In November 2000, Jim DeRogatis, the pop music critic at the Chicago Sun-Times, received a fax alleging R&B star R. Kelly had a problem with “young girls.” After conducting an investigation, DeRogatis published a story accusing R. Kelly of recruiting young girls, abusing them, and then paying them off for their silence. The result of these explosive findings…nothing.
No one seemed interested in these allegations. The music industry didn’t care as long as R. Kelly continued to churn out hits. The parents of the young girls took the payoffs and stayed quiet. But for 18 years, Jim DeRogatis stayed on the case and continued to collect more evidence. DeRogatis was sent a graphic video of R. Kelly that led to a 2008 child pornography trial. Just last week, R. Kelly was arrested on Federal charges that might finally stick. Soulless: The Case Against R. Kelly lays out the facts about Kelly’s conduct with underage girls for years. People wonder how billionaire Jeffrey Epstein managed to sexually abuse underage girls for years, too. Jim DeRogatis shows how powerful men get away with their dark activities…until they don’t. Impressive reporting! GRADE: A
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Prologue: Robert’s Problem Is Young Girls p. 1
Part I
Chapter 1 He Gonna Grow Up Being a Shooter p. 7
Chapter 2 I Promise You p. 31
Chapter 3 There Are Lots of People Who Know About This p. 41
Chapter 4 School Ain’t Gonna Make You a Millionaire p. 53
Chapter 5 Numerous p. 80
Chapter 6 Trophies p. 100
Part II
Chapter 7 Go to Your Mailbox p. 111
Chapter 8 Victory by Delay p. 139
Chapter 9 Recent Unpleasantness p. 152
Chapter 10 The State of Illinois v. Robert Sylvester Kelly p. 168
Chapter 11 The Defense and the Verdict p. 192
Part III
Chapter 12 “How Old Are We Talking?” p. 211
Chapter 13 “It’s Just Music” p. 225
Chapter 14 The Cult p. 238
Chapter 15 Reckoning p. 263
Afterword p. 297
Acknowledgments p. 303
As with the parents of the children abused by Jackson, you have to wonder why. Why were they willing to have the abuser abuse more for money?
Patti, money is the key aspect to the ability of Kelly and Epstein (and other sexual predators) to attract young girls. And stay away from Law Enforcement.
As I was reading this I was listening to an interview on NPR with the lawyer who negotiated Epstein’s “Sweetheart” plea deal with Acosta. What I heard sounded like a carefully rationalized excuse for enabling child abuse. Probably very similar to the excuses that helped R Kelly’s enables sleep nights.
Dan, Acosta warped the legal system to provide Epstein with his “Sweetheart” plea deal. And more people got paid off, too. There’s plenty of corruption in our Legal System.
It’s about damn time. Michael Jackson went to his grave basically unpunished, but at least predators like Cosby, Kelly, and Epstein may finally be getting at least a portion of their just desserts. I hope one day Trump is on that list.
Jeff, Trump attended those parties where Epstein had a dozen 14-year old girls. Maybe some of those girls will tell us what Trump did while he was at the party.
There’s a very interesting biography of Marvin Gaye, MERCY MERCY ME by Michael Eric Dyson, which included details about Gaye’s interest in and sexual exploitation of young girls. Dyson’s conclusion was that Gaye’s celebrity, along with assistance from his enablers AND the cultural policing/sexualization of young black girls’ bodies made it easier for Gaye to not only get away with his behavior but live in a world where there was essentially a collective yawn about his behavior. I hope Kelly gets the punishment he deserves and I admire DeRogatis’s dogged pursuit to ensure the same, but it shouldn’t take two decades to expose what are essentially open secrets. Epstein had wealthy enablers, Gaye and Kelly had the social indifference about what happens to young black girls. I’m sure this book is very good, but I don’t know that I could read it right now.
Here’s the link to Dyson’s book. It’s been awhile since I read it, but I remember liking it:
https://www.amazon.com/Mercy-Me-Loves-Demons-Marvin/dp/0465017703/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3W184X9TT79TH&keywords=mercy+mercy+me+book&qid=1563192472&s=gateway&sprefix=Mercy+mercy+me%2Caps%2C169&sr=8-1
Deb, Jim DeRogatis thought something would happen back in the early 2000s when he published his first articles on R. Kelly’s antics with underage girls. But Law Enforcement, the music industry, and the parents of the girls all turned a Blind Eye to Kelly’s sexual abuse. Jesse Jackson attacked DeRogatis’s reporting and actually defended Kelly.
I can’t imagine rubbing my face in this slimeball’s (Kelly) story, nor can I understand why you or anyone would waste your valuable reading time on this trash.
Rick, I read SOULLESS to discover how R. Kelly (and other sexual abusers) could operate openly for decades without interference. Cosby, Weinstein, Kelly, Epstein, and many others had their networks of enablers to assist them in their crimes.
I don’t think Cosby is in the same boat.
Rick, sexual abuse is sexual abuse no matter how you cut it.
i heard the author talk about the book on NPR a few weeks ago and was very impressed by his doggedness. Kelly and his ilk are worthless pieces of protoplasm.
I can’t eat as much as I want to throw up!
It seems that in the entertainment business this is almost “normal behaviour” – remember Polanski?
Horrible!
Btw NPR has an interesting newsletter which I’ve subscribed to.
dailynewsletter@npr.org
Jerry, I agree with you. But it’s disturbing that R. Kelly, Epstein, and many others got away with their ruthless abuse for decades.