R. Kelly’s concert draws protesters; 5th show canceled

Michael White bought his ticket to see R. Kelly at the Wolf Creek Amphitheater about two months ago.

That was before BuzzFeed published reports claiming the Grammy winning R&B star had abused young women living with him in houses in Chicago and Johns Creek.

But those recent allegations didn’t deter White, 38, of Atlanta, from standing in line for his seventh R. Kelly concert. White, towing a cooler at his side, was one of thousands of people who stood in a line that wrapped around the venue outside of College Park to see Kelly on Friday.

“Everybody has skeletons in their closet,” White said. “I mean, I just love his music. I’m not affected by stuff (BuzzFeed) puts out.”

As concertgoers drove down Merk Road to find a parking spot, they were greeted by a small group of protesters who chanted “Mute R. Kelly” and waived signs reading, “sex trafficking begins here.”

Among the protesters was John Eaves. The former Fulton County chairman and now candidate for Atlanta mayor, along with the county commission, urged Live Nation weeks ago to cancel Kelly’s concert.

“(R. Kelly) represents the worst of our society,” Eaves said speaking in a micro- phone to protesters and concertgoers. “We’re standing up and saying, ‘enough is enough.’ ... I’m here as a private citizen today. I’m a father, and I don’t want my children to be victim to sexual exploitation.”

Live Nation never replied to the letter the Fulton commissioners sent on Aug. 3 asking to cancel the show. The concert promoting company is in a contractual agreement with Fulton County to manage Wolf Creek.

Also with the protesters were Tim and Jonjelyn Savage, the parents of the 22-year-old Atlanta woman featured in the first BuzzFeed story.

The Savages have claimed their daughter is being “held against her will,” and that they hadn’t seen her since December. Joycelyn Savage has since said in interviews with TMZ that she’s fine and in a “happy place.”

While the protest crowd was small, Kenyette Barnes, the co-founder of the #MuteRKelly campaign, and others considered Friday to be a victory as Kelly’s concert slated for Sunday in Memphis, Tennessee, was canceled. It is the fifth show of his current tour to be canceled.

The Fed Ex Forum posted to its website that Kelly’s concert was cancelled due to “unforeseen circumstances.”