Why did Lady Gaga delete Do What You Want? All we know as singer jokes about regrettable R. Kelly SNL collaboration

Lady Gaga has deleted the track Do What U Want, which she made with R. Kelly in 2013. The song has been taken down from all streaming services and will not be a part of her upcoming album ARTPOP. Gaga took this stance as she didn't want to be associated with him anymore since he was found guilty of racketeering and s*x trafficking.

Citing her personal trauma and lack of judgment at the time, she voiced her sincere remorse for working with him.

Gaga recently addressed the subject on Saturday Night Live, strengthening her position against Kelly by using comedy to reflect on the unfortunate cooperation.

Lady Gaga promised to take Do What U Want off streaming sites after the 2019 Lifetime series Surviving R. Kelly revealed years of abuse claims against the R&B artist. The music was taken down from iTunes and Apple Music by January of that year and was greyed out on Spotify.

Gaga has now stated that a new vinyl release of ARTPOP will not include Do What U Want. She has completely associated herself with the song by removing it from the album's official listings on her website.

Gaga formally apologized, saying:

"I stand behind these women 1000%, believe them, know they are suffering and in pain, and feel strongly that their voices should be heard and taken seriously. What I am hearing about the allegations against R. Kelly is absolutely horrifying and indefensible."

She stated that when she recorded the song, she was in a bad place as she had not processed her own experiences as a survivor of s*xual assault. She spoke about how the content of the song was uncomfortable in hindsight. She also mentioned that she was "explicitly twisted."

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On SNL, Gaga makes jokes about her collaboration with R. Kelly and her movie

When Gaga returned to SNL in 2024, she made light of her previous gaffes, including her contentious 2013 appearance with Kelly.

She said,

"I’m so happy to be back at SNL. The last time I hosted was in 2013. And every aspect of my performance aged amazingly."

Then continued to add,

"Because there’s no need to Google ‘SNL 2013 Lady Gaga featuring R. Kelly.’ I won’t bring it up!"

The performance was criticized at the time for its sexually explicit choreography, which became even more unfavorable when Kelly's legal issues worsened.

Gaga also made fun of her acting career, her performance in Joker: Folie à Deux, which led to poor reviews and a Razzie Award for "Worst Screen Duo" for her and Joaquin Phoenix.

She jokingly said,

"Joaquin and I even got nominated for a Razzie. But joke’s on them—I love winning things! And my Razzie brings me one step closer to an EGORT. It’s like an EGOT, but it’s hurtful."

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R. Kelly's legal troubles

Robert Sylvester Kelly, better known as R. Kelly, has been accused of s*xual assault on several occasions over several decades. It was only in 2021, when he was found guilty of racketeering and s*x trafficking, that other artists started distancing themselves from the rapper.

A major factor in reviving public interest was the Surviving R. Kelly documentary series. Survivors, musician John Legend, and #MeToo activist Tarana Burke were interviewed for the documentary. Legend openly denounced Kelly, saying:

"I believe these women and don’t give a f— about protecting a serial child r*pist. Easy decision."

After Lady Gaga distanced herself from him, other musicians like Ne-Yo and Chance the Rapper also expressed regret for working with R Kelly.

Gaga has been a long supporter of victims of s*xual abuse. She recorded a song for the 2015 documentary, which revealed incidences of s*xual assault on college campuses, titled The Hunting Ground. The song she recorded, "Til It Happens to You," was nominated for an Oscar.

She also shared her experiences and her PTSD. She said in an interview with Vogue:

"No one else knew. It was almost like I tried to erase it from my brain. And when it finally came out, it was like a big, ugly monster. And you have to face the monster to heal."