Protesters gather outside of Sony Music’s headquarters, demanding R. Kelly be dropped from label
Melissa BenderThe push for R. Kelly to be dropped from RCA have continued, with protesters swarming the New York City headquarters of RCA’s parent company Sony Music.
Wednesday, a cluster of activist groups gathered outside of Sony’s offices to deliver a petition which urges the music powerhouse to terminate its contract with Kelly. The petition has garnered over 200K signatures and declares Kelly’s alleged serial abuse of young women without any serious repercussions “unacceptable.”
Members of the #MuteRKelly movement, Black Women’s Blueprint, Care2, Color of Change, Credo and more also presented Sony with a “Record Label of Shame” award.
Color of Change organizer Jade Magnus Ogunnaike [Oh-gah-KNOCK-key] told reporters during the rally, “[R. Kelly] did not act alone. He was supported by enablers. Not only individuals, not only managers, not only people who saw him abusing and violating young black girls for 25 years. He was aided by RCA.”
She continued, “They knew he was grooming young black girls, as young as 13, 14, and 15, and keeping them in his studio. They knew, and they were okay with it.”
In the wake of the renewed controversy surrounding Kelly, RCA has reportedly halted on any future releases of his music. However, the record label hasn’t issued any official statement regarding Kelly’s status on its roster.
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