Teddy Riley issued a comprehensive apology after facing intense criticism for his public support of imprisoned R&B singer R. Kelly, officially canceling any plans to collaborate with the convicted artist.
The legendary New Jack Swing producer took to Instagram on February 19, 2026, to address the controversy that erupted after his Los Angeles Times interview, in which he defended R. Kelly and announced plans to help release music the singer recorded behind bars.
The Grammy-winning producer had originally told the publication that he was actively seeking investors to help release portions of 25 albums that R. Kelly claimed he had recorded during his federal prison sentence, which extends until 2045.
“I want to address the Los Angeles Times interview directly,” Riley wrote in his Instagram post. “As a producer, I’ve always been excited about the possibilities of music and creative collaboration. That excitement has defined my career. But I also understand that words carry weight, and I never want my passion for music to overshadow the very real pain that many people have experienced.”
The controversy began when Riley shared audio snippets on social media featuring Kelly singing over Chris Brown’s track “It Depends” from what appeared to be a prison phone call.
Riley captioned the posts, calling Kelly “still the King of R&B Bar None,” and promised that “teaser missiles will be dropping” with new music on the horizon.
During his Los Angeles Times interview, Riley had defended his position by invoking themes of forgiveness and redemption.
“Everybody deserves a second chance,” he told the publication. “Everyone deserves to repent, and everyone gets forgiven by God when you come to him. People miss his music. I’m the messenger to bring R&B back.”
The backlash was swift and severe, with fans, survivors’ advocates, and industry professionals condemning Riley’s stance. Many pointed to Kelly’s serious criminal convictions and the lasting trauma experienced by his victims as reasons why such collaborations should not move forward.
In his apology, Riley acknowledged the pain his comments caused and made clear that no collaboration would proceed.
“If my comments caused hurt, I sincerely apologize. That was never my intention. I take seriously the impact that abuse and misconduct have had on survivors and their families. Their experiences matter, and they deserve to be acknowledged with care and respect.”
The producer emphasized that his original comments were only preliminary discussions, not concrete plans.
“The idea mentioned in the interview in correlation with a previous post I made was simply that, a creative idea discussed in passing. It is not something that will move forward. Loving music and recognizing its cultural impact does not mean condoning harmful behavior, and I want to be clear about that.”
Kelly is currently serving a 30-year federal sentence after being convicted on racketeering and sex trafficking charges in Brooklyn federal court in 2022.
He is also serving an additional 20-year sentence from a separate Chicago case involving child pornography and enticement charges, with both sentences running concurrently.
Riley’s reversal comes as he promotes his new memoir, Remember the Times, which chronicles his pioneering role in creating the New Jack Swing sound that dominated R&B and Hip-Hop in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The book details his work with artists including Michael Jackson, Bobby Brown, Keith Sweat, and his group Guy.
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