R. Kelly, the embattled R&B singer currently serving a decades-long sentence for sex trafficking and racketeering, is reportedly seeking a presidential pardon from President Donald Trump. The unexpected development comes in the shadow of new reports alleging that Kelly’s life is at risk due to a murder plot inside prison.

Sources close to the situation suggest that Kelly and his legal team have reached out directly to the Trump administration, hoping the former music mogul will find sympathy—or strategic value—in granting clemency to one of the most controversial entertainers of the modern era.

Though official confirmation has yet to come from the White House, insiders claim that the request is being “taken seriously,” particularly given Trump’s history of high-profile pardons and his stated willingness to give second chances to public figures who have “paid a price” or been “treated unfairly by the system.”

Kelly’s appeal arrives amid disturbing reports that the singer may have been targeted in a murder-for-hire plot involving another inmate. According to claims circulated through prison staff and legal representatives, threats against Kelly’s life have intensified in recent months, forcing the facility to reevaluate his safety.

“Regardless of what people think of R. Kelly, no one deserves to be hunted while serving time,” said one source familiar with the case. “His team believes this pardon request is not just about freedom—it’s about survival.”

The 57-year-old artist, whose real name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, was sentenced to 30 years in prison in 2022 after being convicted on multiple charges involving the sexual abuse and exploitation of women and minors. Since then, he has remained behind bars, continuing to deny the allegations and presenting himself as the victim of a biased judicial system.

President Trump, who returned to office earlier this year, has not yet made a public statement on the matter. However, the possibility of a pardon is already sparking heated reactions online.

Critics have called the move outrageous, accusing Kelly of attempting to manipulate the system after years of evading accountability. Others believe Trump’s response—should he entertain the request—could signal how far his second-term pardon powers might stretch.

Political observers note that Trump has long shown an interest in pardoning polarizing figures, especially when there’s a cultural or media angle attached. During his first term, he granted clemency to rapper Lil Wayne and commuted the sentence of former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.

Still, even some longtime Trump supporters are urging caution. “Pardoning R. Kelly could do more harm than good,” one conservative commentator tweeted. “The optics alone would be damaging.”

Whether the pardon happens or not, the mere possibility has reignited debate around presidential power, criminal justice reform, and whether celebrity status should ever influence decisions as weighty as clemency.

For now, R. Kelly remains in federal custody—and the world waits to see if the Trump White House will intervene.