Teddy Riley Apologizes for R. Kelly Comments
Legendary producer Teddy Riley issued an apology after suggesting R. Kelly deserved a second chance and discussing plans for new music with the convicted singer. Riley's comments sparked backlash across social media, leading to a public retraction from the New Jack Swing pioneer.
- The controversial remarks were made during an interview with the *Los Angeles Times* promoting Riley's new memoir, "Remember The Times." - In the interview, Riley revealed he was "bringing in investors" to help release some of the 25 albums R. Kelly has reportedly recorded while incarcerated. - Prior to his comments, Riley had posted a clip on social media of what appeared to be Kelly singing a cover of Chris Brown's "It Depends" over a prison phone, calling him "Still the King of R&B Bar None!!!!" - Defending his stance, Riley compared R. Kelly to Rick James, who was forgiven and had a successful record after being released from jail. He also questioned Kelly's prison sentence, stating, "They want to keep R. Kelly in until 2045? I don't think he deserved getting the whole thing." - Riley's public apology was issued via a lengthy Instagram post where he stated the collaboration was a "creative idea discussed in passing" and confirmed "It is not something that will move forward." - In his retraction, Riley emphasized that "loving music and recognizing its cultural impact does not mean condoning harmful behavior."
