Ricky Romance & Chris StokesAs promised, here's the follow-up to my exclusive interview with Ricardo Thornton aka Ricky Romance, brother of B2K's Raz B. As all of you know by now, Raz B and Ricky have made
child molestation allegations against music svengali Chris Stokes, which Raz B later recanted in what seemed to many in the blogosphere to be a
coerced video retraction (the video has since been removed from YOUTUBE). Chris Stokes and Raz B's former group member Omarion have made separate official statements denying the abuse allegations.
We're lauching THE NEW URBAN officially in 2008, but this story gripped me, because I'm a victims' rights advocate at heart. And talking to Ricky about the manipulation, seduction and systematic abuse patterns he and his brother endured, their allegations very closely reminded me of other abuse and exploitation stories I've encountered.
Do I believe them? I'm inclined to, and I hope they seek legal action. Most child sexual abuse victims don't know their rights in situations like this. For boys in particular the shame of it all can compel them to never speak out. Victims often blame themselves, like Ricky does, thinking that maybe they brought it on. And because most victims know their abusers intimately and don't immediately recognize what they endure as abuse, some even love the same person who harmed them.
This is a tangled pied-piper style web, kids, and TNU doesn't pretend to be a court of law where people are innocent until proven guilty. You see the law is blind, but in the age of Youtube style surveillance, we certainly don't have to be.....
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PART II OF OUR EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW w/ RICKY ROMANCE:TNU: In a press release, Omarion came out against the allegations that you and Raz B are making about Chris Stokes. Have you talked to him?
RICKY ROMANCE: Omarion is brainwashed. That’s it. And, listen, Omarion ain’t make no statement. I know that because I know his PR person. Chris made a statement for Omarion. Omarion doesn’t do nothin that doesn’t go through Chris first. And what he doesn’t realize is, Chris don’t give a fuck about him.
TNU: Stokes has worked with several groups, Immature, B2K. Predators tend to carefully choose their victims based upon their vulnerabilities. Do you believe this was the case with Stokes?
RICKY ROMANCE: I can’t say for a fact that everyone got molested, but I know a lot definitely did and I won’t name names, but…. There was this kid
Quindon who Chris worked with, and he’s ready to speak out. I mean, he doesn’t want his name out there, but he really wants to talk and come forward. And with IMX…. Marques Houston and Chris Stokes have been lovers for years. Yeah, Chris is married, and it's a real marriage as far as them bein down for each other, but Marques will always be there. Why do you think all through the B2K period he was keepin Marques Houston's name alive when Marques was over...They had to shout out IMX, who gave a fuck about IMX??? It's b/c Chris was, you know, with Marques.... That's why he kept poppin up. He told [the boys in B2K] always say my name and always say IMX.
Chris Stokes, Ricky & IMXTNU: Do you believe Marques’s relationship with Chris began when Marques was younger?
RICKY ROMANCE: I know it did. Look, Marques had lived with Chris since before his mom died. I don’t know if you’ve ever been on a tour bus before, but we’d be at truck stops and Marques would get off and buy a box of Magnum condoms and, I mean, wasn’t no girls on that bus, so what you need a box of condoms for? And you know on the bus there’s a room all the way in the back. So all of us would be sittin in the front of the bus and Chris and Marques would always be in the backroom watchin’ movies, just the two of ‘em and nobody said anything but we knew what was goin’ on. Marques Houston likes girls and messes with girls, but he’s a bisexual man, everyone knows that.
TNU: Chris Stokes is married. He has kids too right?
RICKY ROMANCE: I love [Chris’s wife], she’s a great person. She’s been there for him, she’s crazy about him. He finally married her after B2K broke up because he needed a new image. Like I said, that’s my family, and this hurts, but I’m not gonna hide what I know, because it happened and it’s wrong. It’s fucked people’s lives up, and I’m the kind of person who stands up for people.
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This sad story is certainly not over. I have several well placed sources on both sides, and have a lot of information I can't share just yet. In fact, I decided to omit some of what Ricky and I discussed, because, while this is a gossip blog, it's also important to me that the people I interview are protected.
GAY OR STRAIGHT?
A lot of blog banter on this matter has swirled around who's gay and who's not. Come on people. My view is that when you're talking about sexual assault there's no gay or straight, and even less so when you're referring to children. Victims are victims. Period.
People wonder, "How could Raz B let that sort of thing continue unless he liked it?" I haven't spoken to Raz B, so I don't know his reasons, but I do know that children, especially children from broken homes or neglect-ridden backgrounds, will take love and attention anyway it comes. This is especially true if the person abusing the child is also a protector and provider. Predators know this, and those are the children they attack -- the children who don't feel worthy enough to speak up for themselves, or have no where to turn.
Stay tuned y'all... Stay urban...
