R Kelly breaks down during interview about sexual abuse allegations

R Kelly has broken down during an interview on US TV

Tears streamed down the disgraced rapper's face as he told viewers of the CBS This Morning show and its host Gayle King that he was "fighting for his f...... life". 

"People are going back to my past.... and adding it to all of the stuff going on now, to make it all feel real to people," Kelly told King. "I beat my case. You can't double jeopardy me like that. It's not fair." 

As King continued questioning Kelly, he began to get emotional telling viewers it was "stupid" to imagine he would "keep girls in my basement" considering accusations of child pornography levelled against him in 2002, which he was acquitted of.

"Quit playing. I didn't do this stuff. This is not me. I'm fighting for my f...... life," Kelly said, pounding his fist. 

In January Lifetime released the docuseries Surviving R Kelly, which included allegations of abuse, coercion and harassment from several women by Kelly.

While police chose to investigate some of the allegations made in the series, the R&B star and his legal team strongly denied them.

Kelly was arrested on February 22, 2019, for 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse allegedly committed against women and minors between 1998 to 2010.  Evidence against Kelly included a video which is alleged to show Kelly committing a crime. 

Kelly pleaded not guilty to the charges and was bailed for US$1 million (NZ$1.5m).