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Home / Entertainment

Tour promoter defends R. Kelly concert

NZ Herald
14 Dec, 2018 02:50 AM3 mins to read

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Sexual misconduct allegations against R. Kelly date back 24 years. Photo / Getty Images

Sexual misconduct allegations against R. Kelly date back 24 years. Photo / Getty Images

The promoter behind R. Kelly's upcoming show is defending their decision to bring the R&B singer to New Zealand, despite his long history of sexual misconduct allegations.

This morning, it was announced Kelly will play Auckland's Trusts Arena on Friday February 15, 2019.

Big Music Tour said they believe Kelly is "innocent until proven guilty".

"We can confirm we are bringing R. Kelly to Australia," the company said. "Our focus remains on his incredible music and bringing the show to his Australian and New Zealand fans. Mr Kelly was cleared of all allegations and, in our view, you are innocent until proven guilty."

Sexual misconduct allegations against Kelly span 24 years, beginning with his alleged marriage to 15-year-old singer Aaliyah in 1994.

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In 2002, Kelly was indicted on 21 counts of child pornography. He pleaded not guilty and was acquitted of all charges in 2008. Most recently, Kelly was accused of holding young women in a "sex cult".

Radio station Flava has since withdrawn it support for the New Zealand show, thanking the public for their feedback.

Hey Flava whānau,
Thanks for all your feedback on R. Kelly.
We hear you, and whilst he is a massive artist, you are right – all the other stuff around him is not part of what Flava is about and we cannot and will not support this show. Thanks for being so straight up with us fam.

— Flava (@FlavaRadio) December 13, 2018

Victims' advocate Ruth Money and the Women's Refuge have slammed Kelly's upcoming show.

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"This is disgraceful," Money said.

"Given all the calls this week from the community about respectful consensual relationships - how can this man be allowed a platform to entertain Kiwis?

"This is not the kind of role model our young men need," she says.

"This country has signalled enough is enough and now we see this bollocks."

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Women's Refuge chief executive says Kelly's visit is problematic considering New Zealand's "serious problem" with violence against women.

"New Zealand's got a really serious problem with family violence, with violence against women in general," she says.

"The presence of someone with a history - albeit with no convictions - but a decades long history of predatory behavior and violent behaviour, I don't think he adds anything to our country.

"Popular culture has an immense amount to do with shaping the way people think and the way people behave, and the sort of role models that we hold up, particularly to our young people.

"And when we've got somebody who does this sort of stuff, just because he's got money, and just because he's famous... he needs to be thinking about some of the damage that he's done."

Jury says allowing Kelly into New Zealand sets a bad example for men.

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"It stops the conversation about changing behaviour, and it calls into question the need for change for some men," she says. "There's been no indication that (Kelly) sees anything wrong with his behaviour."

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