Why Sony Should Drop Dr. Luke Amid Sexual Assault Claims

The developing story about Sony Music and their controversy-laden producer Dr. Luke just took another leap forward today.

Headlines are abuzz with rumours that Sony plans to end their contract with Dr. Luke because of his ongoing sexual assault lawsuit from 2014. Singer Kesha filed a suit claiming he drugged and sexually assaulted her, and engaged in verbal and emotional abuse.

Dr. Luke — whose producer-singer contract with Kesha runs from 2011-2017 — denies the assault claims and the rumors that Sony plans to cut ties with him.

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Public sentiment regarding the lawsuit is hardly conflicted. People are standing by Kesha even though Dr. Luke hasn’t been convicted and the case is still ongoing. Kesha has received accolades of public support despite the fact that her legal request to terminate her contract with Dr. Luke was denied in February due to a lack of evidence to support the abuse claims.

Since then, powerful female singers including Adele, Lady Gaga and Kelly Clarkson have publicly offered their sympathies to Kesha, the popular hashtag #FreeKesha was born, four petitions urging her release have been created, and a protest formed outside the Sony headquarters.

“It is time for Sony to step up and show that they don’t value money over the safety and wellbeing of a woman and artist,” states the #FreeKesha Facebook page. “They have the power to #FreeKesha by not renewing their contract with Dr Luke and cutting ties with Kemosabe.”

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What’s most interesting about this story is that Sony is in a position they have been in before. Who could forget Sony’s troubled relationship with pop icon Michael Jackson during his sexual abuse charges. Sony needs to decide, once again, should they continue to work with a controversial figure who has fallen out of favor with public opinion?

We believe Sony should end its contract with Dr. Luke, not because we think he is necessarily guilty, but because if they don’t Sony will forever be known as the music company that supported an abuser. From a business perspective, they would end up in an even bigger public relations mess than they are in now if Dr. Luke was eventually found guilty.

However, if it turns out that Dr. Luke is indeed innocent of the abuse claims leveraged against him, the public would be far more forgiving of Sony’s mistake, chalking up his firing as a simple misunderstanding. It’s much harder to forgive a company that appears to be willfully ignorant of the serious nature of sexual abuse than one that acted prematurely.

What are your thoughts about the Dr. Luke lawsuit? Do you agree that Sony should end Dr. Luke’s contract? Share your comments below.