NBC’S STEPHANIE GOSK IS HERE WITH WHAT HE’S SAYING.
>> THIS IS A REMARKABLE
INTERVIEW.
INTERVIEW. R. KELLY IS FACING TEN COUNTS OF
SEXUAL ABUSE IN CHICAGO, BUT
HE’S BEEN ACCUSED OF MUCH MORE.
MANY WOMEN COMING FORWARD IN
THAT EXPLOSIVE LIFETIME
DOCUMENTARY.
DOCUMENTARY. NOW IN HIS FIRST INTERVIEW SINCE
THE ARREST, THE SINGER GETS
EMOTIONAL AND ANGRY DENYING THE
ACCUSATIONS.
ACCUSATIONS. >> ANYBODY FAMOUS CAN GET
ACCUSED OF SO MANY DIFFERENT
THINGS.
THINGS. >> R. KELLY’S SOARING VOICE
BROUGHT HIM ENDLESS FAME.
THIS MORNING HE’S USING THAT
SAME VOICE TO DEFEND HIMSELF
SPEAKING OUT FOR THE FIRST TIME
IN AN EMOTIONAL INTERVIEW WITH
CBS NEWS.
CBS NEWS. >> THIS IS WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
ABOUT YOU.
ABOUT YOU. >> NOT TRUE.
>> Reporter: WHEN ASKED ABOUT
ACCUSATIONS HE HELD WOMEN
AGAINST THEIR WILL, THE
THREE-TIME GRAMMY WINNER GOT
ANGRY.
ANGRY. >> IS THIS CAMERA ON ME?
>> YES.
>> YES. >> THAT’S STUPID!
USE YOUR COMMON SENSE.
DON’T -- FORGET THE BLOGS.
FORGET HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT ME,
HATE ME IF YOU WANT TO.
LOVE ME IF YOU WANT, BUT JUST
USE YOUR COMMON SENSE.
HOW STUPID WOULD IT BE FOR ME
TO -- WITH MY CRAZY PAST AND
WHAIF
WHAIF WHAT I’VE BEEN THROUGH, OH,
RIGHT NOW I JUST THINK I NEED TO
BE A MONSTER AND HOLD GIRLS
AGAINST THEIR WILL.
STOP IT.
STOP IT. YOU ALL QUIT PLAYING.
QUIT PLAYING.
QUIT PLAYING. >> ROBERT.
>> ROBERT. >> I DIDN’T DO THIS STUFF.
THIS IS NOT ME.
I’M FIGHTING FOR MY [ BLEEP ]
LIFE.
LIFE. >> Reporter: R. KELLY IS CHARGED
WITH TEN COUNTS OF SEXUAL ABUSE
INVOLVING FOUR WOMEN, THREE OF
THEM MINORS.
THEM MINORS. HE PLEADED NOT GUILTY IN COURT
AND HAS BEEN RELEASED ON BAIL.
IN 2008 THE POP STAR WAS
ACQUITTED ON CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
CHARGES.
CHARGES. BEYOND THE CRIMINAL CHARGES, THE
52-YEAR-OLD HAS BATTLED RUMORS
OF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT FOR YEARS.
THE RECENT DOCUMENTARY
"SURVIVING R. KELLY" SHINING A
LIGHT ON THE ALLEGED ABUSE.
>> ROBERT IS A MASTER
MANIPULATOR.
MANIPULATOR. EVERYBODY KNOWS IT NOW.
>> HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT HOW
PEOPLE VIEW YOU IN THE INDUSTRY?
YOU KNOW, JOHN LEGEND HAS CALLED
YOU A SERIAL RAPIST.
LADY GAGA HAS APOLOGIZED FOR
WORKING WITH YOU.
>> JOHN LEGEND, LADY GAGA, THE
INTERESTING THING ABOUT THIS IS
THE FACT THAT WORKING WITH LADY
GAGA, SHE’S A VERY GREAT TALENT,
YOU KNOW, AND IT’S UNFORTUNATE
THAT HER INTELLIGENCE GO TO SUCH
A SHORT LEVEL WHEN IT COMES TO
THAT, YOU KNOW.
I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST NONE OF
THESE ARTISTS BUT I THINK
IT’S -- IT’S NOT PROFESSIONAL
FOR THEM TO DO THAT.
>> Reporter: R. KELLY’S LAWYER
STEVE GREENBERG TOLD NBC NEWS
HIS CLIENT HAS NEVER HAD SEX
WITH UNDERAGED GIRLS.
>> HE KEPT RECORDS.
HE MADE PEOPLE SHOW HIM I.D.’S.
HE MADE PEOPLE SIGN STATEMENTS.
>> DO YOU STILL SIT HERE AND SAY
YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN WITH
UNDERAGED GIRLS?
UNDERAGED GIRLS? >> I WILL TELL YOU THIS, PEOPLE
ARE GOING BACK TO MY PAST, OKAY?
THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT THEY’RE
DOING.
DOING. THEY’RE GOING BACK TO THE PAST,
AND THEY’RE TRYING TO ADD ALL OF
THIS STUFF NOW TO THAT.
>> HE DOESN’T DIRECTLY ANSWER A
LOT OF THOSE QUESTIONS.
THE BIG QUESTION IS WHY ON EARTH
DID HE SIT DOWN TO DO AN
INTERVIEW WHEN HE’S GOT A TRIAL
COMING UP?
COMING UP? THERE’S A LOT OF ISSUES,
OBVIOUSLY, THERE.
OBVIOUSLY, THERE. >> YEAH, I KNOW IT’S AN
EXTREMELY RISKY STRATEGY.
YOU HAVE TO WONDER WHETHER HIS
DEFENSE ATTORNEY RECOMMENDED IT.
HIS DEFENSE ATTORNEY IN THE PAST
HAS SAID HE HAD CONCERNS ABOUT
FINDING AN IMPARTIAL JURY.
PERHAPS HE AND R. KELLY BELIEVE
THAT THE SINGER IS HIS BEST
SPOKESPERSON, BUT AS YOU CAN
SEE, HE REALLY COMES UNDONE IN
THIS INTERVIEW.
THIS INTERVIEW. >> IF YOU’RE TRYING TO PROVE
THAT YOU’RE NOT, YOU KNOW,
UNHINGED, TERRIFYING, SCARY,
PERHAPS THAT WAS NOT THE BEST
EXAMPLE.
EXAMPLE. >> IF HE DOES GO TO TRIAL, COULD
THAT END UP BEING SHOWN DURING
THE PROCEEDING?
THE PROCEEDING? >> YES, I MEAN, IT’S PROBABLY
GOING TO BE LITIGATED.
IT’S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE I’VE
BEEN A LAWYER, BUT I THINK IT
COMES IN.
COMES IN. USUALLY STATEMENTS FROM THE
DEFENDANT WOULD COME IN.
>> WOW.
>> WOW. >> YOU CAN’T IMAGINE THE
PROSECUTION LEAVING THAT ASIDE.
>> NO.