R. Kelly

In 2000, music critic Jim DeRogatis received a tip-off about R. Kelly's sexual abuse of women and girls. He has spent more than 20 years trying to bring the ...

But the tragedy of this is that it took two decades and so many lives ruined that didn’t have to be.” And he is doubtful that Kelly would have been convicted last year had the musician still been at the height of his commercial powers. DeRogatis would like to see the millions that record companies made from Kelly donated to victims, and says only a feared financial penalty would make executives, managers and promoters think twice before turning a blind eye to another sex-offending superstar. The record’s cover shows him lurking, out of focus, in the background, and he also came up with its title: Age Ain’t Nothing but a Number. So damning was the evidence that “we thought he was done,” DeRogatis tells i. I mean, there are 68 women whose names I know.” (Gaga has since apologised for the collaboration, and expressed her support for Kelly’s victims.) It was the vacant zombie-eyed stare of a rape victim, a child being ordered how to pleasure him.” When you’re talking about soulless American capitalism, having your bottom line impacted is the only thing that hurts.” He is preying on your community.” Because the courts had failed, the schools had failed, journalism had failed. DeRogatis was quickly accused of racism for trying to bring down one of Chicago’s heroes, a man who “comes up from literally performing on the streets to becoming the dominant voice of R&B for a generation”. But a black colleague, columnist Mary Mitchell, came to his defence. DeRogatis chucked it on his slush pile of press releases and hate mail.