YouTube has removed two channels of disgraced R&B singer, Robert Kelly, popularly known as R Kelly.
The singer was found guilty of sex crimes last week in the United States.
In a statement, YouTube said that two of the singer’s channels, ‘RKellyTV’ and ‘RKellyVevo’, have been removed, and he will no longer be able to create or own any other YouTube channel.
But catalog of his music will be available on YouTube Music, YouTube’s audio-streaming service, and the videos uploaded by other YouTube users will continue to be available.
“We can confirm that we have terminated two channels linked to R. Kelly in accordance with our creator responsibility guidelines”, a YouTube spokesperson told Reuters in a statement;
YouTube Vice Presicent of legal, Nicole Alston, also wrote in a memo:
“Egregious actions committed by R. Kelly warrant penalties beyond standard enforcement measures due to a potential to cause widespread harm.
“Ultimately we are taking this action to protect our users similar to other platforms.”
On September 27, the American was found guilty in a New York federal court of leading a scheme to recruit women and girls for sex, following decades of women coming forward to accuse him of sex crimes.
His music has largely disappeared from radio stations, but is still available on streaming platforms.
His hit record ‘I Believe I Can Fly’ was for years a popular choice at graduation ceremonies.
R Kelly faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years behind bars, and could face up to life in prison when he is sentenced on May 4, 2022.
The singer’s longtime label, Sony Music’s RCA Records, parted ways with him in January 2019, after months of criticism.
However, nearly his entire catalog remains with the label and is still available on major music-streaming services.
In a survey conducted by Morning Consult after Kelly’s conviction, 44 per cent of audio-streaming service users said platforms like Spotify and Apple Music should remove his music from their catalogs.
While 36 per cent said his songs should be allowed to remain, 20 per cent had no opinion or said they did not know.
