Nick Cannon Says 'We Can't Have Selective Outrage' With R. Kelly

nick-cannon-big-boy-neighborhood

Nick Cannon thinks the public needs to hold artists of all generations accountable for their actions — even late legends. 

During the Wild 'N Out creator's recent interview on "Big Boy's Neighborhood," he did not hold back while giving his unfiltered opinion on the recent fallout from the Surviving R. Kelly documentary series. "As a society, we have been turning a blind eye to this toxic masculinity and this predatorial type of energy from all men," he told Big Boy before addressing his previous Instagram apology, posted in response to the shocking docu-series. "I apologized for turning a blind eye not just to R. Kelly but to all men in the [entertainment/music] industry. If there are some people that are going to get called to the table, let's all call them to the table," Nick explained, adding, "we shouldn't have selective outrage." 

"I'm bringing up stuff y'all forgot about because it's a different time," he continued. "If we bring up the age of the rock star, and you go back and look at some of these movies, they were doing such horrendous things to young girls and it was praised... So once you start putting the magnifying glass on certain individuals you gotta put it back on everyone else." 

Nick then addressed the claims that older artists dated, even married, underage girls back in the day and have yet to be "muted" or held accountable for their wrongdoings. "Going back to Elvis [Presley] liking thirteen-year-olds, Jerry [Lee] Lewis marrying his 13-year-old cousin, and other people I often bring up and people are like 'we don't want to talk about that.' And I'm like 'no!' ... We can't have selective outrage," Nick said. "If we're going to call out R. Kelly we're going to have to throw out all [the music streaming services] because so many individuals have done stuff for generations that they've never apologized for, or never addressed so it goes back to that truth and reconciliation." 

nick-cannon-interview-big-boy-neighborhood-1

As previously reported, Kelly, who has denied all allegations of sexual abuse or misconduct against him, is currently under criminal investigation following the airing of Surviving R. Kelly. The three-part docu-series detailed gripping and harrowing recounts of Kelly's alleged sexual abuse — told by seven alleged survivors — over the last 20-plus years. 

In the days after its airing, many artists responded by not only denouncing Kelly's alleged actions but by pulling their previous collaborations with him off music streaming services. Lady Gaga, Celine Dion, The Pussycat Dolls, Chance the Rapper and Ciara are just a few of the artists who have either pulled their R. Kelly featured tracks, or are in the middle of doing so.

Photo: Getty Images/ DayDay Padilla


Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content