Songwriter Syleena Johnson States That Fans Should Listen To R. Kelly's Music Guilt-Free

Source: Chicago Sun-Times.com

Fans of Syleena Johnson know that she and R. Kelly have actually worked together in the past, a fact the singer-songwriter recently recognized and addressed.

Following the reports of rape and molestation against R. Kelly and Michael Jackson, the discussion surrounding whether or not it’s ok to enjoy an artist’s work, even though they did terrible things, has made its rounds on social media.

Interestingly, wedding DJs and other party-planners have noted that audiences seem to be perfectly ok with playing Michael Jackson music at weddings, but R. Kelly is a no-go nearly 100% of the time. Part of the reason, as some fans have stated, is that Michael passed away years ago and can’t defend himself against the allegations.

Regardless, the same fate doesn’t exist for Kelly, whose fans appear to have largely turned their backs on him. Page Six claims that Johnson, however, has urged fans to continue listening to the music without guilt. According to Johnson, the allegations against Kelly have nothing to do with his music.

They aren’t related. Johnson said in an interview that she doesn’t believe people should feel responsible or guilty about enjoying someone’s art, even though they might’ve engaged in questionable behavior. Johnson emphasized how such a concept would play out if society were logically consistent.

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For instance, if society and the culture weren’t permitted to enjoy the work of an artist who was accused of transgressions and crimes, we could no longer watch a Quentin Tarantino movie, produced by Harvey Weinstein, or enjoy any of Bill Cosby’s work.

The allegations against Bill Cosby, R. Kelly, and Harvey Weinstein have certainly tarnished the legacy of many famous films and productions, at least according to some fans. For instance, Weinstein produced nearly all of Quentin Tarantino’s films, including Kill Bill, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, and more.

R. Kelly, on the other hand, has some of the more iconic songs of the 1990s, including “Ignition,” and “I Believe I Can Fly.”