Content Warning: This article about the R. Kelly trial discusses sexual abuse and domestic violence. If you or someone you know is affected by the following story, you are not alone. To speak to someone, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14, or 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732.
After several women testified that were sexually abused by R. Kelly, the first man has taken the witness stand at Kelly’s federal racketeering and sex-trafficking trial.
The witness, who has chosen to remain anonymous, told the court in New York City that Kelly lured him to his home in Chicago by promising to help him with his burgeoning music career.
The incident, which occurred in 2007, saw Kelly allegedly ask the then 17-year-old “what [he] was willing to do for music.”
In response, the witness said he told Kelly that he would be willing to do “anything [he] needs, like carrying [his] bags.”
“That’s not it. That’s not it,” he said Kelly responded before asking him if he ever fantasized about having sex with men.
He went on to allege that Kelly then “crawled down on his knees and proceeded to give [him] oral sex,” even though he “wasn’t into it.”
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Afterwards, “he told me to keep it between him and me,” he said.
The witness went on to describe a later episode where Kelly allegedly summoned a naked girl who had been hiding under a boxing ring to give the two of them oral sex.
He said he continued seeing Kelly in spite of what was occurring because he “really wanted to make it in the music industry.”
As reported by Billboard, the witness testified as part of a cooperation agreement resulting from his guilty plea in a separate case alleging he was part of a botched scheme to bribe a woman to not testify against Kelly.
The Kelly trial continues. If convicted on all counts, he will face 10 years to life in prison.
