R. Kelly Cancels Multiple Shows Amid Allegations He Is Running A ‘Cult’

After an explosive report last month alleged that R. Kelly is controlling the women around him in a manner reminiscent to a “cult,” the R&B singer has had to cancel multiple tour dates, reportedly due to low ticket sales.

As made clear on the Ticketmaster website, Kelly has canceled at least two shows in Louisiana and one in Texas. TMZ reports that a fourth show in Los Angeles has been canceled as well and attributes the cancellations to low ticket sales.

Last month, BuzzFeed published an extensive investigation into allegations that Kelly is running something of a “cult” and cutting the women around him off from their families. Kelly’s camp “unequivocally” denied the allegations soon after, saying they “alarmed and disturbed” him.

“[He] will work diligently and forcibly to pursue his accusers and clear his name,” his team said at the time.

At his first show after the report, at the Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach, attendance was sparse, according to TMZ. Reviews of the show on Ticketmaster were also highly negative. Many said Kelly was over an hour late to the Amphitheater and played for less than an hour once he did finally appear.

“As we were leaving EVERYONE that we passed was talking about how disappointed they were,” said one reviewer.

As of now, Kelly has not made mention of the cancellations on Twitter or on his website. In a video message published to Twitter July 27, he called the allegations against him “crap” and said he would nevertheless continue on with his tour around the East Coast.

Kelly’s tour is scheduled for Chene Park in Detroit on August 5. According to venue’s website, the show is still on. Calls to the promoter to find out how ticket sales were going were not returned by press time.