Turns out, crime plays.
R. Kelly may be sitting in prison, but "Trapped in the Closet" and a slew of his other hit songs are surging in popularity despite his conviction on sex trafficking charges.
The disgraced singer’s album sales have jumped a whopping 517%, since a New York jury handed down their guilty verdict on September 27. In the week following his conviction, his on-demand audio streams were up 22%, while his video streams were up 23%. In fact, his singles have been more streamed this year than they were in 2017, despite witnesses at his high-profile trial revealing horrific acts he carried out.
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The "I Believe I Can Fly" singer's streams and sales have not suffered in the four years since accusers came forward with claims that Kelly was running a "sex cult" with young women.
YouTube is the only platform that has pulled down the Kelly's work in the aftermath of his more than month long trial. Kelly, 54, was found guilty of sexual exploitation, bribery, racketeering and sex trafficking involving five victims. He is now facing the prospect of life behind bars.