New York, Oct 6 : R. Kelly’s official channels on YouTube have been permanently disabled, just days after the R&B star was found guilty on all counts in a weeks-long racketeering and sex trafficking trial, reports Billboard.com.
On October 5, the video-sharing platform quietly pulled a pair of channels connected to Kelly’s content, Billboard can confirm.
User-generated clips containing the disgraced singer’s works are still live on the main platform, however, and his songs and albums will continue to be available on the streamer’s premium platform, YouTube Music.
The Alphabet-owned streaming giant terminated the channels based on its creator responsibility guidelines which, in 2018, were updated to penalize creators for behavior off the platform.
According to the guidelines, the tech giant can terminate a creator’s channels if they’re accused of a very egregious crime and if the content is closely related to the crimes, or should the creator be convicted or plead guilty.
And based on its “repeat infringer” policies, R. Kelly (full name Robert Sylvester Kelly) will be banned from using, owning, or creating any other YouTube channels going forward.
“We can confirm that we have terminated two channels linked to R. Kelly in accordance with our creator responsibility guidelines,” reads a YouTube statement, provided to Billboard.
Kelly failed those guidelines when, in a New York court on September 27, he was found guilty of all nine charges brought against him by the government.
He now faces life in prison for his crimes.
On July 11, 2019, he was arrested on federal charges alleging sex crimes, human trafficking, child pornography, racketeering, and obstruction of justice.
Kelly is an American singer, songwriter, record producer. He has been credited with helping redefine R&B and hip hop.(IANS)