ASAP Rocky is coming to French Montana's defense.
Earlier this week, the Coke Boys rapper received backlash for his controversial comments about Kelly's alleged sexual abuse and the impact it had on his legacy: "All the greats went down like that," French told TMZ, comparing Kelly's situation to Michael Jackson's molestation scandal. "Let somebody enjoy their legacy. Whatever happened, happened, man."
French eventually clarified his comments, insisting "his heart was with" Kelly's alleged victims. Rocky is convinced French never intended to dismiss the horrific claims.
"I think he had a Kanye moment where he was trying to articulate something and his delivery just wasn't right," Rocky said on the Angie Martinez Show (16:40). "I think what he was trying to say is was people like Bill Cosby, people like R. Kelly, they build up this legacy for a long time, and it just gets taken away. Don't get me wrong: Do I know if R. Kelly is a rapist and all that other stuff? It seems like he is."
Rocky then pointed to Kelly's marriage to an underaged Aaliyah as well as Kelly's child pornography case. He said that if the allegations are true, it highlights a much larger problem.
"I look at it like this: If that man has a sickness, he needs to be dealt with," the rapper explained. "He done beat the court dates and all that stuff. That goes to show this whole system is corrupted..."
Rocky appeared on The Angie Martinez Show to promote Yams Day 2019, which will go down Thursday at Brooklyn's Barclays Center. The annual event will include performances by Ski Mask the Slump God, Chief Keef, Young M.A, Playboi Carti, ASAP Ferg, and French, as well as a few "surprise" artists.
Fans can cop tickets to Yams Day at Ticketmaster. Rocky said those who purchase tickets Wednesday or Thursday will receive a special VLONE x Yams Day tee.
Rocky also spoke about his commitment to sobriety, his desire to become a father, and his upcoming collaboration with Tyler, the Creator. He also opened up about his new relationship.
"It's new," Rocky told Martinez (11:00). "I'm usually not a relationship kind of guy, just based off the fact that I prefer long-term friendships and relationships and acquaintances, as opposed to just one-night-stands, or just going out with somebody, then having them be your ex and hatin' them. That's why, for me, if I get involved with a female, nine times out of 10, she's gonna be in my life from that point moving forward."
Elsewhere in the interview, Rocky spoke on the "genius" of Frank Ocean. "He's a genius," Rocky says at the 24:08 mark. "Based off the fact that he had a deal and he didn't put out an album in four years and with his deal he literally figured out how to get 20 million from Lucian Grainge. Drop his deal. Figure out how to make the funds apply to a whole other album. Give them a bullshit album. Get out his deal. All in one round. Do you know how embarrassed the record industry was?"
You can check out the full interview above.
