Chilling report alleges singer R. Kelly is keeping women locked up, 'brainwashing' them
A disturbing investigative report by BuzzFeed News suggests that singer R. Kelly is keeping young women against their will in a kind of "cult" in which he controls everything from how they dress to what they eat. Relying on interviews with the parents of the "brainwashed" women, as well as three former members of Kelly's group, BuzzFeed News describes Kelly luring young women in with the promise of affection or mentorship, only to abuse them and keep them from contacting their families.
"[Former members of Kelly's inner circle] said six women live in properties rented by Kelly in Chicago and the Atlanta suburbs, and he controls every aspect of their lives: dictating what they eat, how they dress, when they bathe, when they sleep, and how they engage in sexual encounters that he records," BuzzFeed News writes.
Women think "this is R. Kelly, I'm going to live a lavish lifestyle," explained Kelly's former personal assistant, Cheryl Mack. "No. You have to ask for food. You have to ask to go use the bathroom. … [Kelly] is a master at mind-control. ... He is a puppet master."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Women who break Kelly's "rules" are allegedly punished. Another woman, [Kitti] Jones, claimed that "Kelly held her against a tree and slapped her outside of a Subway sandwich shop in spring 2013 because she had been too friendly with the male cashier there."
Police are unable to intervene due to the fact that the women living with Kelly are all over the age of consent and well-being checks in the past have resulted in the women saying they are "fine" and don't want to be bothered.
Kelly has faced legal trouble in the past due to accusations about his sexual conduct, including a 2008 acquittal on 14 charges of making child pornography with a 14-year-old girl. Kelly's lawyer, Linda Mensch, said in a statement that Kelly "works hard to become the best person and artist he can be" and "[l]ike all of us, Mr. Kelly deserves a personal life. Please respect that."
Read the full chilling report at BuzzFeed News.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
'A speaker courageous enough to stand up to the extremists in his own party'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
How could the Supreme Court's Fischer v. US case impact the other Jan 6. trials including Trump's?
Today's Big Question A former Pennsylvania cop might hold the key to a major upheaval in how the courts treat the Capitol riot — and its alleged instigator
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Today's political cartoons - April 18, 2024
Cartoons Thursday's cartoons - impeachment Peanuts, record-breaking temperatures, and more
By The Week US Published
-
OJ Simpson, star athlete tried for murder, dead at 76
Speed Read The former football hero and murder suspect lost his battle with cancer
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Momofuku's 'Chili Crunch' trademark uproar
Speed Read The company's attempt to own the sole rights has prompted backlash
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Kevin Hart awarded Mark Twain Prize
Speed Read He is the 25th recipient of the prestigious comedy prize
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Is Downton Abbey set to return for a final film?
Speed Read Imelda Staunton reveals that a third movie may be in the pipeline
By Adrienne Wyper, The Week UK Published
-
'Oppenheimer' sweeps Oscars with 7 wins
speed read The film won best picture, best director (Christopher Nolan) and best actor (Cillian Murphy)
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Rust' armorer convicted of manslaughter
speed read The film's cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed by actor Alec Baldwin during rehearsal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The Beatles are getting 4 intersecting biopics
Speed Read Director Sam Mendes is making four separate movies, each told from the perspective of one band member
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Taylor Swift to Miley Cyrus: female artists dominate 2024 Grammys
Speed Read SZA, Phoebe Bridgers and Lainey Wilson were also among the winners at LA gala
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published