Raz B bows out of B2K’s tour based on allegations of child sexual abuse against manager
The singer goes as far in an Instagram post to demand a "Surviving Chris Stokes" documentary, but the allegation has created a schism in the popular group
Singer Raz B, a founding member of R&B band B2K, took to Instagram to announce he is quitting the group’s reunion Millennium Tour because he feels unsafe with the group’s former manager around — who he accuses of sexually abusing him.
“Raz B is officially off the tour,” he announces in the Instagram video. “I don’t feel safe because I feel like Chris Stokes is around. So guess what? I’m off the tour. Good luck to everybody. No disrespect to [Omarion] because he’s my brother. [Omarion] if you want to come talk to me and you want me to do the tour, I’ll do the tour, but I’m officially off the tour.”
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Raz adds: “Oh, guess what? I guess we’re about to shoot the new ‘Surviving Chris Stokes’ movie, right? So call Lifetime ’cause I’m ready to talk,” he said, making a reference to the recently aired “Surviving R. Kelly” docuseries.
Since 2007, Raz has accused Stokes, the former manager of B2K, of molesting him when he was around 11 years old. He said the abuse started “one day when Chris was like — ‘Let me touch you’…I can’t speak for everybody, but if you want my personal opinion, I think he did (touch all the other group members).”
Raz’s brother, Ricardo Thornton, confirmed the abuse, claiming that Stokes sexually abused him as well. “Chris [Stokes] made me take showers with the other boys…All that little sh** that my brother was introduced to, that sh** was brought to me first, and I blocked that sh**. I wasn’t with it, I backed off…I kinda knew what was going on over there, and yet I took my brother over to Chris. I didn’t protect him like I should have. [Stokes] molested my brother and he molested me,” Thornton said, according to Hotnewhiphop.com.
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Stokes was also accused of mismanaging the group’s finances. When the allegations first surfaced, Omarion chose to side with Stokes.
“I want to be on the record as saying that ‘Raz-B’ Thornton and Ricardo Thornton are lying regarding Chris Stokes,” Omarion said, Hotnewhiphop.com reported. “Chris is a father figure to myself and many others in the industry. He’s guided us, helped raised us and is nothing more than an inspiration and someone I respect and look up to. I have spent countless hours, days, weeks and months with the man — since the age of 5 — and have never once seen him behave inappropriately.
“He’s married to my aunt, and I know this man very well,” Omarion continued. “I stand behind him with no question whatsoever. I have grown up around Chris, and this is crazy to me. These people have damaged me and my reputation. I won’t stand silent and will do all within my means to speak the truth about this matter.”
It’s unclear how Omarion is handling Raz’s latest announcement.
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Stokes has also denied the assertions and threatened legal action. “All the allegations they made are false,” Stokes said in the past, according to Hotnewhiphop.com. “I’m not gay. And I’m married. And I have four kids. I have been with my wife for 16 years. And I’m not a child molester. So those are all false allegations. I’m gonna sue them. And I owe that to my wife and kids, period. It’s ridiculous.”
The B2K reunion tour began on March 8 and will wrap up on April 28.
