Sony, R. Kelly Agree To Part Ways
Sony and R. Kelly have agreed to part ways, sources tell Billboard. The news comes on the heels of the Lifetime documentary Surviving R. Kelly, which detailed allegations of sexual misconduct against the singer.
Reps for Sony and R. Kelly could not be immediately reached.
Kelly had been signed to Jive since the beginning of his career in the early 1990s, and when Jive became part of Sony BMG, he became part of the Sony umbrella. He has been under contract at RCA, a Sony subsidiary, since 2012.
After the debut of the Lifetime series, protests against Kelly began to ramp up, with #MuteRKelly protests outside the Sony building in Manhattan on Wednesday, and artists such as Lady Gaga, Chance The Rapper and Phoenix apologizing for collaborating with the singer. (Gaga removed her Kelly collaboration, “Do What U Want,” from streaming services and digital retailers last week.)
Allegations against Kelly have been around for over a decade, and he was acquitted on child pornography charges in 2008. But they have resurfaced repeatedly in recent years, with the latest arriving this month. Kelly has repeatedly denied all allegations of misconduct.
This article originally appeared on Billboard.