R. Kelly is biting back at reports that some of his concerts have been canceled in the wake of recent rumors about his scandalous private life.
He took to Instagram on Aug. 4 to hype a show in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, while simultaneously throwing cold water on the reports.
"I just want y'all to know I'm five minutes away from your city," he says in a video. "I'm ready to do my thing tonight, and I want to thank all of the fans for coming out and supporting me. So I will be there."
"And I want everybody around the world to know: Ain't no tours canceled, man," he adds. "All right? Despite what you hear — don't believe the hype. I haven't canceled not one show."
"I'm ready to get it in tonight," concludes the controversial rapper. "I'll see y'all in a few minutes. Love y'all."
In spite of his claims to the contrary, TMZ reports that four of 10 stops on his "After Party" tour (two in Louisiana, one in Dallas and one in Los Angeles) have been canceled due to poor ticket sales — though a source close to the "Ignition" rapper maintained to the webloid that the L.A. gig got called off due to a scheduling conflict with another nearby stop. ("The sources would not comment about the other three terminated shows," TMZ added.)
The outlet reported in late July that one of the "Ignition" rapper's shows in Virginia was barely half full and that he left the fans who did show up angry when he played for only 45 minutes.
It's been a weird summer for fans of R. Kelly, to say the least.
In July, BuzzFeed News reported that he was holding women against their will and running an abusive sex "cult."
According to the extremely bizarre July 17 report, the rapper has been housing half a dozen young women at his properties in Chicago and Atlanta, where he films them in intimate situations and dictates every detail of how they live their lives — from what they eat and wear to when they sleep and bathe.
"Mr. Robert Kelly is both alarmed and disturbed by the recent revelations attributed to him. Mr. Kelly unequivocally denies such accusations and will work diligently and forcibly to pursue his accusers and clear his name," his attorney said in a statement.