Sony Music drops R. Kelly from it's label

Sony Music, which has been R.Kelly's recording home since the beginning of his career, has quietly dropped the singer from it's label this past week. He's been under contract with their subsidiary 'RCA' since 2012. (His last release with the label was a Christmas album in 2016, though he has released some singles since then independently.) Kelly's name was dropped from their on-line roster this morning, though it's unclear who will keep his catalog.

The move comes with mounting pressure from various groups over the years, while he's been facing mounting allegations of sexual abuse and predatory behavior. In LA and NYC there have been protests outside the Sony offices by the #MuteRKelly movement in the wake of the Lifetime series "Surviving R. Kelly", which aired during the first week of January.

A source 'close to negotiations' said the label had to act slowly to 'wade through the issues' of responsibility and legal ramifications. The source also said the label has been working to dissolve their relationship for 'months', and the Lifetime documentary had nothing to do with their decision.