ACTION TOOLKIT: Shut It Down! Black Women Protest and Boycott R. Kelly Concert
At age 50, R. Kelly has sold millions of records, and remains one of the dominant voices in R&B music. Kelly also “has a well-documented, twenty-five-year history” of victimizing women and underage girls. Between 1996 and 2002, he was subject to four publicly filed lawsuits - three by teenage girls - and in 2002, he was indicted for making child pornography, stemming from a video that prosecutors said showed of him having sex with and urinating into the mouth of a 14-year-old girl. The case took 6 years to go to trial, and Kelly was acquitted, largely, because the girl and her parents never testified, though prosecutors called a dozen witnesses.
On Saturday Jan. 27th, R. Kelly will be performing at FREQ (637 W 50th St, New York, NY 10019, 1pm) AND Highline Ballroom (431 W 16th St, New York, NY 10011, 11pm). On Feb 21st, he will be performing at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, MI.
As Black women, as survivors, we are outraged that R. Kelly continues to be offered venues to perform, and continues to profit from the degradation of Black women and girls. We say no more.
Join us as we demand entertainment leaders, club promoters, and local venues to #MuteRKelly and take action!
Flood the Highline Ballroom with calls
Main number: (212) 414 – 5994
Call Press Manager Jeff Mann (212) 997 – 4555
Email: Jeffmann@highlineballroom.com
Tweet @HLBallroom
Tweet at the supporters and DJs responsible for Saturday’s FREQ Concert. Tell them to #MuteRKelly and cancel the show
Power105.1 Radio @power1051
DJ Suss One @DJSussone
DJ J Will @DJwillBX
DJ Exeqtive @DJExeqtive
Support #MuteRKelly Detroit as they fight to shut down the Feb 21st concert.
Sign the petition demanding Sony Records Drop R. Kelly.
Add your name to the open letter demanding that FREQ NYC shut down R. Kelly.
Register to show up on Saturday!
Sample Scripts
Sample Voicemail:
Hello, I am calling due to (venue name) decision to allow R. Kelly, a man who has a 25 year history of sexually preying upon and abusing women and girls, perform on (date and time). I am demanding that you stand with Black women and girls and cancel the concert. If the concert is not cancelled, we will not be silent. We will ensure that folks know that you are endorsing a known sexual predator solely for your profit.
Sample Email:
Dear Jeff Mann,
I am emailing concerning the upcoming performance of R. Kelly at the Highline on Saturday January 27th at 11pm. As you may not be aware, R. Kelly has been subject to four publicly filed lawsuits - three by teenage girls – and was indicted for making child pornography, having sex with and urinating into the mouth of a 14-year-old girl. The appalling abuse by R. Kelly is not an isolated incident; in the U.S. Black girls are disproportionately the victims of sexual violence with nearly 60% reporting experiencing unwanted sexual contact before the age of 18. Allowing R. Kelly to continue to prosper, tour and make economic gain is condoning sexual violence.
I am asking you to stand with survivors and shut down the R. Kelly concert. If the concert is not cancelled, we will not be silent. We will ensure that folks know that you are endorsing a known sexual predator solely for your profit.
Sincerely,
Your Name
#RKelly #BlackGirls #BlackWomen39sBlueprint #BlackWomenintheUS