*This is stranger than strange. After going through the trouble of making a video where he claims that producer/manager Chris Stokes and singer Marques Houston molested him and starting major doo doo, Raz B of boy band/group B2K is now saying it's not true.
In a 27-second video that was uploaded to YouTube yesterday (12-26-07), Demario "Raz B" Thornton, while not once ever looking straight into the camera, says he would like to "send a public apology for some tapes that were leaked without my authority ... I just wanna say that those allegations are not true ... with Chris Stokes and Marques Houston. And I apologize for any hurt that this may (have) caused ... publicly, financially ..."
Watch Raz B's apology:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTziK8smZYU
Like we said, we have no idea what's going on. All we can say is stay tuned. In the meantime, yesterday, Chris Stokes was busy defending himself by following up his previous statement of innocence with an interview with MTV.
"All the allegations they made are false," said Stokes, who currently manages Houston and Omarion through his firm, the Ultimate Group Entertainment. "I'm not gay. And I'm married. And I have four kids. I've 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."
This is where it gets interesting again. Before the Raz B apology tape was uploaded, according to MTV, Kevin Sullivan, Raz-B's business partner and the COO of their company, Raz Beatz Entertainment, said that the singer is not ready to elaborate on his video allegations at this point, but that he is conferring with lawyers and preparing a statement that will possibly help explain his claims.
"With something of this magnitude, you always look at what the best time is [to talk about it,] and he felt compelled ... that this has built up," Sullivan said. "[He was saying,] 'I'm tired, this is my story.' It's something that's spiritual, and God says now is the time."
(Remember, the foregoing comment was made just hours before Raz B's surprise apology video.)
MEANWHILE, OMARION DENIES CLAIMS BY RAZ-B *Omarion has released a statement denying allegations from his former B2K group member Raz B that their former manager, Chris Stokes, molested him during his pre-teen years.
The following is Omarion's official statement, released Wednesday by his rep at 5W Public Relations:
I want to be on the record as saying that "Raz B" Thorton and Ricardo Thorton are lying regarding Chris Stokes. 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 to 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. 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 and I won't stand silent and will do all within my means to speak the truth about this matter.
Thanks Deandra!
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