Questlove Explains Why He Didn't Speak In dream hampton's R. Kelly Documentary
Questlove clears the air.
"Surviving R. Kelly" executive Producer dream hampton says Questlove, Dave Chappelle, Erykah Badu, and more celebrities declined to speak on the controversial singer.
In a recent interview with Shadow and Act, hampton revealed she had asked public figures, friends, and longtime collaborators to speak about R. Kelly on-camera for the new Lifetime program, she said many declined, but “John Legend was the only one," who participated.
She continued, “I asked Jay-Z, I asked Mary J. Blige, I asked Lil Kim, Erykah Badu, Dave Chappelle... I mean, most people just don't want to touch it. I remember Ahmir ["Questlove" Thompson] was like, 'I would do anything for you but I can't do this.' It's not because they support him, it's because it's so messy and muddy. It's that turning away that has allowed this to go on."
READ: dream hampton Says She's "at War With R. Kelly" Over Revealing Documentary
On Thursday, a Twitter user asked Questlove why he declined to comment on R. Kelly for the documentary and he responded in now-deleted tweets, denouncing R. Kelly. "I always thought Kels was trash. My reason for declining the R.Kelly docu that I support 10000000 percent is I didn’t wanna be in the “good times” portion of the doc, like stanning for his “genius”. I was asked to talk about his genius. I do not nor have I EVER stanned for him."
He added, "That quote makes it look like I’m protecting him. I’m thinking “damn I don’t wanna be the one guy I always am in documentaries fawning over someone I detest. So make ZERO mistake on my positioning."
Shortly after the clarification, hampton responded, in a since-deleted tweet, saying, "I'm sorry that this quote has caused you grief. You didn't want to talk about him, no one did. But I think that not talking abt him has been a kind of pass, which is what I said. Didn't mean for you to stand out in that quote."
She also countered part of Questlove's statement, in another now-deleted tweet that read, "I didn't ask you about his "Genius". I've never thought he was a genius. I asked you to come on camera and say the same thing you said on Twitter. I told you I need Black male allies."
"Surviving R. Kelly" airs in three parts, starting tonight (Thursday Jan. 3rd) at 9 p.m. EST on Lifetime. Watch the trailer above.