R. Kelly’s master recordings were stolen, according to a police report filed by the singer’s team, who suspect that the person responsible for the crime could also be behind the unauthorized release of the singer’s “I Admit It” album. As we previously reported, fans were stunned to find a new record appear under R. Kelly’s discography on streaming platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music last week.
With the album being pulled just hours later, The “Religious Love” singer explained that the project was not an official release and that someone was apparently trying to sabotage his chances of appealing his sexual assault and trafficking conviction. And now it’s being reported, via TMZ, that the leak may be connected to R. Kelly’s masters being stolen back in February from an Illinois storage.
Boosie was vibing to R Kelly new album I admit it 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/Dc9wd3YB1V
— Shannonnn sharpes Burner (PARODY Account) (@shannonsharpeee) December 9, 2022
RELATED: Sony Music Releases Statement Upon Pulling R. Kelly Album ‘I Admit’ From Streaming Platforms
Keith Calbert, who claims to have been in charge of supervising R. Kelly’s belongings at a warehouse in Chicago, recently informed law enforcement officers that after the masters — which are believed to be worth millions — were stolen, he was blackmailed and told to cough up a whopping $160,000 if he wanted them back. The police report mentioned that up to 500 songs were seized and supposedly taken to California. It’s unclear why R. Kelly’s team waited this long to contact police about the theft, but the case has since been closed, with no arrests made.
R. Kelly, whose real name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, made headlines on Friday when the album “I Admit It” surfaced on streaming platforms, with many people confused as to what the motive was behind the release. What was perhaps most unsettling about the situation was the album’s title, considering the star’s recent trials pertaining to trafficking underage girls and filming pornography with minors.
Reps for Sony Music, which owns the full rights to R. Kelly’s entire catalog, made a statement amid the heavy backlash that came with the release of new music. Songs that R. Kelly had recorded over the past 15 years were compiled together and put out to seem as if it was an official project. It’s unclear whether the record label plans on taking legal action over the matter at this point.
How in the hell did R. Kelly release an album called “I Admit It” from jail? pic.twitter.com/ghOddAPQpr
— Jay Altons (@jayaltons) December 9, 2022
It was just four years ago when Spotify announced it would no longer be featuring R. Kelly’s music in its playlists following a string of accusations about his misconduct at the time. “We are removing R Kelly’s music from all Spotify-owned and operated playlists and algorithmic recommendations such as Discover Weekly,” a spokesperson said at the time.
“His music will still be available on the service, but Spotify will not actively promote it. We don’t censor content because of an artist’s or creator’s behavior, but we want our editorial decisions — what we choose to program — to reflect our values.”