In a Thursday letter to Live Nation, Fulton County Attorney Patrise Perkins-Hooker said the county had "grave concern" about the concert promoter's decision to schedule a concert with R. Kelly at a county-owned amphitheater.
“Based on the allegations reported in various news media outlets regarding this artist, the citizens of Fulton County have expressed their collective concerns that Live Nation would allow this artist to perform at a venue that is supported in part by taxpayers,” the letter said.
Still, the county stopped short of asking Live Nation to cancel the concert, instead saying, “Please let us know if you plan to cancel this performance.”
Kelly is scheduled to perform at Wolf Creek Amphitheater, in South Fulton, as part of “The After Party” tour on Aug. 25.
The request comes after representatives from a group trying to end Kelly’s airplay on local radio, #MuteRKelly, spoke before the board of commissioners.
Earlier this week, Live Nation stated that the concert would take place as scheduled but declined further comment.
According to the seating chart at www.livenation.com, about 300 seats, priced at $133, remain in the reserved section of the venue. Inventory sold for the lawn, which can hold about 4,000 of the venue's 5,200 capacity, isn't available.
The embattled R&B singer recently canceled shows in New Orleans, Dallas, Los Angeles and Baton Rouge, La., following an explosive in-depth story in Buzzfeed by veteran music journalist Jim DeRogatis that alleged the singer is holding an "abusive cult" of women against their will at his homes near Chicago and in Duluth.
Kelly has denied the charges. One of the women, former Georgia Gwinnett College student Joycelyn Savage, 21, said in interviews that she was "in a happy place with my life" and "I'm not being brainwashed or anything like that."
Opposition to Kelly's upcoming Atlanta performance has been spearheaded by Oronike Odeleye, managing director of Atlanta arts organization Creative Currents Artist Collaborative. Odeleye has pressured local Atlanta radio stations to stop playing the singer's music; her #MuteRKelly petition has garnered nearly 1,000 signatures.
Kelly’s next concert is scheduled for Friday at the Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort in Mount Pleasant, Mich.
