Henry James Mason, R.Kelly’s former manager, surrendered to authorities in Henry County, Georgia this past Friday. According to Pitchfork, “a warrant was issued for his arrest for allegedly making “terroristic threats and acts” against the family of Joycelyn Savage, originally reported by local Cox affiliate WSB-TV. CNN also reported that Mason had been accused of threatening to kill Savage’s father Timothy.” Savage claimed that his daughter was brainwashed by Kelly and was being held captive in his alleged “cult.”
Gerald Griggs, attorney for the Savage family stated to the new “Let this be a message to R. Kelly’s staff that we won’t be bullied or threatened. We will continue to pursue legal action against any and all threats to the safety of the Savage family.” Both parents also appeared on the Lifetime documentary series “Surviving R. Kelly.” Shortly after the series, Chicago State attorney Kim Foxx held a press conference giving survivors and witnesses the chance to give her office for further investigation. R. Kelly also parted ways with his label, Sony Music, after the series airing. It also has led to further investigation in Georgia, where Kelly currently resides. The claims and evidence made in the documentary have prompted law enforcement officials in Georgia to open an investigation into R. Kelly’s behavior.
It then led to Kelly getting panic attacks. TMZ earlier reported “We’re told the episodes are triggered by the overwhelming backlash Kelly’s getting from celebs and the general public. He’s shocked how the tables have turned … with most people now believing his accusers.”
Other musicians have also removed songs that they have worked on with Kelly including Lady Gaga with their duet “Do What U Want” off of her third studio album Artpop released in 2013. The Songstress issued an apology about the collaboration, saying “R. Kelly and I have sometimes very untrue things written about us, so in a way this was a bond between us. That we were able to say, the public, they can have our bodies, but they cannot have our mind or our heart. It was a really natural collaboration.” An effort to remove the song off of streaming services is underway.