Podcast Hosts Defend Their Interview With R. Kelly Amid Backlash

April Smith and Patricia Dillard, the hosts of the podcast where convicted singer R. Kelly belted out a few of his tunes, have defended their interview with him.

Kelly made a rare podcast appearance on Smith and Dillard’s podcast and revealed he has written 25 albums while in prison.

However, several fans expressed displeasure at Kelly’s revelation that he was working on new music and wondered why the podcast hosts gave him an audience.

Smith and Dillard knew that posting their interview with R. Kelly on their “Intimate Tea with A&P” podcast could get them dragged on the internet.

However, they went ahead to do so and don’t seem to regret their actions despite getting backlash.

The duo spoke to TMZ amid the buzz their interview with Kelly was generating and revealed that it happened accidentally.

They said they were interviewing another inmate who told them he was in the same prison as the disgraced R&B singer. The inmate then found a way to get Kelly on the line.

Smith and Dillard shared that they didn’t have a problem with the interview going ahead because they didn’t discuss Kelly’s case with him.

The incarcerated singer is subject to a gag order while appealing his conviction on multiple charges, including forced labor, sexual exploitation of a minor, and violations of the Mann Act.

While not everyone would have been comfortable interviewing R. Kelly from prison, the podcast hosts explained why they were fine with it.

Dillard said, “We’re just 2 individuals who are able to separate the art from the artist.”

They also revealed that the responses to the interview had been mixed, which didn’t surprise them, considering that many people had canceled Kelly following his conviction. However, they said, “When R. Kelly calls, you answer.”

Smith and Dillard also noted that they launched their podcast because they wanted to work on prison reform.

The podcast hosts usually speak to non-famous inmates, and their conversations are mostly about prison conditions. However, they got lucky when Kelly became a guest on their show.

During his interview with Smith and Dillard, Kelly shared his passion for music by singing snippets from his hit songs, “When a Woman’s Fed Up,” and “Step in the Name of Love.”

The 58-year-old shared that his love for music hasn’t waned and described singing as “a beautiful disease that’s incurable.”

In addition to writing 25 albums in prison, Kelly shared that he is focused on regaining his freedom but was being patient while doing so.

Kelly’s efforts to regain his freedom suffered a setback in February after a federal appeal court upheld his racketeering convictions and three-decade sentence.

However, despite the ruling, his attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, said the singer is hopeful and resilient and will keep fighting for his freedom and justice.

After clips of R. Kelly’s podcast interview went viral, several netizens shared their thoughts about his eagerness to release new albums from prison.

Many of those who reacted to the interview wondered why he was given an audience.

One X user wrote, “Why give him an audience? No one wants to hear a pedo sing.”

A second person expressed surprise that Kelly could do a podcast interview from prison, while a third commenter wrote, “Why are we interviewing him exactly? Why are women smiling while interviewing HIM exactly?”

A fourth person added, “Who are the two losers to out him on a podcast! Like anyone cares that he’s working on new music! All his music was about sex sooooooo.”

During the “SNL” 50th anniversary special, there was an “In Memoriam” segment that spotlighted some of the show’s most infamous past guests.

The list included Kelly, O. J. Simpson, Jared Fogle, and Robert Blake, who had all made the headlines for the wrong reasons.

However, Kelly’s lawyer, Jennifer Bonjean, slammed the show, suggesting that some names that could be deemed more “problematic” were left out. Bonjean told TMZ, “Rather arrogant that SNL sees it as their job to decide, belatedly, who should and should not be canceled.”