Activists Demand RCA Records Drop R Kelly

A banner demanding RCA Records and its parent company Sony drop R. Kelly over alleged sexual misconduct flew over the companies' Los Angeles headquarters on Friday, according to Billboard.

The airplane was commissioned by women's rights group UltraViolet, reading, "RCA/Sony: Drop Sexual Predator R Kelly." The organization says it has additional plans for physical protests in days to come.

UltraViolet's protest comes following the explosive Lifetime documentary series Surviving R. Kelly, which aired last weekend, sparking outrage with multiple accounts alleged predatory sexual behavior.

The organization has previously spoken out against Kelly -- along with other activist groups including the #MuteRKelly campaign and Women of Color within the Time's Up movement -- applauding Spotify's now-reversed decision to remove Kelly from its editorially curated playlists and condemning those doing business with him.

"It is long past time for RCA to dump R Kelly and take a stand against abuse," said UltraViolet Chief Campaigns Officer Karin Roland in a statement on Thursday. "Their inaction is beyond shameful. RCA can no longer pretend that R. Kelly's music can be separated from his violent actions."

Meanwhile, a Chicago radio station has decided to drop R. Kelly's music.

Chicago’s 95.1 FM Clubsteppin, W236CF Chicago and 95.1 W236CG Bolingbrook IL which are fed by Spanish Broadcasting Systems’ WLEY 107.9 HD2 Aurora, will no longer play any music by R.Kelly because of the controversy that resurfaced after Lifetime’s “Surviving R. Kelly” documentary series.

Lamont Watts, CEO of the station that launched in August, said he made the decision because the station’s audience is primarily African-American women.



The Chicago Sun-Times reports Cook County court records show that an eviction order was entered against Kelly on Monday to vacate the warehouse/studio space. The building’s owners sued him in June, alleging he owed nearly $80,000 in back rent.

During the more than 30 people turned out for a demonstration across the street from Kelly’s warehouse/studio space.

The group, largely made up of women, chanted “black girls matter” to show support for Kelly’s accusers. A volunteer activist with #MuteRKelly, a national group leading protests against the Chicago singer, described the latest accusations as “atrocities.”

At the warehouse, a couple dozen people could be seen filing into the building. Outside, a woman stood on the sidewalk calling the protestors “liars.”

R. Kelly's estranged daughter posted a long message on her Instagram story Thursday addressing the sexual assault allegations surrounding her father. Buku Abi, previously known as Joann Kelly, said it has been years since she and her two siblings have spoken to their father and that their mother, Andrea Kelly, has not seen or spoken to him in years either.



According to CBS News, she apologized for staying silent regarding multiple women's claims against her father, writing: "The same monster you all confronting me about is my father. I am well aware of who and what he is.  I grew up in that house. My choice to not speak on him and what he does is for my peace of mind."