R. Kelly's Crisis Manager Now Says He Would Leave Daughter Alone With Singer

BY Erika Marie 11.6K Views
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Darrell Johnson
It looks like he's had a change of heart.

Rumors regarding R. Kelly are flying every-which-way, but one thing is for certain: the singer is currently in jail, being held without bond, on 13 federal counts related to sex crimes. The singer will soon be transferred to New York where he'll be confronted with charges from another investigation, and many believe that these upcoming cases spell the end of Kelly's freedom. However, his legal team is holding out hope that they can prove their client's innocence.

One person who has taken to the front lines for Kelly through his heavily publicized media storms is Darrell Johnson who acted as the singer's crisis manager. However, we previously reported that Johnson has stepped down from his position, a move that many speculated was influenced by his recent CBS interview with Gayle King. He was asked if he would feel comfortable leaving his 20-year-old daughter alone with Kelly and he responded, "Absolutely not. I wouldn’t leave my daughter with anybody that’s accused of pedophilia."

In an effort to bring clarity to both his comments and the move of relieving himself from crisis manager duties, Johnson caught up with TMZ and shared that a family member with serious health issues is the reason why he has to take a step back. "I had some personal issues back at my hometown," he said. "I decided at this particular time it was best to step away. One of my family members is on their deathbed right now and I'm going to go attend to that."

In regards to his interview with King, he alluded that CBS may have spliced and diced his comments to make them seem more scathing than they were. "It wasn't live. I have nothing against Gayle, CBS, nothing at all," he said. "I just think that when you do a taped interview that can be chopped up, and my words [are] my words...I'd pull back if I had to do it again. I would one thousand percent leave my daughter—which this is not what this is about—with Mr. Kelly if I had to leave."

Johnson goes on to say that Kelly has been acquitted of the previous charges against him and he has full faith that Kelly will once against be found not guilty. 


About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.

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