Illiterate R. Kelly to "Pen" A Book

Illiterate R. Kelly to “Pen” A Book

Sometimes headlines are meant to be sensational to draw the reader to the story and sometimes some headlines, like the one above, should not be written. Illiterate, should be locked up for life, R. Kelly has inked a deal with Smiley Books to tell his life story. The notorious pedophile will tell his tragic pitiful tale of rags to riches and from women to girls, through Tavis Smiley, to anyone who will buy his story. If this is not a con game, then I don’t know what is.

Mr. Smiley who enlightens, encourages and empowers Black folks will help the community of color understand a high school dropout who can barely read turned child predator by publishing his book sometime in 2011. I don’t know what is worst Mr. Smiley’s press release announcing the upcoming book or R. Kelly claiming he is writing one. Are we to assume he will get a rushed copy of Hook-on- Phonics to help him understand how to spell and write the words he will speak? Mr. Smiley, the promoter of Wells Fargo, originator of bad loans to “mud” people, comes back to the very people he duped promoting flawed financial “products” to sell (I mean promote) a remorseful, suddenly educated, cleaned up, family version of R. Kelly. Please.

Once I got over the disbelief, I felt there were questions that Black folks should ask Mr. Smiley. Not R. Kelly. Why continue to peddle products, services and people who either dumb down or rob the very community you declare to love so greatly? And why do Black media continue to give a pass to Mr. Smiley? “What About Our Daughters” founder, Gina McCauley, was one of the first to address this topic last week on her blog. Mainstream and Black media have bypassed the hypocrisy of this all together. She has an entire list of questions that many should ask of the Smiley Group because inquiring minds that are enlightened, encouraged, and empowered really want to know.

Mr. Smiley’s show is broadcasted on PBS, a public station that relies heavily on donations to stay on air. Do donors want to help promote a taped child molester? The very thought should close purses with super glue to keep any money from escaping. Why R. Kelley? Why now? With the drop out rate of Black and Hispanic males at an all time high and the incarceration rate of black males representing a third of the community, why put R. Kelly back in the spotlight? This message could be misinterpreted to mean drop out and become a pedophile like me…you will be exonerated by the community even if you are guilty and get a book deal. Trifling is not even an adjective for this situation.

Mr. Smiley’s creditability continues to sink. Mr. Smiley goes from writing about holding the President accountable to publishing a book by R. Kelly. I got to give it to him for being creative when sponsorships are getting low. When all else fails, play to the lowest mindset in the community. Some stories you do not have to look for, they write themselves. But why would Mr. Smiley partner with R. Kelly? Smiley Books is part of a co-publishing venture with Hay House, Inc. According to Smiley Books website, “Smiley Books is a general trade book publisher that specializes in quality nonfiction”. Dr. Cornel West and Jeff Johnson are two authors who have written works published through Smiley Books.

R. Kelly will now get billing along side a noted college professor and a change agent who gives commentary on the community “discovering and sharing” information that will empower itself. With the swoosh of the pen a deal is cut with Smiley Books and R. Kelly is redeemed while at the same time releasing a new CD this month where song lyrics mention making love to “Baby Girl” several times. Some of the songs on his new CD are so explicit that the titles could not be read during an interview on the TJMS. From the heart the mouth sings, huh? Is part of the marketing of R. Kelly is praying that folks forget his taped criminal activities?

If this makes you sick and you want to become empowered, check out www.whataboutourdaughters.com . There are thousands who are using their collective voices to not allow this garbage to be dump into the community. If Mr. Smiley wishes to promote R. Kelly by all means do so but don’t use public airwaves to con the public. Enough with the foolishness and as Jeff Johnson would say “truth is power”. A book about R. Kelly is not about enlightening, encouraging, or empowering Black folks and people of color. He is an “opportunity” to make money. At the end of the day, the making money card seems to trump the “enlighten, encourage, and empower” card often.

By the way, why R. Kelly was not included in Mr. Smiley's book "How to make Black America Better"? There goes my inquiring mind again.