Spotify and Apple Music removed a new R. Kelly album titled I Admit It, which hit streaming services on Friday (December 9).
A rep for Sony, which owns the rights to much of R. Kelly’s music, told Variety the album was a bootleg. The project listed Sony Music’s Legacy Recordings as the label in the credits.
R. Kelly’s attorney Jennifer Bonjean claimed his team had nothing to do with the release. Bonjean said the disgraced singer was “having intellectual property stolen from him.”
According to multiple reports, Real Talk Entertainment released the bootleg R. Kelly album. The project was uploaded by Universal Music Group-owned distributor Ingrooves, which reportedly cut ties with Real Talk due to the debacle.
I Admit It featured previously released songs and unreleased material. The album’s title came from a 19-minute song that R. Kelly originally dropped in 2018.
Last year, R. Kelly was convicted of sex trafficking and racketeering in New York. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Earlier this year, a federal jury found him guilty of producing child pornography and coercing minors into criminal sexual activity in Chicago. He awaits sentencing in the case.
R. Kelly faces 10 to 90 years in prison. He remains in custody at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago.
