YouTube has announced that it has removed two of R. Kelly’s primary video channels from its platform. However, all of the embattled star’s songs and albums will remain on the YouTube Music service.
R. Kelly TV and R. Kelly Vevo have both been removed. A spokesperson confirmed that the accounts were terminated “in accordance with our creator responsibility guidelines.”
The streaming platforms state that channel owners who are convicted of an egregious crime may be banned from the platform if the content is closely related to the crime.
“Egregious actions committed by R. Kelly warrant penalties beyond standard enforcement measures due to a potential to cause widespread harm,” Nicole Alston, YouTube’s head of legal per Bloomberg. “Ultimately we are taking this action to protect our users similar to other platforms.” As part of the decision, Kelly is also barred from owning or creating more YouTube channels, and accounts reuploading the deleted content may be terminated.
Kelly was all nine charges he was facing in his New York sex trafficking trial.
It’s hard not to view YouTube’s partial removal of Kelly’s music as half-hearted. An outright ban would have been a more powerful message.
YouTube isn’t alone.
In 2019, Sony Music announced it had dissolved its working relationship with R. Kelly. He was also removed from the RCA Records website. However, Kelly’s back catalog will remain with RCA/Sony, meaning they will likely stand to profit from Kelly’s YouTube Music streams.
“We understand RCA’s position: they have to remain transparent for the sake of the other artists that they represent and generate wealth for,” Kelly’s former adviser Don Russell told Variety at the time. “They’re not in the position of dealing with the kind of stuff that has come about with R. Kelly. He has no issue with RCA. I think he’s outgrown RCA. He’s ready for the next level of life, anyway.”
At the peak of his career, Kelly’s net worth was estimated to be as high as $100 million. Recent estimations put the disgraced singer’s net worth at a paltry negative $2 million.
Kelly has been trying to offload his catalog but is yet to find a buyer.
“It has been offered to me a number of times by his team, and of course, I’ve said no for the obvious reasons. There are incredible songs in that catalog, but why would you take that kind of risk?” Merck Mercuriadis, Hipgnosis Songs Fund founder, told Rolling Stone in August.
