Lady Gaga removes track featuring R. Kelly from Apple Music and iTunes amid sexual assault...

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2019
In what appears to be a response to a host of sexual assault allegations against hip-hop star R. Kelly, Lady Gaga this week pulled a collaborative track with the artist from Apple's content distribution services.

Lady Gaga iTunes
Track 7 is conspicuously absent from Lady Gaga's Artpop album on iTunes.


As noted by Engadget on Thursday, Lady Gaga's "Do What U Want (With My Body)," from the album Artpop, is no longer available for streaming on Apple Music, nor can the song be purchased from iTunes.

Interestingly, the album itself is still live on both services with track seven -- "Do What U Want" -- conspicuously absent. The change suggests Gaga was able to retroactively remove a single song from a currently available album, an uncommon occurrence in the digital music business. Typically, music labels or artists pull entire albums when external issues arise.

The pop star seemingly addressed the takedown on Twitter yesterday, saying she planned to remove the song from iTunes and "other streaming platforms." Gaga cited what has become a laundry list of sexual assault and abuse allegations facing Kelly as an impetus for pulling "Do What U Want" from Apple's catalog. Kelly has consistently denied those allegations.

"I intend to remove this song off of iTunes and other streaming platforms and will not be working with him again," she said. "I'm sorry, both for my poor judgment when I was young, and for not speaking out sooner."

The post suggests "Do What U Want" was styled as a commentary on sexual assault.

"As a victim of sexual assault myself, I made both the song and video at a dark time in my life, my intention was to create something extremely defiant and provocative because I still hand't processed the trauma that had occurred in my own life," she said.

Gaga has partnered with Apple in the past, including a headline performance at the iTunes Festival in 2013.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 23
    Atomic BioticAtomic Biotic Posts: 3unconfirmed, member
    What’s wrong with those artists lol. 
    AppleExposed
  • Reply 2 of 23
    genovellegenovelle Posts: 1,480member
    When I saw them perform this song live on TV it seemed very awkward and inappropriate. 
    ronnwatto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 23
    Entire thing is rather silly and seems disingenuous on her part. More "me too" bandwagon. We all need to have an adult talk to decide what is actually sexual harassment and sexual assault. 
    AppleExposedwatto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 23
    mac_dogmac_dog Posts: 1,066member
    Entire thing is rather silly and seems disingenuous on her part. More "me too" bandwagon. We all need to have an adult talk to decide what is actually sexual harassment and sexual assault. 
    It’s not silly. And I have to wonder where you’ve been for the past 20 (or more) years. It’s been talked about. Guidelines have been set at companies. The only things that need to be takes about is why is this still happening? Why do parents (seemingly) refuse to teach their children about personal boundaries? I do know this behavior has been considered normal by the patriarchy and reinforced by all the male-centric institutions, organizations, private clubs. Men feign outrage if it happens to their wives or daughters, bcoz they are afraid of being kicked out of the pack of men or their fraternity.

    The most important thing that needs to be discussed is the issue of race around sexual assault & rape. Yes, you all know what I’m talking about. Black men get the maximum penalty under the law while white males—specifically from the upper class just get a slap on the wrist. If they do get prison time, it’s at a country club. 

    Thankfully, things are changing. 
    baconstangronn
  • Reply 5 of 23
    mac_dog said:
    Entire thing is rather silly and seems disingenuous on her part. More "me too" bandwagon. We all need to have an adult talk to decide what is actually sexual harassment and sexual assault. 
    It’s not silly. And I have to wonder where you’ve been for the past 20 (or more) years. It’s been talked about. Guidelines have been set at companies. The only things that need to be takes about is why is this still happening? Why do parents (seemingly) refuse to teach their children about personal boundaries? I do know this behavior has been considered normal by the patriarchy and reinforced by all the male-centric institutions, organizations, private clubs. Men feign outrage if it happens to their wives or daughters, bcoz they are afraid of being kicked out of the pack of men or their fraternity.

    The most important thing that needs to be discussed is the issue of race around sexual assault & rape. Yes, you all know what I’m talking about. Black men get the maximum penalty under the law while white males—specifically from the upper class just get a slap on the wrist. If they do get prison time, it’s at a country club. 

    Thankfully, things are changing. 


    Rape has nothing to do with understanding personal boundaries. Rape is all about power. It is perpetuated by men and women who are sick, not men and women who weren’t taught boundaries. 
    racerhomie3gatorguysphericAppleExposedfastasleep
  • Reply 6 of 23
    The allegations surrounding R Kelly have been going in for more than a decade...long before she even recorded the song with him. He was even tried for it. 

    She didn’t care. She wanted the money and fame. 

    racerhomie3AppleExposedtbornotronn
  • Reply 7 of 23
    cgWerkscgWerks Posts: 2,952member
    I could care less about these tracks... but this is what gives me pause depending on music subscription services (we do subscribe to Apple Music, BTW).

    I keep running into music I'm looking for that isn't there. But worse, there are tracks missing from some of the albums that are there. I'm not sure why this is, as the stuff I'm looking for isn't controversial (as if that should matter?). It's probably some kind of licensing thing, but if I bought the CD, it would be there.
  • Reply 8 of 23
    mac_dogmac_dog Posts: 1,066member
    tylersdad said:
    mac_dog said:
    Entire thing is rather silly and seems disingenuous on her part. More "me too" bandwagon. We all need to have an adult talk to decide what is actually sexual harassment and sexual assault. 
    It’s not silly. And I have to wonder where you’ve been for the past 20 (or more) years. It’s been talked about. Guidelines have been set at companies. The only things that need to be takes about is why is this still happening? Why do parents (seemingly) refuse to teach their children about personal boundaries? I do know this behavior has been considered normal by the patriarchy and reinforced by all the male-centric institutions, organizations, private clubs. Men feign outrage if it happens to their wives or daughters, bcoz they are afraid of being kicked out of the pack of men or their fraternity.

    The most important thing that needs to be discussed is the issue of race around sexual assault & rape. Yes, you all know what I’m talking about. Black men get the maximum penalty under the law while white males—specifically from the upper class just get a slap on the wrist. If they do get prison time, it’s at a country club. 

    Thankfully, things are changing. 


    Rape has nothing to do with understanding personal boundaries. Rape is all about power. It is perpetuated by men and women who are sick, not men and women who weren’t taught boundaries. 
    Rape has EVERYTHING to do with boundaries. It also has to do with power and control. 
  • Reply 9 of 23
    amar99amar99 Posts: 181member
    Is nobody else going to mention the irony that we're talking about "sexual assault", when the track she removed is literally called "Do What U Want (With My Body)"?
    Adult_MaleAppleExposedcgWerkswatto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 23
    cgWerks said:
    I could care less about these tracks... but this is what gives me pause depending on music subscription services (we do subscribe to Apple Music, BTW).

    I keep running into music I'm looking for that isn't there. But worse, there are tracks missing from some of the albums that are there. I'm not sure why this is, as the stuff I'm looking for isn't controversial (as if that should matter?). It's probably some kind of licensing thing, but if I bought the CD, it would be there.
    I agree, this particular music means nothing to me and honestly, it's her album so I'm fine with whatever decision she makes but the idea of music retroactively being disappeared is disturbing. I'd hate to think that entire albums or even genres could be deemed too offensive by record labels some day, fifty years after they are released. Over Christmas, a radio station banned Baby It's Cold Outside for being too date rapey. That was either the beginning of the end or hopefully, because it was reinstated, a sign that all this madness is just noise from a small minority and most people are reasonable.
    AppleExposedcgWerks
  • Reply 11 of 23
    amar99 said:
    Is nobody else going to mention the irony that we're talking about "sexual assault", when the track she removed is literally called "Do What U Want (With My Body)"?
    My point exactly. It's not a violation of boundaries, assault, or harassment if both parties are consenting. This is not open heart surgery and I don't understand why people are treating as such. 

    Rape and sexual assault are not esoteric.
  • Reply 12 of 23
    mac_dog said:
    Entire thing is rather silly and seems disingenuous on her part. More "me too" bandwagon. We all need to have an adult talk to decide what is actually sexual harassment and sexual assault. 
    It’s not silly. And I have to wonder where you’ve been for the past 20 (or more) years. It’s been talked about. Guidelines have been set at companies. The only things that need to be takes about is why is this still happening? Why do parents (seemingly) refuse to teach their children about personal boundaries? I do know this behavior has been considered normal by the patriarchy and reinforced by all the male-centric institutions, organizations, private clubs. Men feign outrage if it happens to their wives or daughters, bcoz they are afraid of being kicked out of the pack of men or their fraternity.

    The most important thing that needs to be discussed is the issue of race around sexual assault & rape. Yes, you all know what I’m talking about. Black men get the maximum penalty under the law while white males—specifically from the upper class just get a slap on the wrist. If they do get prison time, it’s at a country club. 

    Thankfully, things are changing. 
    I've been in the real world where real people are victimized. If you consent to sex you are not a victim. Even if you sleep with the president. Example. Having sex with your boss for advancement is something you choose to do. Having sex for the opportunity of fame and fortune is something you choose to do. In the real world people make those choices all the time. For one to think otherwise is silly. Others are propositioned and negative effects may  follow if they don't adhere and that is harassment. Many people, primarily women, have turned "Me Too" into a joke. Perhaps you should investigate why and who "Me Too" was actually intended to help and protect. They don't resemble those who have hijacked the cause.
  • Reply 13 of 23
    cgWerks said:
    I could care less about these tracks... but this is what gives me pause depending on music subscription services (we do subscribe to Apple Music, BTW).

    I keep running into music I'm looking for that isn't there. But worse, there are tracks missing from some of the albums that are there. I'm not sure why this is, as the stuff I'm looking for isn't controversial (as if that should matter?). It's probably some kind of licensing thing, but if I bought the CD, it would be there.
    I agree, this particular music means nothing to me and honestly, it's her album so I'm fine with whatever decision she makes but the idea of music retroactively being disappeared is disturbing. I'd hate to think that entire albums or even genres could be deemed too offensive by record labels some day, fifty years after they are released. Over Christmas, a radio station banned Baby It's Cold Outside for being too date rapey. That was either the beginning of the end or hopefully, because it was reinstated, a sign that all this madness is just noise from a small minority and most people are reasonable.
    LOL! Crazy stuff.
  • Reply 14 of 23
    DAalsethDAalseth Posts: 2,783member
    tylersdad said:
    The allegations surrounding R Kelly have been going in for more than a decade...long before she even recorded the song with him. He was even tried for it. 

    She didn’t care. She wanted the money and fame. 

    That's the thing that gets me. It wasn't a decade, it's been several decades. I remember a lot of discussion in the late '90s about his behavior. The show "The Boondocks" even did an episode all about it in 2005. (https://www.indiewire.com/2019/01/the-boondocks-r-kelly-episode-abuse-trial-1202034304/) There is no way she didn't know before she did their first duet in, I believe it was, 2012. As Huey said in that episode "Ain't you people got any standards?"
    AppleExposedSpamSandwichronn
  • Reply 15 of 23
    sphericspheric Posts: 2,540member
    cgWerks said:
    I could care less about these tracks... but this is what gives me pause depending on music subscription services (we do subscribe to Apple Music, BTW).

    I keep running into music I'm looking for that isn't there. But worse, there are tracks missing from some of the albums that are there. I'm not sure why this is, as the stuff I'm looking for isn't controversial (as if that should matter?). It's probably some kind of licensing thing, but if I bought the CD, it would be there.
    So…buy your music?

    Subscription services leave availability up to the vendor, as you say. We were watching a series on Netflix a while ago, and midway through season 3, it disappeared as licensing expired. 

    That's what you get for wanting access to millions of dollars' worth of content for next to nothing, as opposed to building a library. 

    Welcome to the 21st century.
    fastasleepwatto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 23
    sphericspheric Posts: 2,540member

    mac_dog said:
    Entire thing is rather silly and seems disingenuous on her part. More "me too" bandwagon. We all need to have an adult talk to decide what is actually sexual harassment and sexual assault. 
    It’s not silly. And I have to wonder where you’ve been for the past 20 (or more) years. It’s been talked about. Guidelines have been set at companies. The only things that need to be takes about is why is this still happening? Why do parents (seemingly) refuse to teach their children about personal boundaries? I do know this behavior has been considered normal by the patriarchy and reinforced by all the male-centric institutions, organizations, private clubs. Men feign outrage if it happens to their wives or daughters, bcoz they are afraid of being kicked out of the pack of men or their fraternity.

    The most important thing that needs to be discussed is the issue of race around sexual assault & rape. Yes, you all know what I’m talking about. Black men get the maximum penalty under the law while white males—specifically from the upper class just get a slap on the wrist. If they do get prison time, it’s at a country club. 

    Thankfully, things are changing. 
    I've been in the real world where real people are victimized. If you consent to sex you are not a victim. Even if you sleep with the president. Example. Having sex with your boss for advancement is something you choose to do. Having sex for the opportunity of fame and fortune is something you choose to do. In the real world people make those choices all the time. For one to think otherwise is silly. Others are propositioned and negative effects may  follow if they don't adhere and that is harassment. Many people, primarily women, have turned "Me Too" into a joke. Perhaps you should investigate why and who "Me Too" was actually intended to help and protect. They don't resemble those who have hijacked the cause.
    Lots of kids who were sexually abused "consented", as well. They may not have done so to receive "advancement" or "fame and fortune", but for love or appreciation, or simply because it seemed like the expected thing, and they had no alternate reality to compare to. 
    And it's not like underage kids couldn't say "no", either — I know people who managed to do just that when they were in their teens, and others who couldn't. 
    People who abuse positions of power tend to prey on those who can't, or won't.
    They tend to be very selective when it comes to their victims. 
    cgWerks
  • Reply 17 of 23
    boltsfan17boltsfan17 Posts: 2,294member
    DAalseth said:
    tylersdad said:
    The allegations surrounding R Kelly have been going in for more than a decade...long before she even recorded the song with him. He was even tried for it. 

    She didn’t care. She wanted the money and fame. 

    That's the thing that gets me. It wasn't a decade, it's been several decades. I remember a lot of discussion in the late '90s about his behavior. The show "The Boondocks" even did an episode all about it in 2005. (https://www.indiewire.com/2019/01/the-boondocks-r-kelly-episode-abuse-trial-1202034304/) There is no way she didn't know before she did their first duet in, I believe it was, 2012. As Huey said in that episode "Ain't you people got any standards?"
    Lady GaGa is such a hypocrite. In 1994, R Kelly married Aaliyah, who was 15 at the time. He was 27. The marriage ended up being annulled since Aaliyah lied on the marriage certificate about her age. There is a huge list of accusations so for sure Lady GaGa knew about his troubled past. 
    ronnwatto_cobra
  • Reply 18 of 23
    AppleExposedAppleExposed Posts: 1,805unconfirmed, member
    Stopped caring about this feminist after she donated millions to Kesha to fight a rape allegation with ZERO evidence and Kesha even admiting it wasn't true.

    mac_dog said:
    tylersdad said:
    mac_dog said:
    Entire thing is rather silly and seems disingenuous on her part. More "me too" bandwagon. We all need to have an adult talk to decide what is actually sexual harassment and sexual assault. 
    It’s not silly. And I have to wonder where you’ve been for the past 20 (or more) years. It’s been talked about. Guidelines have been set at companies. The only things that need to be takes about is why is this still happening? Why do parents (seemingly) refuse to teach their children about personal boundaries? I do know this behavior has been considered normal by the patriarchy and reinforced by all the male-centric institutions, organizations, private clubs. Men feign outrage if it happens to their wives or daughters, bcoz they are afraid of being kicked out of the pack of men or their fraternity.

    The most important thing that needs to be discussed is the issue of race around sexual assault & rape. Yes, you all know what I’m talking about. Black men get the maximum penalty under the law while white males—specifically from the upper class just get a slap on the wrist. If they do get prison time, it’s at a country club. 

    Thankfully, things are changing. 


    Rape has nothing to do with understanding personal boundaries. Rape is all about power. It is perpetuated by men and women who are sick, not men and women who weren’t taught boundaries. 
    Rape has EVERYTHING to do with boundaries. It also has to do with power and control. 

    No it doesn't. Get your feminist BS out of here. Also, being a White Knight isn't gonna get you laid. lol

    amar99 said:
    Is nobody else going to mention the irony that we're talking about "sexual assault", when the track she removed is literally called "Do What U Want (With My Body)"?

    I thought she chose the title for controversial reasons as she always does (releasing Judas on Easter etc.)

    Most likely she has gotten some negative feedback and was told to remove it to protect her integrity. Selfish of course.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 19 of 23
    AppleExposedAppleExposed Posts: 1,805unconfirmed, member

    BTW Just came back from youtube.


    "Do What U Want" is the #1 searched Lady Gaga result and you guessed it. The video has been taken down.

  • Reply 20 of 23
    cgWerkscgWerks Posts: 2,952member
    amar99 said:
    Is nobody else going to mention the irony that we're talking about "sexual assault", when the track she removed is literally called "Do What U Want (With My Body)"?
    Hollywood, the media, pop-culture, etc. are pretty much a walking contradiction when it comes to this stuff. Kind of 'do as I say, not as I do and/or promote doing'.

    spheric said:
    So…buy your music?

    Subscription services leave availability up to the vendor, as you say. We were watching a series on Netflix a while ago, and midway through season 3, it disappeared as licensing expired. 

    That's what you get for wanting access to millions of dollars' worth of content for next to nothing, as opposed to building a library. 

    Welcome to the 21st century.
    Yeah, that's pretty much what I did before Apple ruined iTunes family sharing, to force us into subscribing to Apple Music. Now, it's just one huge mess. If I find another great app so I can have a central 'server' of all our content shared across devices, I'll dump Apple Music and go back to my library. I just haven't found such good solutions, yet, and don't have time right now to experiment. :disappointed: 
    spheric
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