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R. Kelly needs funding -- AND QUICK -- because the singer tells TMZ he's ready to film THIRTY TWO new chapters of his legendary hip-hopera "Trapped in the Closet" ... but he needs financial backing first.

When we last saw "Trapped" ... the year was 2007 and Kelly had released 22 chapters, involving a little person who crapped his pants ... a neighbor with the spatula ... and a pimp with the stuttering problem.

Now, Kelly -- who was leaving an L.A. gym yesterday -- tells us he wants to continue the saga -- "but it costs a lot of money to do ... so we're actually looking for investors."