New York - The world's biggest streaming service Spotify has
removed R Kelly's music from its playlists following accusations of
sexual abuse by the R&B singer.
The three-time Grammy winner will be taken off playlists owned and
operated by Spotify and will not appear in the recommendation
algorithm as part of a new policy targeting "hate content and hateful
conduct" announced by the Swedish streaming service on Thursday.
"His music will still be available on the service, but Spotify will
not actively promote it," a spokesman told dpa in a statement.
Allegations of abuse against the 51-year-old singer date back to
1994. Several women have accused him of sexual coercion and emotional
abuse. He has also been accused of running a "sex cult."
R Kelly has repeatedly rejected the accusations.
"We don't censor content because of an artist's or creator's
behaviour, but we want our editorial decisions - what we choose to
programme - to reflect our values," Spotify added in its statement.
"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."
Famous for songs including "She's Got That Vibe," "Ignition," and
"Bump N' Grind," R Kelly has sold more than 40 million albums
worldwide.
An online campaign called #MuteRKelly has gathered steam in recent
weeks, gaining public support from the "Time's Up" movement and
Tarana Burke, the woman behind the #MeToo campaign.