R. Kelly Faces Heavy Fines After Chicago Studio Hit With 66 Building Violations: Report

BYAron A.5.9K Views
Link Copied to Clipboard!
Evan Agostini/Getty Images
Singer R. Kelly arrives at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards at the American Airlines Arena on August 28, 2005 in Miami, Florida.

R. Kelly isn't facing any charges over the alleged sex crimes he's accused of, but he might have to cough up a lot of cash over building violations.

R. Kelly's stress levels must be through the roof these days. Not only is he facing major backlash for the allegations of sexual abuse against him that were discussed in Surviving R. Kelly, but the Chicago studio that was featured heavily in the docuseries was recently subjected to a search by Chicago authorities. After finding evidence of residency in the industrial warehouse, officials are coming for the singer over a lengthy list of building violations.

According to TMZ, Kellz' Chicago studio was hit with 66 building violations predominantly due to the use of the space as a residence and not having proper permits to build a sauce, bar, and steam room. Court documents reveal that the fines range from $500 to $1000 for each day the violations go without being addressed. Kellz is facing a fine that could be anywhere between $33K to $66K per day.

Kellz was already ordered to take out all of his permanent items from the building. However, he is allowed to use the space to record music from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The studio was swarmed by Chicago officials and police last week for complaints that the place was being used as a residency. Sources claim that R. Kelly denied that the studio was ever used as a living space and says the space is exactly how it was when he began renting it.

Kellz' lawyer claims the judge sided with the singer despite the violations and rejected the City's attempt to shut down the building entirely. His legal team argued that the issues with the studio weren't deemed an "Emergency" therefore they were ordered to remove personal items.


About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.