NPR: Would You Rather Buy Lies or the Awful Truth?

Would You Rather Buy Lies or the Awful Truth?

R&B singer R. Kelly arrives at the Chicago courthouse where jury selection is scheduled to begin for his child pornography trial.

Scott Olson, Getty Images

It's been six years since famous R&B crooner R. Kelly was nabbed on child porn charges.

Even with the subsequent release of a sex tape supposedly documenting the entire affair, and plenty of sordid details related to his alleged crime being made public, the man's popularity has hardly suffered. Certainly, he has still been touring and making money. (The same could not be said for Michael Jackson after his first court battle over similar charges.)

In fact, on today's roundtable discussion, we learned that listeners actually complained when radio stations pulled R. Kelly from the airwaves following his arrest.

Then there is the Senegalese Singing Sensation, Akon. According to TheSmokingGun.com, he faked his way to the top by exaggerating a largely benign criminal past.

"Police, court, and corrections records reveal that the entertainer has created a fictionalized backstory that serves as the narrative anchor for his recorded tales of isolation, violence, woe, and regret. Akon has overdubbed his biography with the kind of grit and menace that he apparently believes music consumers desire from their hip-hop stars."

AOL Black Voices has more on Akon's fraudulent past, including video of his now-refuted debut hit "Locked Up."

Do you agree that the hip-hop community lends a level of respect to performers who have served time? Do you care that Akon may have invented a troubled past to sell records? If child porn charges aren't enough to turn the public off a performer, what are?

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Geoffrey Gardner

1:06 PM ET | 05-12-2008 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

The Hip Hop generation doesn't seem to care about character. What's worrisome isn't that Akon faked a record to get street cred. What's sad is that he felt he needed to.

Sad.

Sent by Lalita Amos | 2:12 PM ET | 05-12-2008

I'm a fan of R. Kelly's music. I really don't care what he does with his life. If moral purity was a requirement for good music then we wouldn't have much to listen to.

As for Akon, News Flash: There all faking! It's fantasy!

Sent by Bill M | 2:35 PM ET | 05-12-2008

The blame could go to various segments of the music industry and not just the rappers: the executives for perpetuating such stereotype or the DJs who play the record. Let's be honest, how many positive rappers in comparison to the gangsta rappers get played on mainstream radio? Then when you ask the DJs why they play only a certain brand they say they have no choice because the "corporate headquarters" approve the rotation of songs.

Akon is not the first one nor will he be the last one to up his street cred by exagerating some thug lifestyle. Take for example, one of Miami's popular DJs, DJ Khaleed with his breakout hit last year "I'm so hood."

When I first heard the song and later saw the video I shook my head about the lies. Here's this guy who was one of the most sought after DJs in South Florida for many years. And having a cushy job such as that and hanging around the likes of South Beach doesn't make you "hood." But what Khaleed's video showed was the streets of Liberty City in Miami - a place any logical person would not be caught after a certain time of day. Who could blame him? That's what gets played on "106 and park."

Sent by Moji | 2:37 PM ET | 05-12-2008

Akon, Vanilla Ice; Vanilla Ice, Akon. Now that I've introduced you two, I see you have a lot in common.

Sent by Matthew Scallon | 4:31 PM ET | 05-12-2008

Is what Akon did or didn't do in this matter any worse than what record companies have done to deceive the public? Such as saying in liner notes that, the only singers that sang were the people on the album cover when it actually was the lead singer and studio background singers? Why? Because the group members have THE LOOK and a stage prescence but they don't have studio voices or maybe they really can't sing worth a lick. Record companies have always done that. Always have always will. It is all about selling records and if making up a phony background will sell a record then so be it. Did Akorn hurt anybody? Not really. No harm no foul.

It's business.

Sent by Thomas B | 6:06 PM ET | 05-12-2008

I have a warm place for R. Kelly, having been born in Chicago as well... that place is UNDER THE JAIL! And I am no fan of our criminal justice system.

I know folks want to let the man slide but we need to make hard choices and hold ourselves accountable for our actions.

Sent by Ama | 6:59 PM ET | 05-12-2008

What is wrong with my folks?? What are we doing accepting such low standards for ourselves? R.Kelly should be put away; all pedophiles should be kept off the streets. In the cases of Akon, rap violence, music industry execs, and R. Kelly our attention should be on how best to protect our children from men who don't care who they hurt just to make a profit. WE have to care.

Sent by Aisha Gabriel | 10:27 AM ET | 05-13-2008

R. Kelly is feral scum.

Sent by Wolfgang | 12:18 PM ET | 05-13-2008

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