Pitch Perfect 3 is in big trouble with society’s loudest critics: Twitter. While there has been lots of buzz about the third and possibly final film in the Pitch Perfect franchise, this time things are a little more controversial due to one of the songs sung by the Barden Bellas: R. Kelly‘s “Ignition”. The problem? R. Kelly has been accused of some horrific things including sexual assault, and most recently of being the leader of a “sex cult.” Given the current social climate, watching the Anna Kendrick-led Barden Bellas — a group of strong, talented women we’ve watched come together and triumph over the course of three films — is making some people’s stomach churns. The tweets some fans are writing are pretty harsh, with some claiming they won’t even “pity watch” the movie now, and others flat-out accusing the film of helping R. Kelly get money to “abuse black girls and women.”
Trish Sie, the film’s director, has responded to the backlash by claiming that controversy aside, the song was a creative decision that felt right for the scene at the time. “That’s a tough one. I’m glad we’re having this discussion about what’s happening in the world right now. Nobody gets a free pass on that,” Trish told Refinery29 in a recent interview. “At the same time, it was a song, and I feel like in the moment, the Bellas would have come up with it — based on how a riff-off works, they have to come up with these songs spontaneously, matching the words — and to me it feels like something that would have really happened in real life.” The director was also adamant that Pitch Perfect 3, nor any of it’s cast or crew, were trying to make a statement in regards to R. Kelly’s ongoing controversies. “It’s a song a lot of people love, it’s a song a lot of people know, and if anyone feels offended by it, I am so sorry,” Trish added. “That was never the intention. We need to air out this stuff.”
https://twitter.com/Maria_elena1/status/940988987069562880
I wonder how much money R. Kelly made from "Ignition (Remix)" being included in Pitch Perfect 3. Just more money and power to abuse Black girls and women without consequences.
— Evette Dionne (@freeblackgirl) December 18, 2017
I didn't intend to watch Pitch Perfect 3 – because the concept seems embarrassingly bad – but now that I know they used an R. Kelly song in it, I won't even give it a pity watch. https://t.co/WeXwmDHoBA
— Hanna Ines Flint (@HannaFlint) December 18, 2017
https://twitter.com/candidblackgirl/status/942848433055973376
However, it’s worth noting that some fans are pretty psyched to see the Barden Bellas performing a song that has been so popular since it’s release in 2003.
oh god please all i want in life is a full version of the bellas singing remix to ignition
— molly ミ☆ (@cinematicgay) December 18, 2017
https://twitter.com/varsitybaran/status/942506701114216456
i’m unbelievably excited to listen to the barden bellas/beca sing the ignition remix
— trina (grand army spoilers) (@trinakendrick47) November 7, 2017
Tell us, HollywoodLifers — Do YOU think Pitch Perfect 3 was out of line for using an R. Kelly song, or do you think this is being blown out of proportion? Comment below, let us know!