R. Kelly's Sony Music Royalties Seized By Former Landlord Over Unpaid Debt

BY Erika Marie 7.0K Views
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R. Kelly
They claim he stopped paying rent on his Chicago studio.

R. Kelly's legal troubles are more than just the sexual assault accusations that he faces. The singer allegedly owes his landlord back rent and the debt is steep. According to documents obtained by The Blast, Kelly's former landlord, Midwest Commercial Funding, has issued a subpoena to Sony Music Holdings in an effort to get them to freeze $264,535 in the singer's royalty account.

Kelly allegedly stopped paying rent on his Chicago recording studio and owed the company $173,855.08, but after Sony froze the account, Midwest was able to collect $154,527.22 from one of the singer's Bank of America accounts. That only came after a "turnover order" was issued for payment. Now, Midwest needs Sony to make payment on the remainder of Kelly's debt to the tune of $52,431.55. After that, Kelly will be in the clear.

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It was recently reported that Kelly performed for a short 28 seconds at the Dirty South Lounge in Springfield, Illinois. TMZ stated that the 50-person crowd, each of whom paid $100 for the show, showed up at 10:00 p.m. to see Kelly perform, but he didn't come out until three hours later. When he did hit the stage, they say he sang the intro to "Bump N Grind" before leaving. He allegedly was paid $22,000 and walked away with $20K after paying his booking agent their $2,000 fee.


About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.

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