R. Kelly-hosted event denied a permit for upcoming Illinois concert
R. Kelly's recently revived legal troubles, which stem from decades of sexual misconduct allegations, are now impacting his ability to work. Case in point: a planned "spring break" concert in Springfield, Ill. will not be allowed to happen.
A permit request for the Spring Break Jam concert, which was set to happen in April with Kelly as the "host," has been denied, according to a report from the Chicago Tribune. The organizers already announced the event, but their application was still under review at the time.
The state's Department of Agriculture, the body charged with approving the license, didn't directly pin the permit denial on Lifetime's Surviving R. Kelly documentary. But it's all connected: Wednesday protests held outside of Kelly's Chicago studio, a response to the documentary, sparked security concerns for state officials.
Officials found that Kelly's involvement in the Spring Break Jam meant that the event didn't meet the criteria established for third party interests who want to lease space from the state (in this case, at the Illinois State Fairgrounds where the event would have been held). In short, the state felt that Kelly's role as host created unforseeable security issues.
Lifetime's series didn't bring to light much in the way of new allegations, but director Dream Hampton's six-part journey through Kelly's history and the allegations that have chased him for years struck a chord. Numerous artists and other public figures made a show of distancing themselves from the controversial singer, including Lady Gaga and Kelly's own daughter.
The threat of legal troubles for Kelly is becoming more tangible. On Friday, police paid a visit to his Chicago residence after an anonymous tip claimed he was holding two women against their will. (The women said they were there willingly and police then left without incident.) Kelly will also be forced to submit on Jan. 16 to an inspection of a warehouse he rents, and which city attorneys contend is being illegally used as a recording studio and living space.
Kelly is reportedly also under criminal investigation in Georgia, in connection with allegations raised (again) in Hampton's documentary.
Meanwhile, the protests continue: there was another mass gathering outside Kelly's Chicago studio on Saturday. And online, the #MuteRKelly campaign continues to build steam and generate conversation.
Topics Music
Adam Rosenberg is a Senior Games Reporter for Mashable, where he plays all the games. Every single one. From AAA blockbusters to indie darlings to mobile favorites and browser-based oddities, he consumes as much as he can, whenever he can.Adam brings more than a decade of experience working in the space to the Mashable Games team. He previously headed up all games coverage at Digital Trends, and prior to that was a long-time, full-time freelancer, writing for a diverse lineup of outlets that includes Rolling Stone, MTV, G4, Joystiq, IGN, Official Xbox Magazine, EGM, 1UP, UGO and others.Born and raised in the beautiful suburbs of New York, Adam has spent his life in and around the city. He's a New York University graduate with a double major in Journalism and Cinema Studios. He's also a certified audio engineer. Currently, Adam resides in Crown Heights with his dog and his partner's two cats. He's a lover of fine food, adorable animals, video games, all things geeky and shiny gadgets.
