Spotify Stops Promoting R. Kelly's Music After Sexual Assault Allegations

Spotify has removed alleged serial sexual harasser R. Kelly s music from its promoted playlists and recommendations as of Thursday, citing a new policy on hate content and hateful conduct.

We are removing R. Kellys music from all Spotify owned and operated playlists and algorithmic recommendations such as Discover Weekly, the music streaming service said, according to Billboard magazine .

His music will still be available on the service, but Spotify will not actively promote it, the company added. We dont censor content because of an artists or creators behavior, but we want our editorial decisions what we choose to program to reflect our values. When an artist or creator does something that is especially harmful or hateful, it may affect the ways we work with or support that artist or creator.

As of Thursday morning, users can still find the singers music, but Kellys music no longer comes up on the various playlists created by Spotify, or through the sites algorithm, which recommends music to users based on their individual preferences.

The singer has faced sexual misconduct accusations from more than two dozen women, including rape, child pornography and allegedly running a sex cult.

The allegations have emerged over many years but have gained more attention in recent months due to the Me Too movement. Kelly has yet to face substantive action in response to the claims, which have come mostly from women of color.

In April, prominent figures in the Me Too and Times Up movements launched a campaign to Mute R. Kelly, calling on companies and organizations to cut ties with the singer and urging people to stand with Our Fellow Women of Color.

Kelly, who has repeatedly denied the allegations, suggested on April 30 that the claims against him amounted to lynching.

R. Kellys music is a part of American and African-American culture that should never and will never be silenced, the statement from his representatives said . Since America was born, black men and women have been lynched for having sex or for being accused of it.

Spotify did not immediately return repeated requests for comment on whether the new hate policy would affect other artists music, but it appears the service will be deciding on a case-by-case basis.

A Spotify representative told The New York Times that the site has also stopped promoting music from rapper XXXTentacion , who has faced repeated allegations of domestic violence involving his ex-girlfriend, including beating her when she was pregnant with his child.

In response, the rappers representatives sent the Times a list of other artists who have faced misconduct allegations or who have other characteristics that might qualify as hateful.

a response from XXXTentacions team on Spotify's decision to remove him from playlists pic.twitter.com/ivtEDJ2yGS

Joe Coscarelli (@joecoscarelli) May 10, 2018","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Joe Coscarelli","author_url":"https://twitter.com/joecoscarelli","cache_age":86400,"description":"a response from XXXTentacions team on Spotify's decision to remove him from playlists pic.twitter.com/ivtEDJ2yGS Joe Coscarelli (@joecoscarelli) May 10, 2018\n\n","provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":699,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dc2nvYRWAAA0oIt.jpg:large","thumbnail_width":1186,"title":"Joe Coscarelli on Twitter","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/joecoscarelli/status/994635579525599232","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"5af446c7e4b04d3b2c912532","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/spotify-r-kelly-sexual-assault_n_5af446c7e4b04d3b2c912532","entryTagsList":"arts-and-entertainment,celebrities,society-and-culture,sexual-misconduct,spotify,r-kelly,@ads_sexy,@health_adhd,@health_depression,@health_erectile,@health_gad,@health_hiv,@health_ibs,@health_models,@health_pain","sectionSlug":"entertainment","deptSlug":"entertainment","sectionRedirectUrl":"https://action.news/entertainment","subcategories":"black-voices,women,media,arts,us-news","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.entertainment","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":10},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"5af446c7e4b04d3b2c912532","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"Arts and Entertainment","slug":"arts-and-entertainment","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/arts-and-entertainment","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/arts-and-entertainment","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/arts-and-entertainment"},"relegenceSubjectId":979432,"department":{"name":"Entertainment","slug":"entertainment"},"section":{"title":"Entertainment","slug":"entertainment"},"topic":{"title":"Pop of Culture","slug":"pop-of-culture","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/entertainment/topic/pop-of-culture"},{"name":"Celebrities","slug":"celebrities","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/celebrities","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/celebrities","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/celebrities"},"relegenceSubjectId":978489,"department":{"name":"Entertainment","slug":"entertainment"},"section":{"title":"Entertainment","slug":"entertainment"},"topic":{"title":"Pop of Culture","slug":"pop-of-culture","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/entertainment/topic/pop-of-culture"},{"name":"Society and Culture","slug":"society-and-culture","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/society-and-culture","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/society-and-culture","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/society-and-culture"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/society-and-culture"},{"name":"sexual misconduct","slug":"sexual-misconduct","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/sexual-misconduct","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/sexual-misconduct","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/sexual-misconduct"},"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Crime","slug":"crime"},"topic":{"title":"Sexual Harassment","slug":"sexual-harassment","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/sexual-harassment"},{"name":"Spotify","slug":"spotify","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/spotify","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/spotify","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/spotify"},"relegenceId":4954697,"department":{"name":"Impact","slug":"impact"},"section":{"title":"Business","slug":"business"},"topic":{"title":"Spotify","slug":"spotify","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/impact/topic/spotify"},{"name":"r kelly","slug":"r-kelly","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/r-kelly","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/r-kelly","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/r-kelly"},"relegenceId":4269298,"department":{"name":"Voices","slug":"voices"},"section":{"title":"Black Voices","slug":"black-voices"},"topic":{"title":"R. Kelly","slug":"r-kelly","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/voices/topic/r-kelly"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false,"enhancements":{}}">

a response from XXXTentacions team on Spotify's decision to remove him from playlists pic.twitter.com/ivtEDJ2yGS
Joe Coscarelli (@joecoscarelli) May 10, 2018

In a statement to reporters, Kellys team similarly responded to Spotifys move by arguing that the company promotes numerous other artists who are convicted felons, others who have been arrested on charges of domestic violence and artists who sing lyrics that are violent and anti-women in nature.

Your Support Has Never Been More Critical

Other news outlets have retreated behind paywalls. At HuffPost, we believe journalism should be free for everyone.

Would you help us provide essential information to our readers during this critical time? We can't do it without you.

Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.

You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you.

Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all.

Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all.

Support HuffPost

The singers representatives also accused Spotify of bowing to social-media fads and picking sides in a fame-seeking dispute over matters that have nothing to do with serving customers and said that Kelly is innocent of the false and hurtful accusations in the ongoing smear campaign against him.

In its own statement, Spotify said that it had developed the policy with the help of advocacy organizations. These included the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Anti-Defamation League, Color Of Change, Showing Up for Racial Justice, GLAAD, Muslim Advocates and the International Network Against Cyber Hate.

According to the policy, the site will implement several systems to catch potentially hateful content and evaluate it, such as implementing content monitoring technology called Spotify AudioWatch. It will also consult with the advocacy groups and encourage users to flag potential violations.

This story has been updated with statements from Kelly and XXXTentacion.