R. Kelly, despite being incarcerated, has taken part in the viral “Residuals” challenge, which was initiated last month by R&B singer Tank. The challenge involves artists adding their own verse to Chris Brown’s song of the same name. Other participants, including Mario, Jacob Latimore, and Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men, have also joined in.

R. Kelly, a convicted child sex offender, made an unexpected entry into the challenge by recording his version over a prison phone. The track, shared online by Kelly’s producer Rodney East, features the disgraced artist expressing frustration over his prison sentence and financial issues.

In the audio, Kelly sings about his struggles with being incarcerated, as well as his concerns regarding the handling of his finances: “They’re still selling my music, making all this money / Don’t even send shit to my folks for commissary / Though I’m in this place, I know I don’t deserve this / There’s questions on my mind / There’s questions on my mind.”

He goes on to question who benefits from his work: “Tell me who, who’s getting all my checks? / Where is my money at? / Tell me who, who’s getting paid for my grind? / All of that’s supposed to be mine.”

Kelly continues with: “Who gave you 34 years? / Who made you billions of dollars? / Who put the R in R&B? / I swear that it’s killing me in my cell, making me holler, dammit.”

Rodney East confirmed the authenticity of the voice recording, sharing on Instagram: “Big Bro Decided 2 Pull up On The Challenge. No AI, The Real Deal… IYKYK. Voice Is Definitely Missed Out Here.”

The remix was well-received by celebrities such as LeLee Lyons from SWV, Jozzy, L.T. Hutton, and Tyrese, with Tyrese commenting: “How many times can I hit this KING BUTTON [crown emojis] [goat emojis] [fire emojis].”

In a separate interview conducted from prison, R. Kelly claimed to have written enough material for 25 albums while serving his time. During a phone interview on the Inmate Tea podcast, the “Ignition” singer stated that he continues to focus on refining his songwriting and vocal skills.

“I’m always singing, I’m always writing,” he explained. “I’ve written like 25 albums since I’ve been in here.”

Kelly also insisted that his legal battles are not over, despite multiple appeals being denied by the courts. He expressed dissatisfaction with the evidence used in his conviction and the application of the law in his case. “I’m working on getting out,” he said. “I’m using patience as a tactic.”

His attorney, Jean Bonjean, supported his statement, telling TMZ: “Our appeals process has not come to an end. We will continue to fight for justice and for his freedom.”

According to Bureau of Prisons records, R. Kelly is scheduled for release on December 21, 2045, when he will be 78 years old.