R. Kelly has released a song called “I Admit,” a bizarre 19-minute response to mounting allegations of sexual misconduct that have plagued the singer for decades. Despite its title, however, he admits to nothing. Instead, the song is a tour through Kelly’s excuses for his own behavior, in explicit sexual detail, referring to women as, at best, a “girlfriend” and otherwise a “bitch,” and blaming their parents for introducing them to the singer in pursuit of wealth and fame. Not unlike O. J. Simpson’s notorious memoir, If I Did It, “I Admit” teases confession but offers no remorse nor legally actionable admissions of guilt. It’s notable that Kelly released the song on Instagram Live; it’s possible that no other platform would host it (Spotify banned Kelly from its promoted playlists and algorithms in May). We listened to the song so that you don’t have to. Here’s a breakdown of what’s in it:

Kelly refers to having relationships with “both older and young ladies,” but denies that any of them were underage. “I admit I f*** with all the ladies, that’s both older and young ladies,” he sings. “But tell me how they call it pedophile, because that sh** is crazy.”

He compares himself to Bill Cosby, and thinks it’s ludicrous that Kelly would “go to jail or lose [his] career”: “Cancel my shows, that sh** ain’t right (shows) / How they gon’ say I don’t respect these women, when all I’ve done is represent (30 years) / Take my career and turn it upside down, ’cause you mad I’ve got some girlfriends (girlfriends) . . . Ain’t seen my kids in years, they tryna lock me up like Bill (in years, like Bill).” He says that allegations of abuse are “opinions”: “You may have your opinions, entitled to your opinions,” he sings. “But really am I supposed to go to jail or lose my career because of your opinion / Yeah, go ahead and stone me, point your finger at me (stone me, yeah, yeah) / Turn the world against me, but only god can mute me” (actually, we can all mute him). Later, he says that “We gon’ always love Hugh Hefner,” even though he “had a million girls.”

He asks listeners to go look up the definition of a “cult” and refers to specific allegations like reports that he controlled when the women who lived with him could eat. “What’s the definition of a cult? / What’s the definition of a sex slave? / Go to the dictionary, look it up / Let me know, I’ll be here waiting.” He goes on to say, “Said I’m abusing these women, what the f*** that’s some absurd sh**/ They’re brainwashed, really? / Kidnapped, really? / Can’t eat, really?/ Real talk, that sh** sound silly.”