New R. Kelly Album, ‘I Admit,’ Is a Bootleg — Not an Official Release, Sony Rep Confirms


UPDATED: A new, official-appearing R. Kelly collection provocatively titled “I Admit It” appeared on streaming services — including Spotify and Apple Music — on Friday, although reps for Sony Music, which owns the rights to much of the singer’s catalog, stressed to Variety that the album is an unofficial release (i.e. a bootleg) and did not come from them, even though the copyright line on the album reads “Legacy Recordings,” which is Sony Music’s catalog division.

An attorney for Kelly, Jennifer Bonjean, tells Variety that the singer’s camp is not behind the release either, and that he “is having intellectual property stolen from him.” Kelly is serving a 30-year prison sentence after being found guilty of multiple sexual-misconduct-related charges in New York last year; he is awaiting trial on similar charges in Illinois and other jurisdictions.

The album was removed from Spotify and Apple Music on Friday afternoon: “This content has been removed from the platform at the request of the distributor,” a rep for Spotify told Variety.

A source close to the situation tells Variety that the album was released by the Los Angeles-based label Real Talk Entertainment, which was founded in 2003 and has a lengthy discography including releases by Bone Thugz N Harmony and early ’00s rappers like Chingy, Freeway and Young Buck, although it is not clear how or whether the company acquired the rights to the Kelly recordings, or the rights to the name Legacy Recordings. It seems possible that some or all of the recordings could have fallen outside of Kelly’s contract with his longtime label — Sony Music’s RCA, which parted ways with the singer in 2019 — and Kelly sold or licensed those rights to Real Talk, although that is purely speculation. The album was distributed by Ingrooves, which is owned by Universal Music Group. A source tells Variety Ingrooves has terminated its agreement with Real Talk; reps for both companies did not immediately respond to Variety‘s requests for comment.

The album’s title comes from a 19-minute song Kelly released in July of 2018 in which, contrary to the title, he essentially denies the longstanding sexual-misconduct allegations against him. The album is a collection of previously released and unreleased material primarily dating from the latter years of Kelly’s recording career, although several of the unreleased tracks have been floating around on the internet for as long as 15 years. He continued to release music as the allegations against him mounted in 2018 and 2019, sometimes through RCA and some on SoundCloud and other services.

While it is surprising that such a controversially titled unofficial release by an artist such as Kelly was posted on the world’s largest streaming platforms without setting off any alarms, hundreds of thousands of songs are uploaded to the services every day, and the copyright says “Legacy Recordings,” which is the name of Sony Music’s catalog division — however, official Legacy releases bear a Sony Music Entertainment copyright.

Variety will have more on the situation as it develops.

FuckSilly:
He is a very foolish man.
This why I love Islam, it promotes morality and doing things rightly.
If you're this big and interested in having a mature young girl, youdi it rightly - SEE NED NWOKE...

FuckSilly:
He is a very foolish man.
This why I love Islam, it promotes morality and doing things rightly.
If you're this big and interested in having a mature young girl, youdi it rightly - SEE NED NWOKE...

GratefulSoul27:


Which of the Islam?

The one that allows Grandpa to marry 14 years old child?
The ones that allowed 100 wives
The one that breeds terrorist?

Mercury12:

Mr pointer, the rest of your fingers point backs at you.
Many Alhaji of islam religion engage in dirty acts and let me not start to mention them because people knows the truth.
I think someone should uploaded that popular picture of an alhaja drinking alcohol for you before you will have sense to know that some PEOPLE chooses to MAKE their own decisions IRRESPECTIVE of the moral stands of their RELIGION OR TRADITION.
Some people don't practice what is written in the holy books. Yet still identify themselves as a Christian or Muslim..
The bible and Koran both preach against immorality and yet people are doing it.
Most Africa cultures frown at such abominable practices and yet people still engage in all sort of immoralities in the name of having fun and living their life to the fullest.

everythinggirly:
He should pray to his God, to change him to a better person.

GratefulSoul27:


Which of the Islam?

The one that allows Grandpa to marry 14 years old child?
The ones that allowed 100 wives
The one that breeds terrorist?

FuckSilly:
He is a very foolish man.
This why I love Islam, it promotes morality and doing things rightly.
If you're this big and interested in having a mature young girl, youdi it rightly - SEE NED NWOKE...

FuckSilly:

Shut up muh...mu
Saying of your alhajis engages in dirty act is the same thing with me saying many of your pastors sleeps with your mothers, wifes and sisters. Many also engages in pedophìles and homosexualities.
The Bishop of UK approved homosexuality marriages last month.
When it comes to immoralities and promoting evil acts, xtain countries tops it all around the world.
You fhools are always quick at throwing jabs, but you're all worsts of hypocrites the world has ever known.
So because someone wore hijab with alcohol in her hand means she's a Muslim? Are you that stupīd to
Senseless ediot.

Mercury12:


You must be suffering from comprehension disorder if after reading my submission and still come up with more trash talks.
I can't stoop low to go back and forth with another religion myopic bigot spewing shit filled with enormous confirmation bias

FuckSilly:
He is a very foolish man.
This why I love Islam, it promotes morality and doing things rightly.
If you're this big and interested in having a mature young girl, youdi it rightly - SEE NED NWOKE...

AndroidAI:


Piss be upon Muhammad!

Isha Allah!