Rapper Cassidy wants people to keep the same energy they had for R. Kelly as the other men who are known to get with underage girls but don’t get called out for it. The 40-year-old, who had previously collaborated with the self-proclaimed Pied Piper of R&B on their 2003 song “Hotel,” recently sat down for a candid interview with Real Lyfe Street Starz. During his chat on the YouTube channel, he weighed in on his collaborator, who is currently serving 31 years in prison, saying Kelly is not the only one who was getting with teenage girls.
“I don’t got no problem with n****s being mad at R. Kelly. If that’s how y’all feel, and y’all feel like what he did makes you mad at heart, cool,” he said. “But be mad at heart and anybody that’s in that bag, like, because there’s a bunch of n****s.” He added that aside from the people in Hollywood, he could easily think of men back in the neighborhood he grew up in that were picking up school girls.
Cassidy continued, “Why do n****s act like they don’t know this? And that’s just regular n*****s.” The Pennsylvania native then told the interviewer to just imagine how bad it must be when it actually comes to the men in the industry before adding that he wouldn’t be able to work with anybody if he was to hold everyone accountable for their actions. “So I ain’t like pointing the finger at R. Kelly and these niggas, like that I ain’t my job. I just respect the n**** music.”
In 2019, Kelly was arrested and charged with multiple counts of sexual abuse and exploitation of minors. His trial began in August 2021 and lasted for six weeks. During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence and testimony from multiple witnesses, including several women who accused Kelly of sexual abuse.
On September 27, 2021, Kelly was found guilty on all counts. He now faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Kelly’s conviction has had a significant impact on the music industry. Many people have spoken out against him, including fellow musicians, fans, and industry insiders. Some radio stations have stopped playing his music, and some streaming services have removed his songs from their playlists.
Kelly’s conviction has also brought attention to the issue of sexual predators in the music industry. Many people are calling for more accountability and transparency in the industry to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
The issue of underage girls in the music industry is not new. For many years, young girls have been exploited and abused by older men in the industry. Many of these girls are aspiring singers or dancers who are looking for a way to break into the industry.
The problem is compounded by the fact that many of these girls are vulnerable and may not have a support system to protect them. They may be away from home for the first time, living in close quarters with older men who have power and influence over them.