Embattled American RnB singer R. Kelly gave his first performance since getting out of jail and it lasted only a few seconds.
The singer made an appearance at Dirty South Lounge in Springfield, Illinois, this past weekend, CNN reported. Kelly reportedly arrived around 1:30 a.m. where he spent a little over half an hour taking selfies, chatting, dancing and smoking cigars with those who had gathered to see him. He then grabbed a microphone, thanked his supporters and sang 28 seconds of one of his songs before the venue closed at 3 a.m.
The fee had been $100 for the event, but that was reduced to $50 after Kelly arrived, CNN further reported. Kelly’s attorney, Steve Greenberg, defended the 52-year old in a statement about his Dirty South Lounge appearance that “Months ago a show was scheduled in Springfield, and this was the “aftershow” party.”
“Although the show was canceled the nightclub asked him to still appear,” Greenberg said. “Because a commitment is a commitment he lived up to his, made the 3 hr drive, and appeared. Promoting and pricing was up to the club.”
Hours before he was set to appear Kelly announced the event on his official Instagram account and appealed to the media to take it easy on him since this was how he was earning his keep.
As previously reported that the singer was released on bail last month for a case in which authorities have said he failed to pay his ex-wife child support of $161,000. After the airing of the infamous ‘Surviving R. Kelly’ docu-series, Kelly was charged with 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse involving four alleged victims some of whom were minors when the assaults took place.
Last month his legal team filed a request asking the court to grant Kelly permission to travel to Dubai to perform shows as they argued he needs to work to pay child support and other bills. Authorities in Dubai later denied claims that the singer was to perform in the UAE and that he was to meet the royal family.
Popularly known as the pied piper, R. Kelly is also scheduled to perform in different places in Germany this weekend.