at the top. A new album from R. Kelly, I Admit It, dropped while the disgraced singer was locked up in federal prison. Yes, THAT R. Kelly, the one that was sentenced to 30 years in prison on sex trafficking, child pornography, and racketeering charges.

Fortunately, the album lasted less than 24 hours and was pulled from Apple Music and Spotify shortly after news of its release.

According to TMZ, it’s unclear how the album was put out and who was behind its release. The album on streaming services was a bootleg version and claimed to have been released under Sony Music’s catalog division, Legacy Recordings. But, a Sony Music source says it wasn’t.

Ahead of addressing some of the content of this album, I just want to say, no I did not listen to it. I did not have the backbone, or the sympathy for a convicted sex trafficker to listen to an album that seemingly denied almost every allegation made against him, even if he wasn’t behind its release.

I’ve already written about how new music from Kanye West won’t even get me to listen to him, so what the hell do you think I’m going to do when it comes to Robert Kelly? If you know someone who listened to the album, you should reconsider your relationship with them.

Now, when it comes to the content of this album, according to TMZ, the record directly addressed the plethora of allegations leveled against him over the years. In one song he sings, “They’re brainwashed, really? Kidnapped, really? Can’t eat, really? Real talk, that shit sound silly.”

While he doesn’t specify who he’s talking about, it’s clear he’s calling out one of, if not multiple victims who alleged that he kidnapped them. Furthermore, he also blames the parents of one of his victims saying, “And if you really, really wanna know. Her father dropped her off at my show. And told this boy to put her on the stage. I admit that she was over age,” according to TMZ.

The last three songs are a re-release, from a 19-minute track he released on SoundCloud in 2018 called, “I Admit it (I Did It).” These three tracks split the song into three parts, where the disgraced singer admits to almost everything under the sun except the crimes he’s committed over the years.

Some of the other tracks on the album are called, “Good Ole Days,” “Freaky Sensation” and “The Last Man Standing.”

Whatever the reason for releasing this album was, I have zero interest in it. The audacity of someone to release an album from a convicted felon so he can gaslight his victims on it is a disgusting act. For anyone who thought it was acceptable to listen to this album and have sympathy or interest in what Kelly had to say on it, you best not tell me, because there’s a chance I’ll be just as disgusted with you.