R. Kelly’s ‘I Believe I Can Fly’ Horrifies Mourners in ‘SNL’ Funeral Sketch

SNL’s 47th season opened with a funeral sketch featuring R. Kelly’s “I Believe I Can Fly.” SNL’s Kenan Thompson portrays “legendary Atlantic City headliner” LeVar B. Burton who is there to perform a deceased woman’s favorite song, “I Believe I Can Fly.”

As the funeral-goers protest the song, the confused preacher played by SNL host Owen Wilson says the woman specifically said she wanted “Fly” performed at her funeral.

“But R. Kelly is a horrible man who did awful things,” said one mourner. Thompson continues to sing the song as pictures are being shown of the deceased woman posing with other disgraced celebrities, C.K. Lewis, Bill Cosby, and Kevin Spacey.


The skit ends with Owen explaining how the woman died, “Right before she died, she looked me straight in the eyes and said, ‘I believe I can fly — and then she jumped.” Thompson then begins singing the woman’s second favorite song, R. Kelly’s “Ignition” remix.

Now that R. Kelly has been convicted of sex trafficking and more, are you opposed to listening to his music?