WATCH: Viral music video of R. Kelly from prison revealed as AI-generated hoax

A music video claiming to feature incarcerated R. Kelly has taken the internet by storm, but investigations by fact-checkers have confirmed it to be an AI-generated hoax.

The video, which surfaced on social media earlier this week, claims to feature the US singer in a new music video titled "My Soul Cries Out".

Fact-checkers have debunked the viral sensation, pointing to inconsistencies and flaws in the footage.

The video, shared by an X user, shows what appears to be R. Kelly in prison garb, performing in various scenes, including one with a courtroom backdrop. The post quickly went viral, amassing more than 2.1 million views.

"R Kelly - Official Music Video 2025 (in prison) My soul Cries Out", @MarianVictor18 captioned the video on X.  

"Pls how many years is he serving???can't he get a presidential pardon? this voice shouldn't end in prison.. we know he had done some wrong but please let them have mercy on him .feel like crying watching this."

Experts from FactCheckHub have labelled the clip as a fabrication.

According to their findings, the video shows multiple signs of being generated by AI technology, with unnatural body movements and inconsistent facial features throughout the footage.

In one notable instance, the name on the inmate's jumpsuit changes from "R.KELY" to "KELLY" during the video.

"Our fact-checker observed that the movements in the video, such as the hand gestures and walking, were staccato and did not sync with the music," FactCheckHub explained.

"Furthermore, when we ran the audio through Shazam, the music could not be identified, which indicates it is not part of any official release."

R. Kelly, whose real name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, is currently serving a 30-year sentence for federal racketeering and sex trafficking charges after being convicted in 2021.

Additionally, he received a 20-year sentence in a separate case in February 2023 related to child pornography charges.

Reactions to the viral video on X have been mixed. Many users are calling out the video as AI-generated.

@Maphupho_Amahle responded to the post, "That's not R. Kelly singing, that's not R. Kelly in most of the shots in this clip. Let the man pay for his sins and fully rehabilitate from his thought process. We love him and his music but we care more about his victims and their well-being."

Meanwhile, @Jonchika cautioned followers about the authenticity of the video, saying, "Now that we're on this matter, how many people here know that the R. Kelly music video here is an AI-generated video? R. Kelly didn't release any song in prison. Know this and know peace."

IOL