Nick Cannon has admitted he's "turned a blind eye" in the past with regards to the ill treatment of women in the entertainment business.
Nick Cannon
The 38-year-old star has addressed the accusations of sexual assault against R&B star R. Kelly made by a host of women in the new Lifetime documentary series 'Surviving R. Kelly', and admitted he believes the "real issue" is the lack of respect for women in general, claiming that the industry has been "built by evil and predatorily spirits and male chauvinistic behaviour".
Nick - who was previously married to Mariah Carey - released the song 'Gigolo' with Kelly, 52, in 2003, and has admitted he feels like "a guilty sinner of the blatant disrespect" towards women for releasing the explicit track, and has issued an apology, though he insists he doesn't wish to judge "any man" for their past "actions".
Alongside a series of clips from the promo for the song - which features somewhat derogatory lyrics about strippers - he wrote on Instagram: "#TBT After much self reflection and meditation, I have to be one of the first to admit that in my past I've DEFINITELY turned a blind eye to a lot of darkness in this industry. Let's stop beating around the bush and call it what it is. This entire industry was established and built by evil and predatorily spirits and male chauvinistic behavior. And since the recent media outrage pertaining to @RKELLY I have realized that the REAL issue at hand is the ultimate lack of care and disrespect for our QUEENS... (sic)"
Calling for women to start being treated as the "superior" sex, Nick concluded: "... For far too long we have treated women like second class citizens, when in actuality they are the source, our core, and the Superior beings ... I'm not judging ANY man for his past or his private actions because I too am a guilty sinner of the blatant disrespect even in some of the statements in the song above. (sic)"
Kelly has denied all the allegations made against him and has threatened legal action against his accusers and the makers of the series.
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