Esteemed journalist Jim DeRogatis, has followed R. Kelly’s scandals since his early days in Chicago in the 90s. Throughout the journey, DeRogatis has chronicled every allegation, every interview, every trial and provided his own research into the singer’s personal life, to include speaking with relatives and former music associates.
Now, that the scandals are drawing to a conclusion, “Soulless: The Case Against R. Kelly” comes along as a follow-up read for viewers of “Surviving R. Kelly,” who want to learn more about the singer’s alleged misconduct. Many of the stories featured in the novel have either already appeared in DeRogatis’ numerous articles or in mainstream media, however, they are told in more vivid and disturbing detail.
The history of sexual abuse during R. Kelly’s childhood has been public knowledge for years. The only detail that was never truly solidified was who the family member was that committed the abuse against Kelly and his half-brother, Carey. DeRogatis makes the case in his book that the alleged abuser was Kelly’s half-sister Theresa. Carey told DeRogatis, “Theresa is the cause of everything happening in the way that it did.” Kelly’s former manager Don Russell told him, “He was hypersexual, not because he chose to be, but because of his sister.”
DeRogatis also addresses questions surrounding Kelly’s sexuality. He wrote, “Many women who’ve slept with him have told me Kelly is bisexual and has sex with other cis males. They say he keeps these encounters ‘on the down low,’ either because of shame or because it conflicts with the image he projects as the consummate ladies’ man on R&B and hip-hop scenes that still are often deeply homophobic.”
Jay-Z, who recorded the 2002 album “Best of Both Worlds” with Kelly and accompanied him on tour, has been silent about the Kelly revelations since the beginning…and for a good reason. DeRogatis wrote that Jay-Z and his team had “no love” for Kelly and his crew during the tour and recounted an incident when Jay-Z paid tribute to fallen stars and flashed an image of Aaliyah across the screen. R. Kelly allegedly fled the stage before a member of Jay’s entourage pepper-sprayed him, causing a whole fiasco. Kelly was eventually kicked off the tour altogether and sued Jay-Z, but Jay settled out of court and never spoke publicly about Kelly again. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
‘Soulless’ also details the complicated relationship with Kelly had with his mother, despite him presenting her as a savior and a woman he loved tremendously; to the point of marriage, which he once claimed. DeRogatis recounts Kelly telling GQ about how he stayed by his mother’s bedside until her death and told her he would dedicate his career to making her proud. But he told a different version of his mother’s death in his 2012 “Soulacoaster” memoir. DeRogatis wrote, “Few people forget the details of their mother’s death.”
DeRogatis’ sources claim that Kelly wasn’t actually close to his mother when she died and even kept his wealth away from her while she was sick. “Several sources told me that once his career began to take off, Kelly actually shunned the mother he claims he worshipped,” he writes. Kelly’s half-brother Casey told him that “Robert cut her off” because he did not approve of his mother’s relationship with his stepfather. “He refused to deal with her medical bills. She checked into the office under a false name, although he had the money,” a family friend told DeRogatis.
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