I Admit
"I Admit" | |
---|---|
Song by R. Kelly | |
Released | July 23, 2018 |
Genre | R&B |
Length | 19:11[1] |
Label | Self-released |
Songwriter(s) |
|
Producer(s) |
|
"I Admit" is a 19-minute song by American singer R. Kelly.[1] Released on SoundCloud on July 23, 2018,[3] the song addresses the singer's sexual abuse scandals.[4][5] "I Admit" was written by Kelly and Raphael Ramos Oliveira,[2] and produced by Kelly and Noc.[6] In "I Admit", Kelly makes a number of confessions, including that he is dyslexic,[7] that he has been sexually unfaithful,[8] and that he was raped.[6] Kelly does not make any criminal admissions, but instead denies allegations of domestic violence and pedophilia.
The release of "I Admit" followed a 2017 BuzzFeed News investigative report that alleged that Kelly operated a "sex cult", and a 2018 boycott of Kelly backed by Time's Up. The lyrics rebuke Jim DeRogatis for his BuzzFeed News report, and disavow the report's allegations that Kelly is in charge of a "sex cult". "I Admit" was Kelly's final release before his 31-year incarceration at FCI Butner Medium I.
Critics reviewed "I Admit" unfavorably. Some reviewers contrasted the title with the lack of criminal admissions in the lyrics, and described the song as an act of trolling. The song was compared to Kelly's rap opera Trapped in the Closet and O. J. Simpson's book If I Did It, which addressed Simpson’s allegations of murder. Reviewers noted that Kelly's lyrics more closely resemble a self-defense than an admission or mea culpa.[9][10][11] The release of "I Admit" led to a response from DeRogatis, who defended his journalism in two interviews. R. Kelly's ex-wife, Andrea Kelly, and brother, Carey "Killa" Kelly, individually released songs in response to "I Admit" that contain additional allegations against R. Kelly. The song also attracted criticism on social media.
Background and release
[edit]"I Admit" was Kelly's first release since his 2016 holiday album, 12 Nights of Christmas.[12]
In July 2017, Jim DeRogatis contributed an article to BuzzFeed News detailing legal investigations from three families regarding their daughters' alleged kidnappings after they established relationships with Kelly. The article characterized Kelly's operations as a "cult", and included interviews with three of Kelly's former associates.[13] However, both Kelly[14] and the daughters[15] refuted the claims.
In April 2018, the Women of Color branch of the Time's Up movement announced their support for the Mute R. Kelly social media campaign, which advocated for music venues to cancel Kelly's concert dates and for Sony Music to terminate Kelly's recording contract.[16] The organization published a demand on The Root for RCA Records, Ticketmaster, Spotify, Apple Music, and the Greensboro Coliseum Complex to end their business relationships with Kelly.[17] Spotify removed the music of Kelly, XXXTentacion, and Tay-K from their playlists after introducing a "hate content and hateful conduct" policy in May 2018,[18][19] but rescinded the policy in June 2018 after people in the music industry, including Kendrick Lamar's and Top Dawg Entertainment's representatives,[20][21] accused the company of censorship.[22][23]
"I Admit" was released on the SoundCloud account of Julius Darrington, CEO of the AudioDream record label, on July 23, 2018.[3][24] RCA Records, Kelly's former label at the time, did not confirm whether they were associated with the song.[24] Kelly promoted the release with a post, "Today is the day you've been waiting for", across Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.[25][26][27]
After the January 2019 broadcast of Surviving R. Kelly, Kelly appeared in a CBS This Morning interview on March 8, 2019, in which Gayle King asked him whether "I Admit" was his "way of confessing". Kelly responded, "That question makes no sense, no offense, but what I'm saying is this: 'I Admit' was me expressing my feelings about the things I was going through. If you're listening to it, you can hear exactly what I'm admitting."[28][29]
Lyrics
[edit]In "I Admit", Kelly admits to various acts, including dropping out of high school and not attending church.[31] Kelly claims to be dyslexic, and asserts that his inability to read his recording contract caused him to forfeit publishing rights to his music,[7][10] which contributed to Kelly's financial troubles, including his $20 million tax debt to the Internal Revenue Service.[6][32] In the song, Kelly confesses that he was sexually unfaithful and frequented strip clubs.[8] Kelly reveals that he lost his virginity in his childhood when he was raped by an older female family member,[6][33] elaborating on the disclosures from his 2012 autobiography, Soulacoaster: The Diary of Me.[34]
Despite the song's title and Kelly's repetition of the lyric "I admit it, I did it" in the chorus,[34] "I Admit" does not contain any criminal admissions.[35] Kelly denies accusations of domestic violence, involvement in a "sex cult", and pedophilia in his lyrics,[4] dismissing them as matters of opinion.[34] Kelly does not admit guilt regarding the 2008 acquittal of his sex tape allegations, but maintains that he has been "falsely accused"[35] and sings that his lawyer advised him to "don't say noth'".[12] Although Kelly admits to casual sex with "both older and young ladies", he states that all of them were "over age".[36][37] The lyrics denounce DeRogatis for profiting from his reports of Kelly's scandals,[4] and John Legend, Steve Harvey, and Tom Joyner for refusing to publicly defend Kelly from his accusers.[12] He also refused to discuss his 1994 voided marriage to deceased singer Aaliyah, but claimed in a verse that during a phone call to Wendy Williams, he said that his relationship with Aaliyah was "love".[38]
In response to the Mute R. Kelly campaign,[3] Kelly sings, "only God can mute me".[8] Kelly expresses support for a "women's group",[6][37] but also exclaims that "they tryna lock me up like Bill", referring to Bill Cosby, who at the time was awaiting incarceration after his April 2018 sexual assault convictions.[11][39][40] Kelly finishes the song by telling the audience to "stay the fuck out of my business",[31] and inviting his birthplace of Chicago to use his image as inspiration for city youth.[6][41]
Critical reception
[edit]Several reviewers characterized "I Admit" as an act of trolling, since the name of the song overstates the magnitude of the admissions contained within the lyrics.[6][42][43] Elyse Wanshel of HuffPost noted similarities between this song and If I Did It,[44] a book by O. J. Simpson that contains a hypothetical description of the alleged murder in Simpson's murder case.[45] Writing for The Daily Beast, Stereo Williams described the song as "20 minutes of defensive rambling and R. Kelly nailing himself to a cross". Williams asserted that Kelly "paints himself as the victim: the victim of the media, of sycophants, of his childhood abuser, of his own illiteracy" while "baiting his critics with a number of shockingly brazen lyrical references to his behavior".[43]
In a review for The Atlantic, Hannah Giorgis compared the song's structure to Kelly's rap opera Trapped in the Closet, and remarked, "The specter of harmful actions is softened by the harmonies of the lullaby." Giorgis described Kelly's delivery as "a stomach-churning mix of self-pity and hubris" and criticized Kelly for refusing to address the alleged victims directly. She noted that "at no point does he speak to—rather than at or about—the women who have come forward" and wrote, "none of the women who have recounted tales of Kelly's abuse is worthy of being the hero in this story. Kelly, and Kelly alone, occupies that mantle."[12]
Ann-Derrick Gaillot of The Outline considered "I Admit" a "bad song" and "a 20-minute long plea to save his dying career", and stated that the release of the song demonstrated that Kelly was "no longer invincible".[41] In Rolling Stone, Michael Arcenaux lambasted Kelly for attempting to "invoke his own trauma to excuse the grief he is alleged to have caused in so many women and girls".[11] Broadly's Leila Ettachfini labeled the song as "a bizarre attempt to garner some sympathy from the public in hopes that it could somehow absolve Kelly for his alleged crimes against women and girls", but remarked that "the song doesn't seem to be achieving Kelly's desired effect".[34]
Responses
[edit]In interviews with Variety and Billboard, DeRogatis denied that his reporting of Kelly's allegations had been a significant factor in his own career growth. DeRogatis defended his continued coverage of Kelly by disclosing that he still received calls from sources. He said, "You're not a journalist or a human being if you get those calls and do not do your job." Regarding the song's composition, DeRogatis saw "I Admit" as a continuation of Kelly's 10-minute remix of "I Believe I Can Fly" from his unreleased album, Loveland, in which Kelly sings a plea to Saint Peter at the gates of heaven.[46][47][48]
Andrea Kelly, R. Kelly's ex-wife, shared lyrics to her remix titled "Admit It" on Instagram on July 24, 2018.[49][50] In her remix, Andrea alleges that R. Kelly physically abused her and neglected their children.[51] In response to a lyric on "I Admit" where R. Kelly describes his relationship with his deceased mother, Joanne Kelly, Andrea sings that Joanne would disapprove of his actions.[52] Andrea also accuses R. Kelly of being a "dead beat dad" and urges him to obtain "professional help".[53]
R. Kelly's brother, Carey "Killa" Kelly, released a diss track named "I Confess" on YouTube on August 3, 2018.[54][55] Replying to R. Kelly's claim on "I Admit" that Carey abandoned him, Carey echoes an April 2018 sexual misconduct allegation in which a woman accused R. Kelly of intentionally giving her a sexually transmitted infection, mainly genital herpes.[56][57] In "I Confess", Carey also implies that R. Kelly had sex with other men;[55][58][59] two "John Does" would later testify against Kelly in a federal New York City criminal trial, which charged him with sex trafficking and racketeering, in late-August 2021, confirming this allegation, but stating that he groomed and abused them.[60][61][62]
Black Twitter responded negatively to "I Admit", with many users expressing disgust at the song's lyrical content.[63] The song was poorly received by other artists; Talib Kweli remarked that Kelly's "lack of self awareness is atrocious"[64] and Questlove tweeted, "#IAdmit I want my 19 mins back".[65][66] The co-founder of the Mute R. Kelly social media campaign, Oronike Odeleye, called the song a "19-minute sex trafficking fundraising anthem" and interpreted its release as an indicator of Mute R. Kelly's success. In an interview with the Associated Press, Odeleye reaffirmed the campaign's efforts to eliminate Kelly's remaining concert dates.[67]
Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network spokeswoman Jodi Omear criticized the song's lyrics and stated, "Laws aren't opinions".[8] An attorney representing the family of Joycelyn Savage, one of the daughters mentioned in DeRogatis's BuzzFeed News article, rebuked Kelly for trying to "shift the narrative" and demanded Savage's release.[68][69]
Kelly was convicted of nine criminal counts, including racketeering (involving sexual exploitation of a child, kidnapping, bribery, and sex trafficking) and violations of the Mann Act, on September 28, 2021.[70] A few fans of Kelly played "I Admit" beside the courthouse shortly after the judgment was issued.[71]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "ISWC-Net". ISWC Network. CISAC. ISWC T-925.589.813-6. Archived from the original on May 7, 2019. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
- ^ a b "ACE Repertory". ASCAP. Archived from the original on June 12, 2016. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
- ^ a b c Snapes, Laura (July 23, 2018). "R Kelly denies sexual abuse allegations in 19-minute song I Admit". The Guardian. Archived from the original on July 24, 2018. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
- ^ a b c Sodomsky, Sam; Strauss, Matthew (July 23, 2018). "R. Kelly Addresses Sex Cult Allegations, Spotify Policy in 19-Minute New Song". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on July 23, 2018. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
- ^ "R Kelly: 'I Admit' released against sex allegations". BBC. July 23, 2018. Archived from the original on July 23, 2018. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g Britton, Luke Morgan (July 25, 2018). "R Kelly's 19-minute mea culpa 'I Admit', dissected and analysed". NME. Archived from the original on July 25, 2018. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
- ^ a b Kreps, Daniel (July 23, 2018). "R. Kelly Addresses Sex Cult Allegations, Spotify Ban on 19-Minute Song 'I Admit'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on January 7, 2019. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
- ^ a b c d Ellefson, Lindsey (July 23, 2018). "R. Kelly answers his critics with a 19-minute song, 'I Admit'". CNN. Archived from the original on July 24, 2018. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
- ^ Izadi, Elahe (July 23, 2018). "R. Kelly addresses sexual misconduct allegations in a new 19-minute song called 'I Admit'". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 9, 2019. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
- ^ a b Branigin, Anne (July 23, 2018). "We Listened to R. Kelly's New 19-Minute Song, 'I Admit,' So You Don't Have to". The Grapevine. Archived from the original on January 7, 2019. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
- ^ a b c Arcenaux, Michael (July 24, 2018). "R. Kelly's Latest Song Is the Same Old Two-Step From the Most Contemptible Man in Music". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on July 25, 2018. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
- ^ a b c d Giorgis, Hannah (July 24, 2018). "R. Kelly Is the Hero of His Own Disingenuous Epic". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on July 24, 2018. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
- ^ DeRogatis, Jim (July 17, 2017). "Parents Told Police Their Daughter Is Being Held Against Her Will In R. Kelly's "Cult"". BuzzFeed News. Archived from the original on July 24, 2018. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
- ^ "R Kelly denies holding several women in 'abusive cult'". BBC. July 18, 2017. Archived from the original on July 25, 2018. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
- ^ Aswad, Jem (July 17, 2017). "Parents Accusing R. Kelly of Holding Daughters in Abusive 'Cult' to Hold Press Conference, Writer Says". Variety. Archived from the original on July 26, 2018. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
- ^ Mitchell, Gail (April 30, 2018). "Women of Color of Time's Up Join #MuteRKelly Campaign". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 25, 2018. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
- ^ Time's Up (April 30, 2018). "Women of Color Within Time's Up Join #MuteRKelly Protest". The Root. Archived from the original on January 7, 2019. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
- ^ Coscarelli, Joe (May 10, 2018). "Spotify Pulls R. Kelly and XXXTentacion From Playlists, Stirring a Debate". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on May 10, 2018. Retrieved January 12, 2019.
- ^ "Spotify Announces New Hate Content and Hateful Conduct Public Policy". Spotify. May 10, 2018. Archived from the original on January 11, 2019. Retrieved January 12, 2019.
- ^ Shaw, Lucas (May 24, 2018). "Spotify Plans to Change XXXTentacion Policy After Outcry". Bloomberg. Archived from the original on January 12, 2019. Retrieved January 12, 2019.
- ^ Rys, Dan (June 1, 2018). "Top Dawg Explains How He Warned Spotify's CEO That Kendrick Lamar, Others Would Pull Music Over Conduct Policy". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 12, 2019. Retrieved January 12, 2019.
- ^ Sisario, Ben; Coscarelli, Joe (June 1, 2018). "Spotify Cancels 'Hateful Conduct' Policy After an Industry Uproar". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on January 12, 2019. Retrieved January 12, 2019.
- ^ "Spotify Policy Update". Spotify. June 1, 2018. Archived from the original on January 12, 2019. Retrieved January 12, 2019.
- ^ a b Aswad, Jem (July 23, 2018). "R. Kelly Responds to Sexual Misconduct Allegations in 19-Minute Song 'I Admit'". Variety. Archived from the original on January 7, 2019. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
- ^ Kelly, R. (July 23, 2018). "R. Kelly". Archived from the original on August 25, 2021. Retrieved January 7, 2019 – via Facebook.
- ^ Kelly, R. [@rkelly] (July 23, 2018). "Today is the day you've been waiting for. 🎶 I ADMIT 🎶" (Tweet). Retrieved January 7, 2019 – via Twitter.
- ^ rkelly (July 23, 2018). "R Kelly on Instagram". Archived from the original on February 1, 2020. Retrieved January 7, 2019 – via Instagram.
- ^ King, Gayle (March 9, 2019). "The Gayle King Interview with R. Kelly". CBS News. Archived from the original on March 9, 2019. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
- ^ "R. Kelly Discusses "I Admit" Song In Full Gayle King Interview". Vibe. March 9, 2019. Archived from the original on May 7, 2019. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
- ^ Millington, Alison (July 23, 2018). "R Kelly released an explosive new track called 'I Admit,' where he addresses the 'sex cult' allegations and says he sleeps with 'young ladies'". Business Insider. Archived from the original on January 7, 2019. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
- ^ a b Kaufman, Gil (July 23, 2018). "R. Kelly Appears to Hit Back at Sexual Assault Allegations in 19-Minute 'I Admit' Track: Listen". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 24, 2018. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
- ^ Jones, Charisse (March 6, 2019). "R. Kelly says he's too broke to pay taxes and maybe even child support. Do you believe him?". USA Today. Archived from the original on May 7, 2019. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
- ^ "R. Kelly Says He's 'Made Some Mistakes' on New 19-Minute Track 'I Admit'". Time. July 23, 2018. Archived from the original on July 23, 2018. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
- ^ a b c d Ettachfini, Leila; Burke, Sarah (July 24, 2018). "R. Kelly's Victimhood Doesn't Excuse His Alleged Sexual Misconduct". Broadly. Archived from the original on January 8, 2019. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
- ^ a b Gajanan, Mahita (July 23, 2018). "A Defense Attorney Listened to R. Kelly's 19-Minute Song 'I Admit.' This Is What She Thinks". Time. Archived from the original on January 8, 2019. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
- ^ Grady, Constance (July 23, 2018). "R. Kelly released a 19-minute song called "I Admit." It doesn't admit much". Vox. Archived from the original on July 25, 2018. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
- ^ a b Read, Bridget (July 23, 2018). "In a New 19 Minute Song, R. Kelly Admits to Nothing". Vogue. Archived from the original on July 25, 2018. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
- ^ "R. Kelly's New Lyrics Detail Allegations 'Don't Push Your Daughter In My Face' - The Source". July 23, 2018. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
- ^ Lynch, John (July 23, 2018). "R Kelly sings 'they tryna lock me up like Bill' Cosby over 'sex cult' allegations in a new song". Business Insider. Archived from the original on March 29, 2019. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
- ^ Bowley, Graham; Hurdle, Jon (April 26, 2018). "Bill Cosby Is Found Guilty of Sexual Assault". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on July 17, 2019. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
- ^ a b Gaillot, Ann-Derrick (July 23, 2018). "The R. Kelly boycott is working". The Outline. Archived from the original on July 25, 2018. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
- ^ Johnson, Kevin C. (August 12, 2018). "Muting R. Kelly: Our music critic is finished with the Pied Piper of R&B". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Archived from the original on March 24, 2019. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
- ^ a b Williams, Stereo (July 23, 2018). "R. Kelly's Delusional Response to Sex Cult Allegations in 'I Admit': I'm the Victim Here". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on March 24, 2019. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
- ^ Wanshel, Elyse (July 23, 2018). "R. Kelly Releases Song 'I Admit' And It Does The Opposite Of That". HuffPost. Archived from the original on January 10, 2019. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
- ^ "O.J. book sparks new outrage". Associated Press. November 16, 2006. Archived from the original on October 11, 2019. Retrieved January 7, 2019 – via The Boston Globe.
- ^ Aswad, Jem (July 23, 2018). "Jim DeRogatis Responds to R. Kelly, Who Says Reporter Has Been 'Trying to Destroy' Him". Variety. Archived from the original on July 25, 2018. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
- ^ Hyman, Dan (July 24, 2018). "Journalist Jim DeRogatis on Being Named in R. Kelly's 'I Admit' and What the Song Means for the Singer's Future". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 7, 2019. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
- ^ Sanneh, Kelefa (September 8, 2002). "THE NEW SEASON/MUSIC; The Adventures Of 'Loveland'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on July 25, 2018. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
- ^ officialdreakelly (July 24, 2018). "Drea Kelly on Instagram". Archived from the original on August 25, 2021. Retrieved January 7, 2019 – via Instagram.
- ^ Scott, Katie (July 25, 2018). "R. Kelly's ex-wife responds to song 'I Admit' with her own remix". Global News. Archived from the original on January 7, 2019. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
- ^ Bennett, Jessica (July 25, 2018). "R. Kelly's Ex-Wife Remixes 'I Admit,' Calling Singer an Abusive 'Deadbeat'". Ebony. Archived from the original on January 7, 2019. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
- ^ Espinoza, Joshua (July 24, 2018). "R. Kelly's Ex-Wife Responds to "Admit It" With Her Own Remix". Complex. Archived from the original on January 7, 2019. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
- ^ Eustice, Kyle (July 25, 2018). "R. Kelly's Ex-Wife Responds To His 19-Minute Confessional With Scathing "Remix"". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on January 7, 2019. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
- ^ Kelly, Carey (August 3, 2018). "I Confess. "Carey Killa Kelly" Clap Back Song To I Admitt [sic] By - R-Kelly". Archived from the original on August 25, 2021. Retrieved January 7, 2019 – via YouTube.
- ^ a b Grant, Shawn (August 8, 2018). "R. Kelly's Brother Blasts Singer in New 'I Confess' Single". The Source. Archived from the original on January 7, 2019. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
- ^ Bennett, Jessica (August 8, 2018). "R. Kelly's Brother Releases Diss Track Accusing Singer of Giving Women STDs". Ebony. Archived from the original on January 7, 2019. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
- ^ Edgers, Geoff (April 15, 2018). "Singer R. Kelly accused by woman in Texas of giving her sexually transmitted disease". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 7, 2019. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
- ^ Burks, Tosten (August 7, 2018). "R. Kelly's Brother Accuses Him of Spreading STDs on Diss Track". XXL. Archived from the original on January 15, 2019. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
- ^ "R. Kelly's Brother Accuses Him Of Dating Men And Spreading STDs On Diss Track, "I Confess"". Vibe. August 7, 2018. Archived from the original on April 14, 2019. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
- ^ Palmer, Emily (September 28, 2021). "R. Kelly Trial: Key Moments From Week 5". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
- ^ "First 'John Doe' In R. Kelly Trial Testifies He Was Forced Into Sex Acts". HuffPost. August 30, 2021. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
- ^ "First 'John Doe' In R. Kelly Trial Testifies He Was Forced Into Sex Acts". Yahoo Finance. August 30, 2021. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
- ^ Parham, Jason (July 24, 2018). "R. Kelly's Empty Confessions, Meet Black Twitter's Wrath". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Archived from the original on March 29, 2019. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
- ^ Greene, Talib Kweli [@TalibKweli] (July 23, 2018). "I just read the lyrics to R Kelly's new 19 minute song called 'I Admit It I Did It.' His lack of self awareness is atrocious" (Tweet). Retrieved January 8, 2019 – via Twitter.
- ^ Duster, Chandelis R. (July 23, 2018). "R. Kelly addresses sexual assault allegations in 19-minute song 'I Admit'". NBC News. Associated Press. Archived from the original on January 10, 2019. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
- ^ Questlove De La Rose [@questlove] (July 23, 2018). "Uh #IAdmit I want my 19 mins back" (Tweet). Archived from the original on January 11, 2019. Retrieved July 6, 2019 – via Twitter.
- ^ Fekadu, Mesfin (July 28, 2018). "Once untouchable, 'I Admit' shows that R. Kelly is hurting". Associated Press. Archived from the original on July 28, 2018. Retrieved July 29, 2018.
- ^ Cohen, Jess (July 23, 2018). "R. Kelly Addresses Sexual Abuse Allegations in Explicit New Song "I Admit"". E! Online. Archived from the original on July 24, 2018. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
- ^ Nilles, Billy (January 5, 2019). "Untangling R. Kelly's Sordid Web of Scandal". E! Online. Archived from the original on March 29, 2019. Retrieved March 29, 2019.
- ^ Whitten, Sarah (September 27, 2021). "R&B artist R. Kelly found guilty on all counts in sex trafficking and racketeering trial". CNBC. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
- ^ Adler, Dan (September 28, 2021). "The R. Kelly Guilty Verdict Was Nearly 30 Years in the Making". Vanity Fair. Retrieved February 26, 2022.