Keke Palmer Slams Former Mentor R. Kelly: “That is Not the Particular person I Labored With”

Prince Williams/WireImage, Charles Sykes/Bravo/NBCU Picture Financial institution by way of Getty Photos

Keke Palmer remains to be wrapping her thoughts across the downfall of her former trainer R. Kelly.

Throughout an look on Watch What Occurs Reside final evening, the singer-actress recalled her expertise watching Lifetime’s Surviving R. Kelly, through which a number of ladies got here ahead claiming that Kelly used his energy and affect to sexually and bodily abuse them and different younger ladies. Admitted Palmer, “The entire thing was eye-opening, painful, unhappy, disappointing and heartbreaking.”

However was she shocked, puzzled host Andy Cohen. “Sure, as a result of that is not the aspect I knew,” admitted the singer-actress. “That is not the person who I labored with. That is not the expertise I had. So, simply think about when you’re having an important expertise with somebody and then you definately’re listening to all these things it is like, ‘Why did not you present them what you confirmed me?’ That is the sensation I had.”

“I hated speaking about it as a result of I felt like, man, you had been a good friend to me however then I am seeing you as a foe to others and I am damage for them,” she continued. “How do I really feel about it? How do I put myself on this place now? It was very unhappy. I feel that anyone that beloved him as an individual most likely feels that means. That is not one thing you wish to hear about any individual that you just cared for. “

Early on in her profession, the Scream Queens alum, 25, was a pupil beneath the now-disgraced, looking for his recommendation on tips on how to steadiness her ardour for singing and appearing. 

“I spent a whole lot of time working with R. Kelly,” she advised Billboard in 2017. “And one factor that he advised me, he was like, ‘Keke, you needn’t draw back out of your appearing. You deliver that to part of your music. You make that take your music to the subsequent stage.'”

Nonetheless, after watching the docuseries in January, she noticed one other aspect to Kelly.

“Simply completed Surviving R. Kelly and I’ve spent the final hour crying,” she wrote on Instagram. “As a pupil of R. Kelly’s for the time I used to be and having been round his mild and understanding the obstacles he overcame as a toddler to truly be birthed into the musical genius he’s at the moment… All to place others by means of the identical darkness he was working from is essentially the most disheartening factor to simply accept. Many individuals expertise hardships and don’t permit themselves to search out freedom by means of their ardour sufficient to shine a lightweight. R. Kelly obtained that grace from God. God blessed him to vindicate his childhood shortcomings and but nonetheless he has slapped God within the face by his actions in direction of these ladies.”

“I’m damage and saddened as a result of he might have been a blessing to those ladies however as an alternative he repeatedly took benefit and that I can’t settle for,” Palmer continued. “I’ll stand by my sisters as a result of that is merely what’s proper and what I hope discontinues this habits in anybody. Now we have to be good to one another, not all of us settle for the sunshine however these of us that do have to be accountable!!!! We can’t make the most of one another or settle for when another person does.”

The three-time Grammy winner has continued to disclaim all claims about him. In June, Kelly pleaded responsible to 11 new sex-related felony fees. Earlier this yr, he additionally pleaded not responsible to 10 counts of sexual abuse.

Throughout an interview with Gayle King, Kelly, visibly indignant, broke down in tears: “I am preventing for my f–king life!”

“You can begin a rumor on a man like me or a star similar to that,” he advised King. “All you need to do is push a button in your cellphone and say so and so did this to me, R. Kelly did this to me. In the event you get any traction from that, when you’re capable of write a guide from that, when you’re capable of get a actuality present, then any lady that I had a relationship previously that it simply did not work out—she will be able to come and say the very same factor,” he advised King. “I am speaking in regards to the energy of social media.”