Sony music has decided to step away from R. Kelly after a years-long relationship, according to published reports.
The news comes amid fallout from the Lifetime docuseries, Surviving R. Kelly, which detailed sexual abuse allegations against the Step In the Name of Love singer.
Protesters also held a #MuteRKelly demonstration Wednesday morning outside Sony Music headquarters in New York City, putting more pressure on the company.
Read More: Activists Announce Boycott of Radio Stations Playing R. Kelly Music
Billboard was among the first outlets to report the news Friday that Sony is ending its relationship with Kelly, and said reps for the company and the performer offered no comment.
Kelly was initially signed to Jive when he launched his career in the 1990s. Once Sony acquired Jive, he became part of the Sony Music roster. Kelly, 52, has been under contract with Sony subsidiary, RCA, since 2012.
As of Friday morning, he was no longer listed on the RCA website.
Despite years of abuse allegations, Sony maintained its relationship with Kelly and radio stations continued to play his music. But the tide turned against the singer after Lifetime’s six-part docuseries premiered on Jan. 3.
The program addressed claims that the R&B producer and singer abused his ex-wife, had sex with underage girls, and it alleged that he had a history of picking up teenagers at a high school in Chicago and at shopping malls during his tour stops.
Prosecutors in Illinois and Georgia, two states where Kelly allegedly ran sex “cults,” are now looking into claims against the legendary I Believe I Can Fly singer.
Kelly has denied the allegations against him, and was found not guilty of multiple counts of possession of child pornography following the release of his infamous sex tape with a girl said to be 14-years-old.
Earlier this month in Inglewood, Calif., activists held a protest demanding radio stations stop playing the singer’s music.
