Freddie Gibbs is setting the record straight after raising eyebrows with a video of himself vibing to an R. Kelly track.
In a clip shared to his Instagram Stories, Gibbs was seen singing along to the song, adding the caption, “Probably one of the best songs recorded #prayforRKelly.” The post quickly sparked reactions, with some assuming he was advocating for the disgraced singer’s release.
But Gibbs wasn’t having it. In a follow-up post, he clarified his stance, writing, “I didn’t say free that n***a now calm down,” making it clear he wasn’t calling for R. Kelly’s freedom.
This isn’t the first time Freddie Gibbs has praised R. Kelly’s music while making it clear he doesn’t support the singer’s crimes.
R. Kelly, now a convicted sex offender, is currently serving a 30-year sentence handed down in New York, along with a 20-year sentence from a separate Chicago trial. Despite the serious nature of his offenses, Gibbs has previously acknowledged Kelly’s musical legacy—while distancing himself from the man behind it.
On his 2023 track “Wolverine,” Gibbs rapped:
“Too many sex crimes, sex crimes, Weinstein, Epsteins / Them crackers rich forever, you Black, they want the whole thing / R. Kelly singing for commissary / And no, I don’t condone the shit he did, he got heat in my library.”
The debate over separating the art from the artist continues to swirl around R. Kelly, and while Gibbs appears to be fine with enjoying the music despite the controversy, plenty of others still draw a hard line.
