Justin Bieber ‘Can Take It,’ Says ‘PYD’ Collaborator R. Kelly

R. Kelly isn’t worried about Justin Bieber. Although the younger singer has been criticized around the world and in the media for behavior, some of which is typical of many teens, the veteran R&B superstar says the pressure will be the making of the 19-year-old.

Kelly, who recently shot to No.1 on iTunes with his “PYD” duet with Justin, spoke to E! News about his collaborator and the intense media scrutiny that trails him.

“He’s young with an old soul, so he can take it,” he told E! “His struggle will determine his success. I ain’t worried about him.”

Kelly may be right. The day after reports surfaced of Bieber’s Friday night party at his Calabasas, Calif., mansion — which was reportedly attended by police three times after neighbors complained about the noise — the teen star gave a doorstepping TMZ, a soundbite they’d be happy with.

“It was wild. It was some Great Gatsby s***, man,” he said.

It’s possible Kelly’s past questionable behavior and the public censure that resulted may mean he empathizes with Bieber.

Of their recent musical team-up, the 46-year old explains:

“We’ve known each other for a minute,” he recalls.”One time we sat in a hotel playing each other’s songs for two hours. I love a few of the songs he did and he loves a few of the songs I did. We decided we would do things together, sending things back and forth and now it’s phenomenal.”

Kelly’s comments follow recent remarks by Jon M. Chu, the director of Bieber’s upcoming movie Believe.

“I got both sides. I got the side when I wasn’t around him to read these stories and be like ‘That doesn’t sound like him.’ And I got the side of when I actually was with him and seeing these reports come out,” Chu told MTV News.

He adds, “A lot of them just not true and it mostly made me feel like… made me question how we get our news and how we get our media more than anything else, But, that said, I think being around him it showed me the character he has, the tough character he has.”

IQ explores reporting on Bieber over recent months.

Justin, who repeatedly tell his fans that Believe will “tell the truth,” can be seen in the just released theatrical trailer. The film debuts on Christmas Day.

Do you think agree with R. Kelly that Bieber will become stronger as result of his public “parenting” by the media, or do think his comment effectively ‘greenlights’ more criticism?