It’s been a long time since BET’s Video Soul was the #1 show on BET, but there have been a few unforgettable moments. This video of R. Kelly and Aaliyah on Video Soul in 1994 was merely to promote their new music and to introduce Aaliyah to the soul music fans, but there was a hint of awkwardness when asked about the rumors of their relationship. In hindsight…it’s very awkward.

Especially now know that R. Kelly and Aaliyah were actually married at the time this interview took place.

In a recent interview with GQ Magazine, (which was an excellent piece by Chris Heath), when asked about his marriage and relationship with Aaliyah, he said this;

“Well, because of Aaliyah’s passing, as I’ve always said, out of respect for her mother who’s sick and her father who’s passed, I will never have that conversation with anyone,” he said. “Out of respect for Aaliyah, and her mother and father who has asked me not to personally. But I can tell you I loved her, I can tell you she loved me, we was very close. We were, you know, best best best best friends.”

But while the singer didn’t reveal any details about the marriage, he did agree with this question: “But here’s what seems difficult from the outside. Sadly, Aaliyah can’t speak for herself, and people have what they think is a very clear idea of the situation — that the two of you got married, that you were having a sexual relationship. Right now, that’s the record as far as people are concerned. Those are the facts.”

“Right,” Kelly said.

In hindsight things become clearer with R. Kelly, as far as what we know. We know he was sexually molested as a child, we know that when he was just a kid, a female family member made him do thing sexual in nature with her, we know that he married Aaliyah when she was just a teenager, and he’s admitted that he like younger women, (as he did in his interview with BET);

Do you like teenage girls, R. Kelly responded;

“How young?” He then questioned what should be considered a teenager and lastly stated that he has 19 year old ‘friends”.

We also know that R. Kelly has never been convicted of a crime of sexual in nature. We know that R. Kelly has created music that we all love, and his artistry will hang around for years to come. This is the man, all of him, good or bad. Check out this throwback video of R. Kelly and Aaliyah, and tell us what you think; Awkward or Nah?!?

Awkardness at the 40 second mark.