14 Jan 2004 Project 21 Press Release: Project 21 Member to Appear on Fox’s O’Reilly Factor Program: Mychal Massie to Criticize NAACP Image Award Nomination for R. Kelly, Calls NAACP “Out of Touch” – January 2004

Mychal Massie, a member of the conservative African-American leadership network Project 21, is scheduled to appear on the Fox News Channel’s “The O’Reilly Factor” on Wednesday, January 14 at 8pm eastern. He will discuss the NAACP’s nomination of musician R. Kelly for one of the group’s “Image Awards.”

According to the NAACP, its Image Awards (to be presented March 11 on Fox) “are given to those who strive for the portrayal of positive images and meaningful opportunities for African-Americans in motion pictures, television, literature and recording.” R. Kelly was nominated in the “Outstanding Album” category for his 2003 “Chocolate Factory” album. However, the musician also made headlines last year after he was arrested on 21 charges of possession of child pornography. He’s also faced accusations of sexual assault.

“R. Kelly may be a competent musician, but the purpose of the NAACP Image Awards are to spotlight those who have used entertainment to raise the reputation of black Americans,” noted Massie. “With problems such as black-on-black crime, out of wedlock births, the intentional disdain for education as being white and out-of-control abortion rates rampant, one would like to think that the NAACP – which claims to represent the best interest of the black community – would insist on a more reputable individual as a model of excellence to be emulated and extolled. Instead, R. Kelly distinguished himself in 2003 with not just a best-selling album, but also with an arrest for child pornography and accusations of sexual assault. He clearly does not fit the basic understandable criteria for this award because he behaved in a manner that is detrimental to our community.”

Massie adds: “For the NAACP to nominate R. Kelly as a role model while condemning truly great black Americans such as Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, judicial nominee Janice Rogers Brown and National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice shows how truly out of touch the group has become.”

Project 21 has been a leading voice of the African-American community since 1992. For more information, contact David Almasi at (202) 507-6398 x106 or [email protected], or visit Project 21’s website at http://www.project21.org/P21Index.html.