R&B singer R. Kelly said he is not the man in the sex video, which is under criminal investigation. The video depicts a black man, reportedly resembling Kelly, having sex with an underage girl.

?I?ve done a lot of wrong things in my life but I?m not a criminal. I?m not a monster. If people say there?s a tape of me and a minor [having sex], they?re lying,? the 33-year-old Grammy winner told Ed Gordon on BET last night in his first interview since the allegation came forth.

?You can?t believe everything you hear, and nowadays, you can?t believe everything you see,? he said, adding that he refuses to watch the video because since he says he has never had sex with a minor, it would be impossible for the man to be him.

Kelly denied any criminal wrongdoing, although without going into specifics, he did say he is going through a rough time with something.

?I?m not standing here saying I?m an angel,? he said, teary-eyed. ?I?m going through a problem in my life that I?m dealing with.?

Kelly settled two lawsuits with two separate women, both claiming that Kelly had sex with them when they were minors. He said he was pressured by his lawyers to settle because he had a promising music career going, and he did not want any negative press, even though he insists he did not have sex with either of them when they were minors. A third lawsuit is also false, he said.

Another allegation, put forward by former prot?g? Sparkle, is also without merit, he said. She claims Kelly had sex with her niece. He produced her first album, but she requested that he and another producer work on her second album. Kelly pulled out of the project, citing that since he made her first album successful, he alone could make her second album a success. He believes she is accusing him of having sex with her niece to get back at him.

As far as his career goes, Kelly said he needs to deal with the allegations before he can concentrate on music again. His wife, he said, is behind him in the ordeal.

?I?m very concerned with my career but I?m more concerned with my life. I?m a human being. This is more important that my music career.?

Kelly is seeing a reverend for guidance, and hanging out with new people.






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