R. Kelly’s Publicist Holds Press Conference, Says The Singer Is ‘Strapped For Cash’
Today (Mar. 7), R&B singer R. Kelly’s publicist held an impromtu press conference in the lobby of the Dirksen Federal Courthouse in Chicago.
R. Kelly's publicist: "Mr. Kelly wasn't expecting what happened yesterday to happen, so he's really upset about that. He was expecting to walk in and walk out... Right now, he's at wits end, he wants to get out." https://t.co/EAc2JiRFF9 pic.twitter.com/NxpnUF5QVk
— Ashlee Rezin (@Ashlee_Rezin) March 7, 2019
In a video shared on Twitter by Chicago Sun-Times journalist Ashlee Rezin, Kelly’s publicist said that the singer’s team is trying to get the singer out of jail.
“Right now his team is working on getting him out today. As you know it’s $161,000.37, so they’re working really hard to get it. I think by the end of the day it will happen, no later than tomorrow,” he said.
“R. Kelly has had a lot of issues with finances, and so right now with the things going on in his life, child support, can’t get booked, he can’t go out and tour, he can’t do anything, and just bad management throughout the years has hurt him, and so he’s strapped for cash.”
Yesterday (Mar. 6), Kelly was detained after attending a child support hearing. The singer-songwriter will remain in custody at the Cook County Jail until he pays the $161, 663 that is owed in back child support to his ex-wife, according to the Cook County Sheriff’s Office.
“Mr. Kelly wasn’t expecting what happened yesterday to happen. He was expecting to walk in and walk out, and that just didn’t happen,” Kelly’s publicist continued.
“My heart goes out to the families. I have a 20-year-old daughter and I cannot imagine just thinking that she was held, hostage. That would kill me.”
He added, “I’m not here to declare innocence for anyone. R. Kelly is my client just like I have hundreds of other clients across the country,” Kelly’s publicist said. “…I’m acting as a person that represents the guy.”
He also said that he’s the one who arranged the “20-minute” phone call for one of Kelly’s girlfriends, Jocelyn Savage to speak to her family.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glg6g2OzwWM
Savage, along with Kelly’s other girlfriend Azriel Clary, was interviewed by CBS This Morning’s Gayle King where in the interview the two women state that they’re okay and their parents who have been concerned about them just want money.
Glennisha Morgan is a Detroit-bred multimedia journalist and writer. She writes about intersectionality, hip-hop, pop culture, queer issues, race, feminism, and her truth. Follow her on Twitter @GlennishaMorgan
