R. Kelly Charges Fans $100 For 28-Second Performance In Chicago-Area Club

R. Kelly tried it. The world has witnessed the Chicago singer’s fall from grace as he faces jail time and the loss of his legacy amidst the backlash from ‘Surviving R.Kelly’ and the endless sexual assault accusations from various victims over the past two years. But, that didn’t stop Kelly from booking shows and overcharging his remaining fans.

Over the weekend, R. Kelly pleaded with social media to “take it easy” on him prior to his latest paid appearance at the Dirty South Lounge in Springfield, Illinois. According to local news reports, Kelly arrived at the club at 1:30 a.m. and spent over half an hour interacting with fans before he grabbed a microphone and sang for only 28 seconds. 

Fans were reportedly charged $100 to get into the club to see Kelly, but tickets prices were reduced to $50 as people were not attending. Complex reports that approximately 100 people showed up, even though the Dirty South Lounge has a max capacity of 450. 

R. Kelly is fortunate enough to be still able to book shows and draw an audience of any sort, but overcharging for a barely-there performance does not show much appreciation for his few remaining opportunities.