Sony Music Entertainment and its subsidiary label RCA Records have dropped R. Kelly from their roster and won’t concern new releases from the singer, as Billboard, Variety, and the New York Times report. According to Variety, Sony Music/RCA don’t plan to concern an “external announcement of the move” and Kelly won’t be faraway from the artist roster on the RCA website, “as his again catalog will stay with RCA/Sony.“ Pitchfork has reached out to representatives for RCA and Kelly for additional remark.
In addition to RCA’s transfer to distance themselves from Kelly, at this time Billboard reported that Universal Music Publishing Group quietly dropped Kelly from their roster final spring. “UMPG not represents R. Kelly,” a spokesperson informed Billboard. UMPG acquired Kelly’s catalog again in 2007.
Kelly continues to face allegations of sexual and physical abuse by a number of ladies. Scrutiny of R. Kelly has elevated in current weeks due, partially, to Lifetime’s new documentary sequence “Surviving R. Kelly,” which options interviews with a number of ladies who declare Kelly has abused them. In addition, ladies have been coming ahead publicly to talk out in opposition to R. Kelly since reporter Jim DeRogatis broke a narrative in 2017 that Kelly has been allegedly holding them in opposition to their will in what‘s described as a “cult.” Among the ladies to talk out are Kelly’s ex-wife Andrea Kelly, women who declare to have been held captive in Kelly’s “cult,” and more.
As allegations in opposition to Kelly have mounted, the music trade has been sluggish to react. Last 12 months, Spotify removed R. Kelly’s music from its editorial and algorithmic playlists, however walked back its policy weeks later following backlash. Apple Music and Pandora, nonetheless, quietly stopped promoting Kelly. Recently, a number of musicians who’ve labored with R. Kelly—together with Lady Gaga, Phoenix, and Chance the Rapper—have apologized for his or her collaborations.
On January 11, the ladies’s rights activist group UltraViolet chartered a airplane to fly over the Sony Music offices in Culver City, California with a banner that learn, “RCA/Sony: Drop Sexual Predator R. Kelly.” Protesters additionally gathered exterior the Sony Music headquarters in New York City on January 16 to demand that the singer be dropped from the label.
R. Kelly has continued to disclaim allegations of misconduct and abuse. He not too long ago issued a statement, through his lawyer, furthering his denial.
Read “The Struggle to Silence R. Kelly” on the Pitch.
This article was initially revealed on Friday, January 18 at 4:43 p.m. Eastern. It was final up to date on January 18 at 10:52 p.m. Eastern.
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