R. Kelly’s Grammy victories will remain with his name. In September, Kells was found guilty on multiple racketeering and sex trafficking charges. Despite the conviction, The Chicago Sun-Times notes Recording Academy CEO, Harvey Mason Jr., has stated R. Kelly will keep his awards.
“I think it’s something that we’re going to need to take a good hard look at, have a lot of conversations about, work through and make a decision,” Mason Jr. said. “But right now, I think it’s something that is going to take a little bit more consideration before we can really dictate or decide. My initial feeling is we’re probably not a business that we want to be in of taking people’s awards back after they’ve been given. But we’ll take a good look at it and see.”
R. Kelly won three Grammys, Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, Best R&B Song, and Best Song Written for a Movie Picture, Television or Visual Media, all for “I Believe I Can Fly,” in 1998.
Earlier this month, R. Kelly was placed on suicide watch following being convicted of federal sex crimes. The Chicago Tribune states that during a preliminary on Wednesday, Steve Greenberg, Kelly’s attorney told U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber that Kelly “was placed under suicide watch” after he was found guilty.
