Tyrese isn’t any stranger to Diddy-video-rumors-blames-trump-supporters/”>controversy, however his newest remarks about R. Kelly have positioned him squarely in the course of one other viral moment.

During a latest efficiency in Chicago, the Grammy-nominated singer and actor stopped mid-show to ship an announcement that rapidly reverberated throughout social media. “I know the city I’m in. I’ma say it again. Feel whatever you want to feel, I got no f*cks to give. The King of R&B is R. Kelly… Chi-town, baby,” Tyrese instructed the viewers.

The declaration sparked a combined response, with some within the crowd cheering whereas others appeared unsettled. The honor acknowledges Kelly’s accolades whereas ignoring his allegations.

The weight of Tyrese’s feedback is amplified by the town the place he made them. Chicago has lengthy claimed R. Kelly as a local son, at the same time as his popularity collapsed within the wake of federal convictions in 2022 for sex trafficking and baby exploitation. Despite his imprisonment, many in his hometown nonetheless view him as an architect of recent R&B.

Kelly’s musical affect is simple. Across the Nineties and 2000s, he redefined R&B with chart-topping singles like “Bump N’ Grind” and the Grammy-winning “I Believe I Can Fly.”

Beyond his personal hits, he penned and produced songs that formed the careers of numerous artists. Yet these achievements at the moment are inseparable from the many years of allegations that culminated in his downfall, leaving his legacy deeply fractured.

By calling Kelly the “King of R&B,” Tyrese reignited the long-running debate over whether or not an artist’s inventive contributions can—or ought to—be separated from their private crimes. His defiant tone, punctuated with “I got no f*cks to give,” recommended he anticipated backlash however stood agency in honoring Kelly’s musical imprint.

The second provides one other layer to the broader cultural reckoning round Kelly’s legacy. For some, his catalogue stays too influential to disregard; for others, celebrating his artistry dangers erasing the ache of his victims.

Tyrese’s assertion doesn’t resolve the controversy—it sharpens it, forcing audiences to grapple as soon as once more with the uneasy intersection of brilliance and abuse in in style music.