Source: Paras Griffin/Getty
Gasoline has been defended R. Kellystating that he shouldn't have gotten so much jail time for sexual assault charges, letting social media blast his stance online.
As R. Kelly goes on to serve a prison sentence on charges of child sexual abuse, including sex trafficking, Benzino has questioned why the disgraced singer is being punished so harshly. The rapper and former co-founder The source expressed his opinion during his April 24 episode We at the Miami Podcast. At the 12-minute mark of the episode, Benzino brings up the fact that the age of consent in most states in America is 16. “Again, the legal age is 16,” Benzino said. “Does that make it right if he does? Yes or no?” After everyone collectively agreed that it was “wrong” and “disgusting,” Benzino continued.
“Okay, but it's legal in America,” Benzino said. “Why does R. Kelly fk all this time? You know why because they are 14 and 13. Two years younger. But you don't think the people who cleared it for 16-year-olds didn't know they were f—king with 13, 14-year-olds, too. For the law to be that young, you already know they do. I don't forgive little girls, it's sick. OK, it's sick, but I don't think R. Kelly should rot in jail for 30 years.”
The video went viral, with some curiously agreeing with Benzino, but many others slamming the Boston native for his comments given the heinous nature of R. Kelly's crimes. Since the clip hit social media on Wednesday (May 1), the fallout has been ongoing with Benzino's daughter Coi Leray emphatically distancing herself from him in posts on X, formerly Twitter. “I want everyone to know that I want nothing to do with anything my father has to do,” she wrote. “I haven't spoken to him in a year and I don't condone or respect any of these interviews he's given. I don't respect his decisions and I really don't want anything to do with him, don't even think of me when you see him.”
Check out some of the more pointed comments directed at Benzino below.