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Soulless: The Case Against R. Kelly
The essential account of R. Kelly’s actions and their consequences, a reckoning two decades in the making
In November 2000, Chicago journalist and music critic Jim DeRogatis received an anonymous fax that alleged R. Kelly had a problem with “young girls.” Weeks later, DeRogatis broke the shocking story, publishing allegations that the R&B superstar and local hero had groomed girls, sexually abused them, and paid them off. DeRogatis thought his work would have an impact. Instead, Kelly’s career flourished.
No one seemed to care: not the music industry, not the culture at large, not the parents of numerous other young girls. But for more than eighteen years, DeRogatis stayed on the story. He was the one who was given the disturbing videotape that led to Kelly’s 2008 child pornography trial, the one whose window was shot out, and the one whom women trusted to tell their stories—of a meeting with the superstar at a classroom, a mall, a concert, or a McDonald’s that forever warped the course of their lives.
Soulless: The Case Against R. Kelly is DeRogatis’s masterpiece, a work of tenacious journalism and powerful cultural criticism. It tells the story of Kelly’s career, DeRogatis’s investigations, and the world in which the two crossed paths, and brings the story up to the moment when things finally seem to have changed. Decades in the making, this is an outrageous, darkly riveting account of the life and actions of R. Kelly, and their horrible impact on dozens of girls, by the only person to tell it.
In November 2000, Chicago journalist and music critic Jim DeRogatis received an anonymous fax that alleged R. Kelly had a problem with “young girls.” Weeks later, DeRogatis broke the shocking story, publishing allegations that the R&B superstar and local hero had groomed girls, sexually abused them, and paid them off. DeRogatis thought his work would have an impact. Instead, Kelly’s career flourished.
No one seemed to care: not the music industry, not the culture at large, not the parents of numerous other young girls. But for more than eighteen years, DeRogatis stayed on the story. He was the one who was given the disturbing videotape that led to Kelly’s 2008 child pornography trial, the one whose window was shot out, and the one whom women trusted to tell their stories—of a meeting with the superstar at a classroom, a mall, a concert, or a McDonald’s that forever warped the course of their lives.
Soulless: The Case Against R. Kelly is DeRogatis’s masterpiece, a work of tenacious journalism and powerful cultural criticism. It tells the story of Kelly’s career, DeRogatis’s investigations, and the world in which the two crossed paths, and brings the story up to the moment when things finally seem to have changed. Decades in the making, this is an outrageous, darkly riveting account of the life and actions of R. Kelly, and their horrible impact on dozens of girls, by the only person to tell it.
306 pages, Hardcover
First published June 4, 2019
231 people are currently reading
1562 people want to read
About the author
Jim DeRogatis
11 books50 followersJim DeRogatis is an associate professor of instruction at Columbia College Chicago and the host, with Greg Kot, of the nationally syndicated public radio show Sound Opinions. The author of Let it Blurt: The Life and Times of Lester Bangs and other books, he spent 15 years as the pop music critic at the Chicago Sun-Times. He lives in Chicago.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews
June 15, 2019
One of the earliest memories I had of R. Kelly was when I was around 7/8 years old in 2003/2004 and I was playing at a friend’s house. We played Totally Spies and ran around her house pretending to be undercover. Occasionally we would stop and eat snacks in front of the TV. I don’t remember us watching MTV very often, but for whatever reason it was on and various artists songs were playing in the background as we swallowed Goldfish by the handful. The music video for “I Believe I Can Fly” started playing and I stopped in front of the widescreen TV, and thought about how much I liked the song. My friend then came up to me and pushed me and said, “Don’t you know about this guy?” and I, sufficiently intrigued, said “No, tell me”. She refused and I chased her around the house until she told me. We giggled and jumped on her mom’s bed, and when we stopped for a second, huffing and puffing, she leaned in and whispered in my ear and said, “That guy likes little girls”. And then she ran off laughing while I tried to catch my breath.
I didn’t know what that meant, and I’m sure my best friend didn’t either, but it left a disgusting rolling pit of snakes in my stomach. I walked out of her mom’s room and looked back at the TV screen. For whatever reason, at that moment, the image of R. Kelly in a field (of wheat? Corn?) as he raised up his arms to a bright blue sky intertwined with the phrase “He likes little girls”. Ever since then, I couldn’t hear the song “I Believe I Can Fly” without thinking immediately of what my friend whispered in my ear. I didn’t even find out R. Kelly’s name until later – I knew he was a pedophile before I knew his name. So how is it that a 7/8-year-old in the middle of Nowhere, Florida knew that R. Kelly was a pedophile and the people who were the closest didn’t? The answer is that they did know. They all knew. And they not only let it happen, but enabled, supported, defended, and praised while he did it. Cops, publicists, lawyers, judges, associates, friends, artists, bodyguards, the record companies like Jive Records, all profited while he gleefully and unrepentantly raped and humiliated underage girls – the emphasis on girls, because whenever I read an article that refers to them as women, I can’t help but wonder if that’s a technique to make sure that we don’t see black girls as girls. Instead adulthood and the loss of innocence is forced on them – it’s the “adultification” of young black girls. They always joked that R. Kelly “liked them young” and, in a disgusting turn of events, it became a cultural joke showing that, like Jim DeRogatis said, “Nobody matters less in our society than young black girls.”
I’ve been following the R. Kelly reporting since around 2017 – my friend’s “He likes little girls” echoing in my head all the while – and I watched “Surviving R. Kelly” when it came out on Lifetime in 2018. But Chicago Sun-Times music reporter Jim DeRogatis has been reporting on the case since 2000, ever since he got an anonymous fax from a woman alleging that “Robert has a problem. His problem is young girls.” And for the next 19 years he’s been trying to get justice for countless black women who have approached him claiming that R. Kelly has abused them.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book – was it going to be interviews with the women? A linear account of R. Kelly’s sex trafficking? – however, a lot like Spotlight, this is a non-fiction account of a story that snowballed until predominantly three journalists – Jim DeRogatis, Abdon Pallasch, Mary Mitchell- uncovered the truth about R. Kelly that no one wanted to know about. To their utmost horror, they realized that cops knew about Kelly prowling the Rock N Roll McDonalds for underage girls, but did nothing. Managers, publicists, everyone joked about his “hypersexuality” and turned their heads when he married his 15-year-old protégée, Aaliyah, who refused to talk about him until her tragic death in 2001 except to say he was a “bad” man. Next to the behemoth of R. Kelly, the black women accusing him were considered to be money-grabbing liars. DeRogatis documents the slow roll of accusations he found, the whispers, and the sex-tape that became a national joke – the “pee tape” - despite the fact that it shows a brutal statutory rape. Despite the threats – and a very scary shooting in his safe neighborhood that may or may not be linked to his R. Kelly research – DeRogatis never stopped trying to get justice for the women who called him at all hours, telling him their stories. What I ultimately deeply admire about DeRogatis is that he never distracts from the fact that this is about black women and about how black women are victimized in a society that ultimately refuses to acknowledge them as people. Black women matter so little, that the rape of a 14-year-old girl was reduced to a fetish that people giggled about - "he likes little girls".
48 women have come forward against R. Kelly and two questions are at the forefront of my mind:
1. How many more black women need to come forward before R. Kelly is sent to prison?
2. How many white girls would it have taken…?
I didn’t know what that meant, and I’m sure my best friend didn’t either, but it left a disgusting rolling pit of snakes in my stomach. I walked out of her mom’s room and looked back at the TV screen. For whatever reason, at that moment, the image of R. Kelly in a field (of wheat? Corn?) as he raised up his arms to a bright blue sky intertwined with the phrase “He likes little girls”. Ever since then, I couldn’t hear the song “I Believe I Can Fly” without thinking immediately of what my friend whispered in my ear. I didn’t even find out R. Kelly’s name until later – I knew he was a pedophile before I knew his name. So how is it that a 7/8-year-old in the middle of Nowhere, Florida knew that R. Kelly was a pedophile and the people who were the closest didn’t? The answer is that they did know. They all knew. And they not only let it happen, but enabled, supported, defended, and praised while he did it. Cops, publicists, lawyers, judges, associates, friends, artists, bodyguards, the record companies like Jive Records, all profited while he gleefully and unrepentantly raped and humiliated underage girls – the emphasis on girls, because whenever I read an article that refers to them as women, I can’t help but wonder if that’s a technique to make sure that we don’t see black girls as girls. Instead adulthood and the loss of innocence is forced on them – it’s the “adultification” of young black girls. They always joked that R. Kelly “liked them young” and, in a disgusting turn of events, it became a cultural joke showing that, like Jim DeRogatis said, “Nobody matters less in our society than young black girls.”
I’ve been following the R. Kelly reporting since around 2017 – my friend’s “He likes little girls” echoing in my head all the while – and I watched “Surviving R. Kelly” when it came out on Lifetime in 2018. But Chicago Sun-Times music reporter Jim DeRogatis has been reporting on the case since 2000, ever since he got an anonymous fax from a woman alleging that “Robert has a problem. His problem is young girls.” And for the next 19 years he’s been trying to get justice for countless black women who have approached him claiming that R. Kelly has abused them.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book – was it going to be interviews with the women? A linear account of R. Kelly’s sex trafficking? – however, a lot like Spotlight, this is a non-fiction account of a story that snowballed until predominantly three journalists – Jim DeRogatis, Abdon Pallasch, Mary Mitchell- uncovered the truth about R. Kelly that no one wanted to know about. To their utmost horror, they realized that cops knew about Kelly prowling the Rock N Roll McDonalds for underage girls, but did nothing. Managers, publicists, everyone joked about his “hypersexuality” and turned their heads when he married his 15-year-old protégée, Aaliyah, who refused to talk about him until her tragic death in 2001 except to say he was a “bad” man. Next to the behemoth of R. Kelly, the black women accusing him were considered to be money-grabbing liars. DeRogatis documents the slow roll of accusations he found, the whispers, and the sex-tape that became a national joke – the “pee tape” - despite the fact that it shows a brutal statutory rape. Despite the threats – and a very scary shooting in his safe neighborhood that may or may not be linked to his R. Kelly research – DeRogatis never stopped trying to get justice for the women who called him at all hours, telling him their stories. What I ultimately deeply admire about DeRogatis is that he never distracts from the fact that this is about black women and about how black women are victimized in a society that ultimately refuses to acknowledge them as people. Black women matter so little, that the rape of a 14-year-old girl was reduced to a fetish that people giggled about - "he likes little girls".
48 women have come forward against R. Kelly and two questions are at the forefront of my mind:
1. How many more black women need to come forward before R. Kelly is sent to prison?
2. How many white girls would it have taken…?
May 26, 2019
I don’t use the word “heroic” very often, but it’s hard to think of another adjective to describe Jim DeRogatis’ reporting on the R. Kelly story.
June 9, 2019
Truly disturbing. DeRogatis started reporting on Kelly's sexual abuse of women and children back in 2000 and the book tracks that history in full up until the present day. Not exactly leisure reading, but important and emotional. DeRogatis for the most part tells the history well. He gets a little repetitive in a couple of places and I found myself wishing he would trust the reader more to remember details. Then again, there are lots of details in a book like this, so I understand why he might want to repeat a few of them when revisiting a topic.
May 31, 2019
Incredible reporting coupled with Jim's compelling turn of phrase. This is the definitive account of what is hopefully the end of R. Kelly. Jim never gave up on this story, ran down all of the leads and tells a story that champions journalism and its heroes, in this case poor, black girls that no one but Jim gave a damn about. Well done!
August 14, 2019
"The saddest fact I've learned is nobody matters less to our society than young black women. Nobody."
I don't quite know what inspired me to decide to read this book. It is hard going for sure. And yet, looking is exactly what is required here. Far too many people are content to look away. Considering that this spanned almost 20 years, I thought DeRogatis did a great job of keeping the narrative streamlined and focused. He also, more than anything else, did a great job of demonstrating not looking away, of not ignoring, of bearing witness, of continuing to do so even when no one wanted to hear what he has to say. The least we can do is read it and do the same.
I don't quite know what inspired me to decide to read this book. It is hard going for sure. And yet, looking is exactly what is required here. Far too many people are content to look away. Considering that this spanned almost 20 years, I thought DeRogatis did a great job of keeping the narrative streamlined and focused. He also, more than anything else, did a great job of demonstrating not looking away, of not ignoring, of bearing witness, of continuing to do so even when no one wanted to hear what he has to say. The least we can do is read it and do the same.
June 12, 2019
Soulless: The Case Against R Kelly by Jim DeRogatis. Man.. I read this book this weekend. As riveting as Surviving R Kelly was— this book is basically a written documentary but with 20+ years of an investigative journalist stalking R Kelly. Deservedly. Unapologetically. This is WELL written and the author is at times a kick in the pants. But what he details in its pages, is a cautionary tale to all— that we can’t just turn the other cheek and act like the devil isn’t sitting right in front of us. So many epic fails at every level. This one won’t disappoint. #read #knowledgeispower
February 15, 2024
The author (hereafter JD) was the Chicago Sun Times
music critic. He received an anonymous late 2000 fax,
accusing singer R. Kelly (hereafter RK) of enticing
underage girls w/ dreams of a singing career, into rape
and coerced use in sex tapes. Reportedly RK held (mostly
black) girls and & a few women hostage. RK told them
when to eat, drink, sleep, use the bathroom, how to dress.
They weren't free to come/ go without his permission. He
made the girls + women cut contact w/ their family +
friends. He subjected them to humiliating sex acts,
including 3-ways, some acts involved urine. RK fancied
himself as spiritual w/ songs such as "I Believe I Can Fly."
JD interviewed various inside sources. He concluded
that RK was enabled in his sex w/ minors scheme by
record producers/ owners, some clergy, attorneys,
(espec a female attorney who negoiated settlements +
non-disclocure agreements (NDA) when RK engaged
in criminal behaior w/ minor girls) & law enforcement
who turned a 'blind eye ' to his illegal beavior. Add
to the list his security detail & various managers etc.
Judge in RK's 1st criminal trial (for owning/ dispersing
child porn videos ) was star-struck & allowed contin-
uances: the trial started 6 yrs after initial indictments!
The attitude seemed to be "It's the music" and this
excused his illegal behavior in various states.
JD discovered that RK's older half-sister raped him
by means of oral sex,while RK slept, when he was but
8 years old. Some of his subsequent rape victims became
sympathetic after hearing this. He thumbed his nose
at the law with his song "Age Ain't Nothin' but a
Number."
JD received death threats because of his nearly 20 yrs of
articles about RK. He received 2 anonymously sent sex
tapes of RK + minor girls. RK told his procurers he wanted
young sex partners, "the younger the better."
JD learned RK 1st had sex abuse allegations in 1996.
JD questioned if RK 's victims were young white girls
instead of black would it have taken 20+ years to actively
seek his conviction in court? JD had a valid point.
music critic. He received an anonymous late 2000 fax,
accusing singer R. Kelly (hereafter RK) of enticing
underage girls w/ dreams of a singing career, into rape
and coerced use in sex tapes. Reportedly RK held (mostly
black) girls and & a few women hostage. RK told them
when to eat, drink, sleep, use the bathroom, how to dress.
They weren't free to come/ go without his permission. He
made the girls + women cut contact w/ their family +
friends. He subjected them to humiliating sex acts,
including 3-ways, some acts involved urine. RK fancied
himself as spiritual w/ songs such as "I Believe I Can Fly."
JD interviewed various inside sources. He concluded
that RK was enabled in his sex w/ minors scheme by
record producers/ owners, some clergy, attorneys,
(espec a female attorney who negoiated settlements +
non-disclocure agreements (NDA) when RK engaged
in criminal behaior w/ minor girls) & law enforcement
who turned a 'blind eye ' to his illegal beavior. Add
to the list his security detail & various managers etc.
Judge in RK's 1st criminal trial (for owning/ dispersing
child porn videos ) was star-struck & allowed contin-
uances: the trial started 6 yrs after initial indictments!
The attitude seemed to be "It's the music" and this
excused his illegal behavior in various states.
JD discovered that RK's older half-sister raped him
by means of oral sex,while RK slept, when he was but
8 years old. Some of his subsequent rape victims became
sympathetic after hearing this. He thumbed his nose
at the law with his song "Age Ain't Nothin' but a
Number."
JD received death threats because of his nearly 20 yrs of
articles about RK. He received 2 anonymously sent sex
tapes of RK + minor girls. RK told his procurers he wanted
young sex partners, "the younger the better."
JD learned RK 1st had sex abuse allegations in 1996.
JD questioned if RK 's victims were young white girls
instead of black would it have taken 20+ years to actively
seek his conviction in court? JD had a valid point.
July 1, 2019
Salute to Jim DeRogatis for doggedly pursuing this story over the years. His reporting was brave, and he never gave up on the girls. R. Kelly has been molesting, controlling and abusing young girls for many years-- a seemingly endless parade of young girls-- and he's done it out in the open, defiantly.. A lot of the credit for finally ending this nightmarish situation goes to DeRogatis. Hopefully R. Kelly will face real consequences now that the truth is out. He's beyond cancelled.
July 22, 2019
The last thing I expected was to read a book about R. Kelly this year. I've never listened to his music. I wouldn't even be able to identify him in a line-up. That's how little I know or care about R. Kelly.
Nevertheless, I had a birthday gift certificate to spend at Barnes & Noble and saw this book on the New Releases table. I picked it up and read the cover. Turns out, R. Kelly has a long multi-decade history of abusing underage girls. This book dovetailed perfectly with other reading I've done on this rather unpleasant topic.
So I bought it and read it.
This book was just published June 2019. Some of the information included in the book is as recent as spring of 2019. And just days ago, R. Kelly was arrested on July 11 on federal child pornography charges. It's all extremely timely and relevant.
As in the case of Epstein, R. Kelly had been put on trial more than 10 years ago. Yet the outcome of that trial was not the one that was desired, and R. Kelly continued his illicit behavior for many more years. It's such a shame that our justice system does not provide equal justice when it comes to the rich and powerful. I hope, this time, it's different.
As far as the book itself, I found it a little slow-going in the first couple chapters, which dealt a lot with R. Kelly's childhood and teen years. They are necessary chapters. But given my lack of interest in R. Kelly's music or career, it wasn't something that really grabbed my attention.
Fortunately, the book quickly picks up steam. By the end, it's moving along like a freight train. I blazed through the last hundred pages.
Big kudos to author Jim DeRogatis for sticking with this story for so long even in the face of negative repercussions. He's done a great service to the victims, to Chicago, and to the entire United States. He has my respect.
For further reading, I recommend these excellent titles (I have reviewed all of them here on GoodReads):
* Filthy Rich by James Patterson
* The Franklin Scandal by Nick Bryant
* Confessions of a D.C. Madam by Henry Vinson
* TRANCE: Formation of America by Cathy O'Brien
Nevertheless, I had a birthday gift certificate to spend at Barnes & Noble and saw this book on the New Releases table. I picked it up and read the cover. Turns out, R. Kelly has a long multi-decade history of abusing underage girls. This book dovetailed perfectly with other reading I've done on this rather unpleasant topic.
So I bought it and read it.
This book was just published June 2019. Some of the information included in the book is as recent as spring of 2019. And just days ago, R. Kelly was arrested on July 11 on federal child pornography charges. It's all extremely timely and relevant.
As in the case of Epstein, R. Kelly had been put on trial more than 10 years ago. Yet the outcome of that trial was not the one that was desired, and R. Kelly continued his illicit behavior for many more years. It's such a shame that our justice system does not provide equal justice when it comes to the rich and powerful. I hope, this time, it's different.
As far as the book itself, I found it a little slow-going in the first couple chapters, which dealt a lot with R. Kelly's childhood and teen years. They are necessary chapters. But given my lack of interest in R. Kelly's music or career, it wasn't something that really grabbed my attention.
Fortunately, the book quickly picks up steam. By the end, it's moving along like a freight train. I blazed through the last hundred pages.
Big kudos to author Jim DeRogatis for sticking with this story for so long even in the face of negative repercussions. He's done a great service to the victims, to Chicago, and to the entire United States. He has my respect.
For further reading, I recommend these excellent titles (I have reviewed all of them here on GoodReads):
* Filthy Rich by James Patterson
* The Franklin Scandal by Nick Bryant
* Confessions of a D.C. Madam by Henry Vinson
* TRANCE: Formation of America by Cathy O'Brien
July 11, 2019
For the exhaustive effort and work this author has put in for the last nineteen years investigating allegations about R Kelly, I give the book a million stars. This author is a true hero to me- never giving up on this story and these women.
I did find the book a little long with a little too much detail but I can’t bear to decrease the rating because this man listened to women being abused and freaking did something about it! I would highly recommend his interview on Fresh Air if you would an overview.
I did find the book a little long with a little too much detail but I can’t bear to decrease the rating because this man listened to women being abused and freaking did something about it! I would highly recommend his interview on Fresh Air if you would an overview.
March 15, 2020
One of the finest examples of investigative and critical reporting I have ever read.
June 16, 2019
absurdly well-written, exhaustively researched, and personal enough to make a connection with the reader, but keeping derogatis from being the book's focus. i burned through this book in 24 hours and feel gutpunched after reading it.
July 7, 2019
You might think you don't need or want to read this, but you do. It's an important work of journalism, and of cultural criticism. Plus, it is brave as can be--and dedicated to the truth as rationally as it can be described. And it is a book of this moment.
May 24, 2024
Idk, I didn’t read it. But I heard he prolly did some bad things.
August 14, 2019
Soulless: The Case Against R. Kelly is the culmination of nearly two decades of reporting by journalist and music critic Jim DeRogatis. It functions as a recap of R. Kelly’s history of abusing underage girls, an examination of the industry machine that enabled and insulated him, and a behind-the-scenes look into DeRogatis’ reporting on the subject. It is also definitely a victory lap for the author, although, since he spent the last twenty years essentially screaming into the void, it is not an undeserving one. I felt that DeRogatis did a good job of not coming across as a white savior, instead taking care to center R. Kelly’s victims as the real heroes of this story while also repeatedly crediting the other people who contributed to his often lonely quest, including Chicago Sun-Times columnist Mary Mitchell.
For those newer to the saga, Soulless is a good companion to dream hampton’s excellent documentary, Surviving R. Kelly. But close followers of the story will also find worthwhile information in the book, from how DeRogatis reported the story (and ended up becoming inextricably involved in it) to the new information he unveils.Soulless is not quite perfect. DeRogatis seemed to draw inspiration from Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward’s All the President's Men, and I found the tone of the writing to be completely different from how DeRogatis’ articles usually read, which could be jarring. Some, although not all, of DeRogatis’ asides into his personal life felt overindulgent. And some of his descriptions of people, which brought All the President’s Men strongly to mind, were occasionally mildly cringe inducing (and also a sharp departure from his other writing). Those, however, were very minor missteps in an otherwise excellent book. The only other criticism I have, and criticism is even too strong of a word for it, relates to the way DeRogatis structured the novel. He chose to tell the story as he discovered and reported it, which makes complete sense. However, that also means that information about the case is presented in bits and pieces that aren’t necessarily chronological. So although Soulless certainly felt thorough, sometimes I did wish for a more… straightforward retelling of the saga.
One thing that has stuck in my mind since I read it is some very odd criticism of Soulless from NPR. DeRogatis calls R. Kelly’s victims girls because they were girls. The problem of black women being perceived as older than they are intimately affected this case, which hinged on the fact that Kelly was not having consensual relationships with women but abusing underage girls. DeRogatis is not infantilizing them by this accurate description.
February 11, 2021
Heavy stuff, this book, but completely necessary - this book is written by a reporter who first broke the story of R Kelly’s abuse of minors and who continued to report on him and it for decades.
As someone who only really became aware of R Kelly with “I Believe I Can Fly” and “Ignition” in middle school, this book gave good background on him and his rise in music. It also highlights how long his problematic (to say the least) behavior had been going on with the help of friends, family members, and others willing to turn their eyes away from his actions.
It’s insight into both R Kelly, but also into the systems that we’ve put into place to protect entertainers, and how many people and organizations just wanted the income from his music, regardless of what happens. It also really puts a spotlight on the women that he has hurt and their families, to allow them to really tell their stories.
As someone who only really became aware of R Kelly with “I Believe I Can Fly” and “Ignition” in middle school, this book gave good background on him and his rise in music. It also highlights how long his problematic (to say the least) behavior had been going on with the help of friends, family members, and others willing to turn their eyes away from his actions.
It’s insight into both R Kelly, but also into the systems that we’ve put into place to protect entertainers, and how many people and organizations just wanted the income from his music, regardless of what happens. It also really puts a spotlight on the women that he has hurt and their families, to allow them to really tell their stories.
October 9, 2020
Audiobook.
This could have been so unwieldy given the author spent 19 years reporting on this disgrace. Instead, it’s clear, moves quickly but with detail and is an incredible and convincing work (not that you wouldn’t already be convinced, hopefully). Really excellent piece of work. I like that producers left in several takes where De Rogatis doesn’t pretend he wasn’t impacted by these women, and his voice breaks a little when speaking about their testimonies.
It’s tough to say it’s enjoyable given the subject but it’s impactful and good.
This could have been so unwieldy given the author spent 19 years reporting on this disgrace. Instead, it’s clear, moves quickly but with detail and is an incredible and convincing work (not that you wouldn’t already be convinced, hopefully). Really excellent piece of work. I like that producers left in several takes where De Rogatis doesn’t pretend he wasn’t impacted by these women, and his voice breaks a little when speaking about their testimonies.
It’s tough to say it’s enjoyable given the subject but it’s impactful and good.
March 4, 2020
This is not about R. Kelly. It's about the journalist who pursued the story, which led to the criminal investigation. It's OK regarding telling the effort and the timeline of the horrendous story, but I really didn't find compelling the rest of the story of the journalist's life, etc. If you want the story of R. Kelly, watch the video "Surviving R. Kelly". If you want more background, read this book.
June 28, 2019
“The saddest fact I’ve learned is nobody matters less to our society than young black women”. This is an excellent report of one journalist’s attempts over a 20 year period to reveal the truth about R. Kelly.
June 17, 2020
Simply Disappointed
This read wasn’t what I hoped it to be. The author repeated passages a lot more than I like. There were moments of boredom with this book. Poorly written being that the author is a journalist. The text didn’t offer anything new in light of RKelly’s behavior.
This read wasn’t what I hoped it to be. The author repeated passages a lot more than I like. There were moments of boredom with this book. Poorly written being that the author is a journalist. The text didn’t offer anything new in light of RKelly’s behavior.
September 23, 2023
This was both an infuriating and incredible read.
Infuriating because a predator like R. Kelly got away with raping CHILDREN for years, even though there was overwhelming evidence (including videotapes) of his crimes. Infuriating because influential members of the African American community, including Rev. Jesse Jackson and his successor, James Meeks, of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, backed Kelly instead of his victims. And infuriating because it took decades for Kelly to face actual justice for his crimes. It was only after the money started running out that the heat really turned up for him.
But incredible because some people didn't give up telling these girls' stories and sounding the alarm. One of those people is Jim DeRogatis, a reporter who didn't give up even though he was threatened often (including a bullet being fired through his window at one point). He helped bring the truth to light over and over again, and now, FINALLY, Kelly is in prison.
It's disheartening to read how these girls were treated as expendable because some predator could make some decent music at times.
The book is up to date through the Surviving R. Kelly series being aired, but obviously other things have happened since it was published (in 2023, quite recently, Kelly was finally sentenced to 30 years in prison).
A great read about how the voiceless slowly gained a voice and managed to topple a big time predator with the help of dogged journalists who wouldn't give up.
Infuriating because a predator like R. Kelly got away with raping CHILDREN for years, even though there was overwhelming evidence (including videotapes) of his crimes. Infuriating because influential members of the African American community, including Rev. Jesse Jackson and his successor, James Meeks, of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, backed Kelly instead of his victims. And infuriating because it took decades for Kelly to face actual justice for his crimes. It was only after the money started running out that the heat really turned up for him.
But incredible because some people didn't give up telling these girls' stories and sounding the alarm. One of those people is Jim DeRogatis, a reporter who didn't give up even though he was threatened often (including a bullet being fired through his window at one point). He helped bring the truth to light over and over again, and now, FINALLY, Kelly is in prison.
It's disheartening to read how these girls were treated as expendable because some predator could make some decent music at times.
The book is up to date through the Surviving R. Kelly series being aired, but obviously other things have happened since it was published (in 2023, quite recently, Kelly was finally sentenced to 30 years in prison).
A great read about how the voiceless slowly gained a voice and managed to topple a big time predator with the help of dogged journalists who wouldn't give up.
February 28, 2023
I’ve been following the story of the allegations against R. Kelly sporadically since mid-2015 (after breaking up with an abusive ex-boyfriend—nowhere near as bad as Kelly, fortunately—who was a big fan of his music and who alternated between defending Kelly & joking about his prior charges; all this would’ve been a much bigger red flag about this guy if I’d known more of the details while we were still dating). So I’d read some of DeRogatis’s earlier pieces about Kelly, and I’ve also occasionally *listeened to his radio show Sound Opinions. So I knew going into the book at least some measure of how dedicated DeRogatis has been to the story (though I learned more impressive detail in the book) and that his writing, while not stellar, would definitely be readable. The details of the abuse Kelly perpetrated are harrowing, and DeRogatis definitely highlights the bravery of the victims, families, and others who worked to stop Kelly. The book also offers a pretty scathing indictment of the music industry and pop culture that turned a blind eye to Kelly’s actions for so long. There’s definitely interesting context about Kelly’s & his victim’s lives, the music industry, and details of the legal case. I have yet to watch the Surviving R. Kelly docuseries (wanted to read this first) so if you’ve already seen that, a lot of this might be review. Overall, this certainly wasn’t enjoyable reading, but it was compelling and thought-provoking. Recommended for fans of true crime and/or music criticism.
December 11, 2019
The subject is absolutely tragic. But the reporting DeRogatis did and his dedication telling this story is incredible and pulls you through 20 years of hammering away at a system that let R. Kelly do this to young women. It really speaks to the power of money and the way that the handlers, lawyers and producers around help create a perfect storm. The author also uses a critical eye to take a deeper look at Kelly's music. This book had me staying up late and waking up early even though I knew the outcome.
February 24, 2025
“But the story the government told during the trial began more than a quarter century earlier, with Kelly’s most famous victim, and there was an undeniable power in hearing prosecutors name her in a criminal court for the first time.”
3.5💫
I have lots of ethical questions regarding this book. To me, its problems stem in part from the exploitative nature of revealing the girl on the tape’s name, whom Jane Doe victims had testified as when they did not publicize that information, and the fact that the book pretends to be above all of that. This is not a poorly constructed book; rather, I think it is done incredibly well. That is not the question. To me, the question is the ethics of writing about all of these girls and publicizing information that some of them (primarily the girl on the tape and Jovante, although Azriel also didn’t reveal what Jane she was) did not make public.
Idk. I’m happy I read it, but this book poses an ethical dilemma that I’m curious to see the future of.
3.5💫
I have lots of ethical questions regarding this book. To me, its problems stem in part from the exploitative nature of revealing the girl on the tape’s name, whom Jane Doe victims had testified as when they did not publicize that information, and the fact that the book pretends to be above all of that. This is not a poorly constructed book; rather, I think it is done incredibly well. That is not the question. To me, the question is the ethics of writing about all of these girls and publicizing information that some of them (primarily the girl on the tape and Jovante, although Azriel also didn’t reveal what Jane she was) did not make public.
Idk. I’m happy I read it, but this book poses an ethical dilemma that I’m curious to see the future of.
September 1, 2020
I love DeRogatis's work as a critic and he is a worthy chronicler of the decades it took to begin to bring R. Kelly to any kind of justice. While Surviving R. Kelly gave voice to so many of his victims, this book provides an equally chilling account of how R. Kelly consistently evaded any consequences for his predatory behavior.
June 9, 2022
AMAZING investigative journalism at its finest! I’m still struggling to find the words to express my feelings for this read but I feel thoroughly educated for sure. The only thing I didn’t necessarily appreciate was the long drawn out detailing of multiple people’s background and upbringing; that seemed unnecessary for most of the people he gave background for.
January 29, 2024
Bless you, Jim DeRogatis.
June 5, 2020
More like a 4.5 -- full review coming to bestevidence.fyi next week.
July 15, 2019
After watching all of Surviving R. Kelly when I heard about this book I knew I would buy and read it. I want to support the spreading of this story as much as I can as an individual. The story is familiar to me. I had been following along since Jessica Hopper interviewed DeRogatis for The Village Voice years ago. I have a vivid memory of being at a party at my sister's house when "Ignition (Remix)" came on and her and her college friends made a stink about me protesting it. Eventually I got them to turn it off.
I also remember 'Trapped In The Closet' being EVERYWHERE when I was in college but I ignored it, thinking it was dumb. I'm proud to this day to say I've never seen a second of it. I remember when IFC aired it though, which DeRogatis mentions, and ignoring it then too. I couldn't figure out why they were airing it to begin with. Probably as a joke. So many people treated the crimes he committed as a joke for so long. After having read this and watching Surviving R. Kelly it's incredibly upsetting.
Just as I was finishing this book, R. Kelly had been arrested AGAIN. And it felt like, AGAIN, justice would be served.
This book is a very wide ranging information dump. The amount of information between law proceedings, interviews, law records, depositions, contacts, stories, books written by those involved (including Kelly's 'Soulacoaster'), and DeRogatis' 18 years of reporting is overwhelming and can get confusing. Still, I tore through this book reading it in about a week's time. It was hard to read, but not as difficult as it was listening to the survivors retell their stories for Surviving R. Kelly. DeRogatis' 'Soulless: The Case Against R. Kelly' was hard to read because of his reporting: everything had been laid out for two decades and no one did a thing to stop R. Kelly. Jive Records making billions--that's with a b--off his music and the music he helped others write and produce is the tip of the infuriating iceberg. Yet another man with enough money can do whatever he wants: the American way.
This book is a feat of reporting and tolerance. DeRogatis does a great job providing background on certain lawyers, judges, and himself: where he came from as a music fan, critic, person, and as a reporter. He understands this story chose him because he was the pop music critic at The Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago is of course Kelly's hometown. The story found its way to DeRogatis and he kept following it because his instincts have always been right.
Rarely does he stray from the story and if he does, it serves a purpose. DeRogatis notes when he did or didn't interview someone and when someone was reached for comment and whether or not they commented. He stuck to the rules (although I wonder why there isn't an index or bibliography). The story about him having to testify in Chicago as a journalist is nail biting. No wonder he teaches "instruction" at Columbia College in Chicago in the Creative Writing and English Departments he has been through the weeds on this story for close to two decades. The years of chasing a story taught him well and it shows in the pages of this book.
This book is an excellent companion to Surviving R. Kelly. If you are remotely interested in the story, consume both.
I've noticed there hasn't been too much press regarding this book's release (early June 2019) because many of the music critics of the mainstream gave R. Kelly a pass for decades, writing about and complimenting his music, and having him headline their festivals. DeRogatis calls them all out on it. I've seen pieces in The NYT, The New Yorker (by Jim himself), Pitchfork, Vulture, NPR, and Rolling Stone. I'm sure there are more but I expected this book to be plastered as far and wide as Surviving R. Kelly was. I suppose people watch more than read. I also assume many critics feel shame for their support of a pedophile, serial sexual abuser, and violent man.
Everything about R. Kelly is absolutely disgusting and I truly hope they get him behind bars for the rest of his life. Owning this book and seeing his name on my bookshelf, I'll have to deal with it. But we must face the music and what lies beneath it. I agree with DeRogatis: this music and artist cannot be separated. Not many can these days.
I also remember 'Trapped In The Closet' being EVERYWHERE when I was in college but I ignored it, thinking it was dumb. I'm proud to this day to say I've never seen a second of it. I remember when IFC aired it though, which DeRogatis mentions, and ignoring it then too. I couldn't figure out why they were airing it to begin with. Probably as a joke. So many people treated the crimes he committed as a joke for so long. After having read this and watching Surviving R. Kelly it's incredibly upsetting.
Just as I was finishing this book, R. Kelly had been arrested AGAIN. And it felt like, AGAIN, justice would be served.
This book is a very wide ranging information dump. The amount of information between law proceedings, interviews, law records, depositions, contacts, stories, books written by those involved (including Kelly's 'Soulacoaster'), and DeRogatis' 18 years of reporting is overwhelming and can get confusing. Still, I tore through this book reading it in about a week's time. It was hard to read, but not as difficult as it was listening to the survivors retell their stories for Surviving R. Kelly. DeRogatis' 'Soulless: The Case Against R. Kelly' was hard to read because of his reporting: everything had been laid out for two decades and no one did a thing to stop R. Kelly. Jive Records making billions--that's with a b--off his music and the music he helped others write and produce is the tip of the infuriating iceberg. Yet another man with enough money can do whatever he wants: the American way.
This book is a feat of reporting and tolerance. DeRogatis does a great job providing background on certain lawyers, judges, and himself: where he came from as a music fan, critic, person, and as a reporter. He understands this story chose him because he was the pop music critic at The Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago is of course Kelly's hometown. The story found its way to DeRogatis and he kept following it because his instincts have always been right.
Rarely does he stray from the story and if he does, it serves a purpose. DeRogatis notes when he did or didn't interview someone and when someone was reached for comment and whether or not they commented. He stuck to the rules (although I wonder why there isn't an index or bibliography). The story about him having to testify in Chicago as a journalist is nail biting. No wonder he teaches "instruction" at Columbia College in Chicago in the Creative Writing and English Departments he has been through the weeds on this story for close to two decades. The years of chasing a story taught him well and it shows in the pages of this book.
This book is an excellent companion to Surviving R. Kelly. If you are remotely interested in the story, consume both.
I've noticed there hasn't been too much press regarding this book's release (early June 2019) because many of the music critics of the mainstream gave R. Kelly a pass for decades, writing about and complimenting his music, and having him headline their festivals. DeRogatis calls them all out on it. I've seen pieces in The NYT, The New Yorker (by Jim himself), Pitchfork, Vulture, NPR, and Rolling Stone. I'm sure there are more but I expected this book to be plastered as far and wide as Surviving R. Kelly was. I suppose people watch more than read. I also assume many critics feel shame for their support of a pedophile, serial sexual abuser, and violent man.
Everything about R. Kelly is absolutely disgusting and I truly hope they get him behind bars for the rest of his life. Owning this book and seeing his name on my bookshelf, I'll have to deal with it. But we must face the music and what lies beneath it. I agree with DeRogatis: this music and artist cannot be separated. Not many can these days.
October 19, 2019
A harrowing read--but an important one and an excellent example of investigative reporting done right.
Former Chicago Sun-Times music critic Jim DeRogatis has spent nearly 20 years reporting about R. Kelly's troubling relationships with underage girls and abusive relationships with women in general, ever since he was tipped off to it through an anonymous fax, but it's only been recently that anyone has taken the reports seriously.
Kelly's preference for teens--and grooming of them--was well-known not only in his inner circle but within the music industry at large. However, Kelly's proven ability to generate hit songs outweighed people's consciences.
DeRogatis is a good writer and a good journalist, and though he was the driving force behind this story, he doesn't arrogantly position himself as the hero of this story, which I appreciated.
Fair warning, though the accusations detailed against Kelly in this book was stomach-turning.
Former Chicago Sun-Times music critic Jim DeRogatis has spent nearly 20 years reporting about R. Kelly's troubling relationships with underage girls and abusive relationships with women in general, ever since he was tipped off to it through an anonymous fax, but it's only been recently that anyone has taken the reports seriously.
Kelly's preference for teens--and grooming of them--was well-known not only in his inner circle but within the music industry at large. However, Kelly's proven ability to generate hit songs outweighed people's consciences.
DeRogatis is a good writer and a good journalist, and though he was the driving force behind this story, he doesn't arrogantly position himself as the hero of this story, which I appreciated.
Fair warning, though the accusations detailed against Kelly in this book was stomach-turning.
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