Horrible abusers in the music industry - R Kelly verdict [title edit by MNHQ]

[RickJames]

Well, R Kelly is off to jail. Thank goodness. He was evil! But he made some great music. Like Chris Brown, Michael Jackson and to a certain extent James Brown. Ike Turner, Phil Spector, Gary Glitter.. even David Bowie was after it in the 60's. Jon Bonham they were all at it. Either or both abuse of women and children. Even that chap from Kasabian beat his wife up. It seems to be a thing. Loads more examples possible.

AIBU to expect that despite the enjoyable music they created/ sang on they shouldn't be played on commercial/ public radio anymore. Maybe if we protested then (im not innocent, I know it would be purely for the money) record companies would insist on non-criminal behaviour. In much the same way that say, for example, Siemens or Haringey Council would as employers.

Part of me feels like the music should stand for its musical value. A larger part of me feels like 'this is why we can't have nice things' and we shouldn't tolerate any part of their legacies.

AIBU?

Imagine being one of the victims of these people and having to hear their art on the radio/tv, see their face splashed everywhere.
Horrific

Exactly @Fiddlersgreen

Its the ultimate gaslighting.

And come on, just because someone is good at something doesnt mean they are perfect. Imagine, David Johnson is such an excellent gas boiler fitter, all his crimes against children are rendered null, let's celebrate Dave! It just wouldn't happen!

So glad that he is going down. Hope there is a queue to piss on him for a change! Luckily, I was never a fan of his music.

As for David Bowie, I cannot separate his predatory behaviour from his music and loathe how much he is celebrated. Wonder how he would have felt if it was his daughter!

It is bizarre and almost quite sad. I loved R Kelly but obviously not anymore, especially since finding out about his disgusting relationships, mainly with Aaliyah

James Gunn practically outed Jarad Leto but still nothing was done about it - he has more rumours behind him than R Kelly ever had

I am amazed it has happened after his crimes have been known about for so long. It felt like he was just going to get away with it. His victims must have been so brave to keep going.

Sorry genuine question. What did David Bowie do?

It's a hard one. I stopped listening to the lost prophets after it all came out about Ian Watkins. I loved that first album but I couldn't see past the crime if that makes sense - and I do understand that it's unfair to the other people who made the album but it's marred for me now. Yet I do still listen to The Rum Jacks.

I think I agree with you, but I know I'm guilty (with the rum jacks) of separating the art from the artist too. I wonder if subconsciously it's because of how I view the different crimes - ie paedophilia in unacceptable but dv is a bit more common place? Either way I think your point is interesting and valid and has given me a bit of food for thought.

If chairman Mao was the drummer in led Zeppelin I'd still listen to them because they're great

Eh. David Bowie? I ve never heard rumours about him.

What did he do?

It’s not a music business thing, it’s a men thing.

Wherever they are, abuse of some sort follows.

David Bowie (and his wife at the time), apparently, had a 14 year old girlfriend. It's fairly well documented although when I googled, some Internet scrubbing seems to have taken place.

He also went through a phase of keeping all his wee in the fridge but I suppose he was only hurting himself with this habit. I believe it was when he lived with Iggy Pop in Berlin.

Iggy's MN AIBU would have been fantastic- AIBU to think my flatmate shouldn't be using our fridge to store his wee?

I stopped listening to Lostprophets after Ian Watkins' heinous crimes became apparent and I've never listened to them since, despite absolutely adoring their music. I just can't bring myself to hear his voice knowing what he's done.

I think as a PP said, it could be a slap in the face for victims so if you choose to go and listen to it then that's fine but it shouldn't be played on the radio or anywhere you might be forced to listen to it without warning.

I don’t think using your flatmates fridge to store wee in is in the same ballpark. 🙄

Of course not @Hopeisallineed which is why I pointed out he wasn't really harming anyone with that. Just providing a bit of context that he was a fairly disturbed person in general. However, I often think that these types use their "ooh he's mad, he is!" image to hide in plain sight. See also Jimmy Saville for this tactic.

R Kelly is just the tip of the iceberg in the entery industry.

*entertainment

It is good that stuff like this is finally coming out.

Now if only Tom Jones could be done for his crimes instead of labelled as some British icon and put on a pedestal!

I would ban their music from being paid and also pay a portion of royalties to rape/victim charities.

Women-only music is clearly the way forward, Aretha Franklin never raped anyone

What has Tom Jones done?

I understand he was pretty rotten to his wife, shagging around etc. but I haven't heard of anything criminal.

It's insane how many there are, isn't it? @tttigress I'm sure that's true, unfortunately.

Do you think bad people join the music industry or people join the music industry and 'go' bad?

Sick enough these 'stars' think they can own people to do with whatever they want. in their little minds money can buy anything, even depravity.

Just as bad are the sycophant followers who enable the sick acts. I saw Managers, Security team etc. Did none of them have any morals, doubts? Did their employment mean that much to them that anything goes?

I've walked away from a job when my employer kept lying to customers. Christ knows what I'd have done if he was abusing them.

@RickJames

What has Tom Jones done?

I understand he was pretty rotten to his wife, shagging around etc. but I haven't heard of anything criminal.

It's insane how many there are, isn't it? @tttigress I'm sure that's true, unfortunately.

Do you think bad people join the music industry or people join the music industry and 'go' bad?

There was a story that has been hidden very well. He supposedly raped a minor in his hotel room back in the 70's. He was never investigated for it as far as I know. If you dig deep enough on the internet you should find the story. There's a photo of him with the girl on the hotel balcony (he's in a dressing gown).

I’m not sure if it’s the case but lost prophets music was removed from Spotify after his convictions so I wonder if other artists will suffer the same fate, however I’m unsure if that was a label/rest of the band decision rather than a Spotify one.

The new head at our local school was all set to use one of R Kelly's songs (while he was awaiting trial) as their school anthem, having the children learn the lyrics and sing it at assembly until parents starting complaining.

The head sent the worst non apology email basically stating that they had done the same in previous schools, all is fine, it's a good song, separate the art from the artist etc. Very depressing response and really changed my opinion of them, what a terrible show of lack of judgement.

newspunch.com/tom-jones-rape/

Not sure what came about from the investigation. Most probably "lack of evidence" as usual!!