R. Kelly Breaks Silence On Abuse Claims, Says Parents Sold Daughters To Him

R. Kelly, in his words, is "fighting" for his "f**king life."

During his first sit-down interview since the airing of Surviving R. Kelly, the disgraced singer exploded with frustration and anger while speaking with CBS This Morning co-host Gayle King.

Kelly lost his cool when addressing the multiple claims of sexual abuse against him. While he denied the claims, he also blamed the parents of his alleged victims for "selling" their daughters to him. However, before making the bold accusation, he had an emotional outburst while pleading his innocence.

"I beat my case. When you beat something, you beat it… You can’t double-jeopardy me like that. You can’t. It’s not fair. It’s not fair to nobody. When you beat your case, you beat your case," he told Gayle, who then asked about his other cases. "Not true," he responded. "Whether they’re old rumors, new rumors, future rumors, not true."

The CBS This Morning host then inquired about the claim he's held women against their will. "I don’t need to. Why would I?" Kelly replied. "How stupid would it be for R. Kelly, with all I’ve been through in my way, way past, to hold somebody, let alone 4, 5, 6, 50, you said – how stupid would I be to do that?"

"That’s stupid! Use your common sense," he continued. "Forget the blogs, forget how you feel about me. Hate me if you want to, love me if you want. But just use your common sense. How stupid would it be for me, with my crazy past and what I’ve been through – oh right now I just think I need to be a monster and hold girls against their will, chain them up in my basement, and don’t let them eat, don’t let them out, unless they need some shoes down the street from their uncle!"

The 52-year-old singer added: "Stop it. You don’t quit playing. Quit playing. I didn’t do this stuff! This is not me! I’m fighting for my f***ing life!"

After breaking down into tears, he flew into a rage. "Thirty years of my career! Ya’ll trying to kill me!" Kelly yelled as he stood up, pounded his chest and pointed at the camera. "This is not about music! I’m trying to have a relationship with my kids and I can’t do it! You just don’t want to believe the truth! You don’t want to believe it!"

Kelly's publicist then intervened in effort to calm him down, prompting the cameras to stop rolling for a moment. Once the disgraced singer gained his composure, the camera's started rolling again and Kelly was shown getting his makeup touched up. "I hope this camera keep going. This is not true. It doesn’t even make sense," he said. "Why would I hold all these women?"

"You sound like you’re playing the victim here," Gayle responded.

"I’m just telling the truth," he replied.

Following their exchange, Gayle further discussed the claims he holds women, specifically Jocelyn Savage and Azriel Clary, hostage in his home for, what many have called, his sex cult. "What kind of love is it that keeps these young women away from their families?" Gayle asked.

"What kind of father, what kind of mother would sell their daughter to a man?" he responded.

"So you’re saying the parents handed their daughters, Azriel and Jocelyn, to you?" Gayle asked. "Is that what you’re saying?"

He replied, "Absolutely."

As previously reported, Kelly plead not guilty to 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse last month, just two months after the airing of the gut-wrenching documentary series Surviving R. Kelly. The documentary, which detailed the gripping and harrowing recounts of Kelly's alleged sexual abuse — told by seven alleged survivors — over the last 20-plus years, led to Kelly being investigated, and ultimately arrested.

He was released on $1,000,000 bond late last month. Kelly's next court hearing is set for March 22.

Photo: Getty Images