Former members of R Kelly’s inner circle have described him as a ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ character who would treat young girls like ‘Big Macs’ – that he would ‘throw away’ when finished with.
The R&B singer’s former business manager also finally confirmed that the star did marry Aaliyah when she was 15, years after a marriage certificate emerged revealing their secret wedding.
Kelly’s ex-girlfriend Kitti Jones also described the moment she realised the singer had been ‘grooming [her] to become one of his pets’ – when she met another girl at his house who dressed and behaved just like her.
The new revelations feature in a new BBC Three documentary called R Kelly: Sex, Girls and Videotape, released today.
Former members of R Kelly’s inner circle have described him as a ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ character in a new BBC Three documentary
In the programme, reporter Ben Zand speaks to studio engineer James Lee, who worked on Kelly’s fifth album TP2.
He described candidly the ‘revolving door’ of women who would join Kelly in the recording studio.
‘There was always women around. It was like a revolving door,’ Lee said.
‘Every studio had an associated lounge for the artist to relax in. Rob had two – one was set up as an office, one was set up as basically a private bedroom. There was always a woman in there, at least one.
Studio engineer James Lee (pictured), who worked on Kelly’s fifth album TP2, described how Kelly would treat women like Big Macs – explaining ‘when he’s done eating you, he throws the wrapper away’
‘They were mostly from the areas he grew up in. He would occasionally go to this McDonald’s and come back to the studio with a girl or two.
‘Going to McDonald’s to pick up chicks, that’s what a 17-year-old does.’
Lee added: ‘[Kelly] could be controlling. They’re there for one thing, they’re there to service Rob. When he was tired of you, you’re a Big Mac – when he’s done eating you, he throws the wrapper away, thank you.’
Meanwhile, Lovell Jones – one of Kelly’s backing singers on his first album tour – described how the artist was like a ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ character.
‘R Kelly is conflicted. He’s a very spiritual person, but he’s a little perverted,’ he said.
The R&B singer’s former business manager also finally confirmed that the star did marry Aaliyah (pictured in 1995) when she was just 15
Rocky Bivens (right) confirmed to reporter Ben Zand (left) that he was at the secret wedding ceremony in 1994
‘You’ve seen some sides that were ugly, the problem with the young women, he’s very controlling. It’s kind of conflicted – it’s almost like Jekyll and Hyde.’
Jones claimed it was ‘common knowledge’ within Kelly’s camp that the singer ‘likes young girls’.
He said it was difficult for girls to say no to Kelly, telling the show’s presenter: ‘How do you defend yourself against someone who’s been honing their skills as a predator for 25 years, who’s also a multi-millionaire, and one of the most successful artists in the music industry?’
During the documentary, Rocky Bivens – Kelly’s ex-business manager and right hand man for 14 years – confirmed for the first time that the alleged illegal wedding between Kelly, then 27, and Aaliyah, then 15, definitely took place.
One of Kelly’s former backing singers, Lovell Jones, described Kelly as ‘conflicted’. He claimed it was ‘common knowledge’ within Kelly’s camp that the singer ‘likes young girls’
Kelly’s former girlfriend Kitti Jones (pictured) described Kelly as ‘very abusive, physically, mentally, verbally’ and said she was forced to have sex with him and other people on ‘more than 10’ occasions
Although reluctant to discuss it, the manager claimed he was actually present at the ceremony in 1994.
Details of the secret wedding first emerged after a wedding certificate was unearthed in 1995, which stated that Aaliyah was 18.
On the BBC show Kitti Jones also spoke about the alleged abuse she suffered , after she started dating the singer in 2011.
Kitti described Kelly as ‘very abusive, physically, mentally, verbally’, and said she was forced to have sex with him and other people on ‘more than 10’ occasions.
The DJ also described how Kelly told him that he had been ‘training’ one of the girls from the age of 14 to be one of his ‘pets’, confirming that it was like a ‘sex dungeon’.
‘I was introduced to one of the girls, that he told me he “trained” since she was 14, those were his words,’ she said.
‘I saw that she was dressed like me, that she was saying the things I’d say and her mannerisms were like mine. That’s when it clicked in my head that he had been grooming me to become one of his pets, he calls them his pets.’
Jones went on to say that on one occasion R Kelly had the girl crawl on the floor towards her and perform oral sex on her, after texting her ‘Come to daddy’.
She claimed the singer said to her: ‘This is my f****** pet, I trained her. She’s going to teach you how to be with me.’
The BBC contacted representatives for R Kelly about the issues raised in the programme but they said he would make no comment.
MailOnline has also contacted a representative for the singer, who declined to comment.
R Kelly: Sex, Girls and Videotapes is available to watch on the BBC Three website now.