R. Kelly Temporarily Shelves Request to Perform in Dubai

R. Kelly attended a child support hearing in Chicago on Wednesday, March 6, 2019. (Credit: YouTube/CBS Chicago)

R. Kelly returned to court Friday in Chicago for a hearing in his sex abuse case.

During the proceedings, the R&B singer’s legal team asked the court to delay ruling on a request to allow him to travel to Dubai for a series of concerts scheduled between April 17 and 19, according to ABC7 Chicago. The attorneys want time to gather additional details for the court before the judge issues a ruling.

This past Wednesday, Kelly’s lead attorney, Steve Greenberg, filed a motion requesting permission for the cash-strapped singer to get his passport back to perform overseas. The I Believe I Can Fly singer surrendered his passport last month as a condition of his $1,000,000 bond.

Since the Lifetime docuseries Surviving R. Kelly aired in January, Kelly has become a pariah in the U.S. and is struggling to make money, Greenberg has previously said.

Read More: R. Kelly Interview ‘Helped Him’ Despite Bad Press, Publicist Says

Last month Kelly was charged with 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. Prosecutors allege the singer sexually abused four females, including three underage girls. Three of the four victims were between ages 13 and 17 when the alleged abuse occurred between 1998 and 2010. Kelly has denied the allegations.

In another development Friday, Greenberg formally requested copies of any sex tapes that have been turned over in the case, TMZ reported.

Attorney Michael Avenatti said he obtained a tape from the 1990s that allegedly shows Kelly having sex with a 14-year-old girl. Avenatti is representing several people in the case and now says he’s given prosecutors two tapes. The judge did not issue a ruling on the matter.

Kelly was acquitted in 2008 on 14 counts of child pornography in a separate case.

The singer is next scheduled to appear in court on May 7.