Latest news with #IBelieveICanFly
AFP
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- AFP
AI-generated clip glorifying Burkina Faso's leader was not released by singer R. Kelly
'Very emotional song,' reads the caption of a post shared more than 41,000 times on TikTok. The clip, published on May 8, 2025, shows photos of singer R. Kelly and Burkina Faso's interim leader Ibrahim Traore while a song plays in the background. 'Even while serving a 30-year imprisonment in North Carolina, America, R. Kelly dedicates a song for Capt. Ibrahim Traore,' reads a block of text with the clip. Image Screenshot showing the false TikTok post, taken on May 9, 2025 The song's lyrics lavish praise on Traore, who led a military coup in 2022. 'In the heart of Africa, I see your flame. A young man rises, we call his name Ibrahim Traore, standing tall for the love of his people. He risked it all, bullets fly but he don't fall, he's walking through the fire still answering the call with the faith in his chest … he's fighting for peace in his motherland.' The claim has also been shared on Facebook with a purported music video, by accounts operating in different countries including Niger, Cameroon, Burkina Faso and Nigeria. Image Screenshot showing a false Facebook post promoting the video, taken on May 14, 2025 R. Kelly, whose full name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, shot to fame with hits like 'I Believe I Can Fly' and 'Burn It Up'. The 58-year-old singer is serving a 30-year jail term after he was found guilty of various sex crimes, including the exploitation of children (archived here). He is an inmate at a medium-security federal prison in North Carolina (archived here). After his imprisonment, an album he had previously recorded was briefly released in December 2022 before being taken off music platforms. At the time, a lawyer for Kelly said the release was not authorised (archived here). The posts claiming to feature a new song and music video by R. Kelly are false. AI-generated song There has been no announcement from R. Kelly or his representatives about releasing a new song. An internet search of the lyrics did not show that it had previously been sung by an artist, a signal that it might have been created using generative AI. Keyword searches using portions of the lyrics drew a blank; none of the results led to official websites or social media accounts identifying R. Kelly – or any other artist – as the songwriter. Meanwhile, the video attached to some of the social media posts contains visual inconsistencies, such as cartoonish characters who display robotic movements typical of AI-generated content. At the 47-second mark in the video, a man who appears to salute Traore has six fingers while the other characters in the scene have stubbed fingers; these are common errors in AI-generated images (archived here). Image Screenshot showing characters with stubbed fingers (circled red) and a character with six fingers (circled green) AFP Fact Check used the Google Lens tool to conduct reverse image searches on keyframes from the video. The results showed that the same video was published on YouTube on May 3, 2025, days before it started circulating on social media (archived here). In the caption, YouTube categorised the content as 'altered or synthetic content' that was 'significantly edited or digitally generated'. Image Screenshot of the YouTube video's description The YouTube account's history showed that its owner had created other AI-generated music videos credited to different artists. Some of the songs are duets, including artists like Beyonce, Diddy and even 2Pac, who died in 1996 (archived here). Image Videos published by the same YouTube account featuring the deceased musician 2Pac AFP Fact Check has previously debunked a claim that R. Kelly released a music video from prison, and another claim that suggested that French Malian singer Aya Nakamura declared support for Traore in a music video. Read other debunks related to artificial intelligence here.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
AI-generated clip glorifying Burkina Faso's leader was not released by singer R. Kelly
'Very emotional song,' reads the caption of a post shared more than 41,000 times on TikTok. The clip, published on May 8, 2025, shows photos of singer R. Kelly and Burkina Faso's interim leader Ibrahim Traore while a song plays in the background. 'Even while serving a 30-year imprisonment in North Carolina, America, R. Kelly dedicates a song for Capt. Ibrahim Traore,' reads a block of text with the clip. The song's lyrics lavish praise on Traore, who led a military coup in 2022. 'In the heart of Africa, I see your flame. A young man rises, we call his name Ibrahim Traore, standing tall for the love of his people. He risked it all, bullets fly but he don't fall, he's walking through the fire still answering the call with the faith in his chest … he's fighting for peace in his motherland.' The claim has also been shared on Facebook with a purported music video, by accounts operating in different countries including Niger, Cameroon, Burkina Faso and Nigeria. R. Kelly, whose full name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, shot to fame with hits like 'I Believe I Can Fly' and 'Burn It Up'. The 58-year-old singer is serving a 30-year jail term after he was found guilty of various sex crimes, including the exploitation of children (archived here). He is an inmate at a medium-security federal prison in North Carolina (archived here). After his imprisonment, an album he had previously recorded was briefly released in December 2022 before being taken off music platforms. At the time, a lawyer for Kelly said the release was not authorised (archived here). The posts claiming to feature a new song and music video by R. Kelly are false. There has been no announcement from R. Kelly or his representatives about releasing a new song. An internet search of the lyrics did not show that it had previously been sung by an artist, a signal that it might have been created using generative AI. Keyword searches using portions of the lyrics drew a blank; none of the results led to official websites or social media accounts identifying R. Kelly – or any other artist – as the songwriter. Meanwhile, the video attached to some of the social media posts contains visual inconsistencies, such as cartoonish characters who display robotic movements typical of AI-generated content. At the 47-second mark in the video, a man who appears to salute Traore has six fingers while the other characters in the scene have stubbed fingers; these are common errors in AI-generated images (archived here). AFP Fact Check used the Google Lens tool to conduct reverse image searches on keyframes from the video. The results showed that the same video was published on YouTube on May 3, 2025, days before it started circulating on social media (archived here). In the caption, YouTube categorised the content as 'altered or synthetic content' that was 'significantly edited or digitally generated'. The YouTube account's history showed that its owner had created other AI-generated music videos credited to different artists. Some of the songs are duets, including artists like Beyonce, Diddy and even 2Pac, who died in 1996 (archived here). AFP Fact Check has previously debunked a claim that R. Kelly released a music video from prison, and another claim that suggested that French Malian singer Aya Nakamura declared support for Traore in a music video. Read other debunks related to artificial intelligence here.
Straits Times
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Glow big: The rise – and risks – of cheap laser treatments in Singapore
Actor Thomas Ong went for three intensive laser sessions to prepare for his role in Mediacorp drama I Believe I Can Fly. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO FILE SINGAPORE – When Singaporean actor Thomas Ong made his small-screen comeback in the Mediacorp drama I Believe I Can Fly in February, he looked every inch the 'diamond bachelor' his role demanded. Currently streaming on mewatch, the series revolves around five middle-aged men (played by Ong, Chen Hanwei, Brandon Wong, Yao Wenlong and Cavin Soh) and the ups and downs they experience in their live s. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
USA Today
13-02-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
R. Kelly's appeal denied: Singer might take prison sentence challenge to Supreme Court
Disgraced music superstar R. Kelly was dealt a legal blow on Wednesday after an appeals court in New York denied the singer's challenge to his 30-year-prison sentence and conviction on racketeering and sex trafficking charges. The U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the R&B singer's original sentence and conviction stemming from a 2021 trial that found him guilty on nine counts of sex trafficking and racketeering. The charges were based on an argument that the entourage of managers and aides who helped Kelly meet girls — and keep them obedient and quiet — amounted to a criminal enterprise. "We have considered all the arguments presented by Kelly on appeal and concluded they are without merit," the decision read, according to online court records reviewed by USA TODAY. Last March, Kelly's legal team — zeroing in on the racketeering statute used to convict the singer — launched an appeal to reverse his conviction or, alternatively, grant him a retrial. In a statement to USA TODAY, Kelly's attorney Jennifer Bonjean said she was "disappointed" by the ruling but alluded to a possible appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. "We believe the United States Supreme Court will be interested in reviewing this unprecedented opinion that gives the government limitless discretion to apply the RICO statute to situations absurdly remote from statute's intent," the statement says. "The statute was intended to punish organized crime — not individual conduct. This decision paves the way for prosecutorial abuse of the RICO statute." Background:R. Kelly seeks appeals court relief from 30-year prison term Court: R. Kelly 'exploited' celebrity status to target young women for abuse Kelly's appeal challenged several aspects of his 2021 conviction, including the evidence supporting his racketeering and Mann Act convictions. In addition to racketeering, Kelly was convicted of criminal counts accusing him of violating the Mann Act, which makes it illegal to take anyone across state lines "for any immoral purpose." However, the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals maintained that there was "sufficient evidence to support each of Kelly's convictions, including for the state and federal violations underlying his Mann Act convictions." "Enabled by a constellation of managers, assistants, and other staff for over 25 years, Kelly exploited his fame to lure girls and young women into his grasp," the decision read. "Evidence at trial showed that he would isolate them from friends and family, control nearly every aspect of their lives, and abuse them verbally, physically, and sexually." R. Kelly's legal trouble:Singer convicted on child pornography charges in second federal trial verdict The "I Believe I Can Fly" singer and his legal team also took aim at a group of jurors selected to serve in Kelly's trial, arguing that the four unnamed individuals were biased against Kelly due to their prior knowledge of his case, their media consumption and "opinions on STDs." The appeals court concluded that the U.S. district court overseeing Kelly's trial conducted an "extensive" review process, which consisted of a 108-question questionnaire as well as in-person questioning. "The record indicates that each juror was subject to thorough questioning by the district judge during in-person voir dire," the decision reads. "The district court determined, based on that questioning and after giving each side an opportunity to request further questioning, that each juror could be impartial when deciding the case." Appeals court 'satisfied' with restitution payments to R. Kelly victims Kelly had also challenged the legitimacy of restitution payments made to two of his victims, who were infected with herpes as a result of their sexual activity with the singer. In a statement to USA TODAY, Bonjean said Kelly's "primary accuser" was awarded a "windfall of nearly $300,000 for a lifetime supply of the brand-name herpes medication Valtrex even though there is no guarantee she would use the money for that purpose." "The generic version of the drug is a fraction of the price," Bonjean continued. "This was not restitution, this was an effort by the government to financially enrich government witnesses for their testimony." Kelly's victims, Jane and Stephanie, both allege the singer initiated sexual relationships with them when they were underage. Jane was awarded over $281,000 in restitution for her herpes treatment, while Stephanie received over $70,000. The "Trapped in the Closet" singer claimed in his appeal that the district court "abused its discretion in ordering restitution" for Jane, in part, because the government allegedly failed to prove the woman would "actually treat her herpes with Valtrex rather than the cheaper generic, valacyclovir." However, the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals determined that it was "satisfied" with the district court's restitution order for a name-brand drug. "Covering Jane's costs for a name-brand drug does not give her a windfall," the decision read. "Jane would not have had to purchase herpes medication if Kelly had not infected her with the virus. "And like the district court, we are not aware of any authority requiring the victim to 'pursue the cheapest option to minimize a defendant's restitution expenses." Contributing: Elise Brisco, USA TODAY
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
R. Kelly loses appeal of NYC sex trafficking and racketeering case
A federal appeals court has rejected fallen R&B star R. Kelly's bid to overturn his New York sex trafficking and racketeering conviction. Kelly, 58, who was sentenced to 30 years in prison in June 2022 on racketeering and sex trafficking charges, argued through his attorneys that he didn't run a racketeering enterprise because his employees didn't know the age of his young victims and therefore weren't acting with criminal intent. In an 85-page decision Wednesday, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected that argument and kept the guilty verdict against the 'I Believe I Can Fly' singer intact. A Brooklyn Federal Court jury found him guilty in September 2021of one racketeering count and eight Mann Act counts, after a blockbuster trial with testimony from 40 witnesses and 11 accusers. The Mann Act criminalizes transporting people across state lines for immoral purposes. 'The record is replete with evidence that Kelly was able to commit the predicate acts because he was the head of a close-knit group of associates and he controlled the affairs of the enterprise,' Judge Denny Chin wrote, explaining the three-judge panel's decision. 'For instance, members of Kelly's entourage participated directly in a predicate act when they devised a plan for Kelly to marry Aaliyah when she was underage.' Kelly's secret and illegal marriage to late R&B teen phenom Aaliyah in 1994, when she was 15 and he was 27, unnerved some of his staunchest allies. Kelly's inner circle played a key role in recruiting his victims and keeping them quiet and under his thumb, helping enforce the singer's strict rules, and standing guard when Kelly made them stay in a room or a bus for hours or days, Chin wrote in the majority decision. They knew, or turned a blind eye to the fact that the young women were minors, and knew Kelly had a sexually-transmitted disease. In his appeal, Kelly also tried to argue that four of the jurors were biased against him because of the publicity surrounding the case, pointing out that two jurors admitted they'd watched the 2019 documentary, 'Surviving R. Kelly.' The appeals panel ruled, though, that Brooklyn Federal Court Judge Ann Donnelly correctly determined 'after giving each side an opportunity to request further questioning, that each juror could be impartial when deciding the case.' Kelly's career was already in decline, but the documentary burned what was left of his reputation to the ground and sped his downfall. It featured numerous women describing their abusive relationships with the singer over decades. He was charged with sex crimes in Brooklyn, Illinois and Minnesota later that year. In a dissenting opinion, one of the three judges, Richard Sullivan, said the conviction should stand but agreed with Kelly that one of his victims, 'Jane,' should have only been reimbursed for a lifetime supply of generic herpes medication, not the more expensive brand name Valtrex. Jane testified that the singer pulled her into his orbit at age 17 and subjected her to years of abuse. Kelly's lawyer, Jennifer Bonjean, maintains that the $270,000 lifetime price tag of the Valtrex amounts to a 'windfall' meant to influence her testimony. 'While we are disappointed that the Second Circuit affirmed Mr. Kelly's convictions, we believe the United States Supreme Court will be interested in reviewing this unprecedented opinion that gives the government limitless discretion to apply the RICO statute to situations absurdly remote from statute's intent,' Bonjean said of the appeals court's decision. 'The statute was intended to punish organized crime – not individual conduct.' In October, the Supreme Court rejected Kelly's appeal of his conviction and 20-year sentence for child sex crimes in Chicago. Kelly has lost every appeal in the Chicago case since he was convicted in September 2022 on three counts of producing child sexual abuse images and three counts of enticing minors for sex.
