R. Kelly is scheduled to appear in court tomorrow

Something I didn't quite realize: R. Kelly has been in jail for about two years now. I knew he had been arrested, but has it really been that long? Time really flies. The fallen star has experienced the entire pandemic from behind bars, and tomorrow he gets to leave that cell for a bit, although I guess he won't be too happy about it: he has to appear in court.

And not for the least of reasons, by the way. Because I clearly didn't know everything about it: I thought he was in jail for sexual activities with minors. Of course, I have seen the documentary Surviving R. Kelly, but it turns out to be much darker and weirder than I thought.

Tomorrow he has to appear in court due to the accusation that he allegedly established a ‘sex cult’. For this trial, he has already been transferred to another prison in Brooklyn. The prosecutors there have accused him of leading a criminal ‘enterprise’ that used his fame to lure multiple victims and then sexually abuse them, almost all of whom were minors. The charges are as follows: sex trafficking and extortion.

Many of the victims were recruited during R. Kelly's performances. After the concert, they exchanged contact details, and it was quickly arranged for the girls to fly to him. During these visits to the singer — we saw some of this in Surviving R. Kelly — the girls were only allowed to leave their room if R. Kelly approved, and yes: that also applied to going to the bathroom or getting something to eat. They also had to call him ‘daddy’, and when he wasn't around, they could only wear loose-fitting clothing. Looking at other men was forbidden, as was having contact with their family and friends.

A bizarre and especially disgusting story that all these victims have had to endure. Music journalist Jim DeRogatis, who has been writing about R. Kelly for decades, also speaks of a remarkable case. ‘To state that his entire, thirty-year-long career was actually a criminal enterprise is incredibly intriguing.’

Tomorrow this case will start, in which he is accused not only of sex trafficking and extortion but also of kidnapping, forced labor, producing child pornography, and deliberately infecting people with an STD.

The trial is expected to last four weeks. It doesn't look good for R. Kelly — rightly so: ‘I don't think he will ever be able to enjoy the fresh air again,’ says DeRogatis.

Source: BuzzFeed