B2K Charges Chris Stokes with Seduction, Abuse and Coercion
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| B2K |
At Talent Hype Magazine, we like to keep topics fun for the kids but keeping safe is a serious subject that we want to also be sure to cover.
That said, you may recall the boy band named B2K, of which Omarion was the most recognizable member. The band quickly grew popular in the early 2000's, under the management of famed Music Producer, Chris Stokes. Well, now members of the band and other artists managed by Stokes are going public with stories of sexual seduction and abuse in exchange for professional favors. In this country, we are all to be considered innocent until proven guilty so we will not judge Stokes in this forum but we do want to warn parents and performers to be careful. Just because someone is rich, famous or successful does not automatically make them a good person, trustworthy or law-abiding. With this story in
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| Chris Stokes |
particular, it seems the boys were willing to go along with the activity as long as their careers benefited, which is unfortunate. It seems now that they are no longer receiving professional favors, they have grown bitter and ready to spill the beans. The question is whether they were minor children at the time of the interaction. They did not specify age in their statements. Either way, it is still considered widely inappropriate for managers to become "involved" with subordinates especially impressionable young ones. Perhaps he "loved" them in a way that they were not intending to be loved. But the jury is out. I can only hope that Stokes did not do anything unlawful.
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| Chris Stokes with B2K Member |
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| Marques Houston, Sister to Sister |
What makes this story even more odd is the fact that Omarion's brother Marques Houston was under the tutelage of Chris Stokes first! Besides his involvement in music, you may recall Marques from his goofy kid role with braids on the sitcom about twins called, "Sister to Sister" with Tia and Tamera Mowery. So if Stokes did have a habit of conducting himself inappropriately with his clients, it would most likely be already known to Marques. And he introduced him to his brother Omarion anyway? This is a strange-sounding situation. Leave a comment to tell us what you think.
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| Chris Stokes with B2K Band Members |
Parents: It is a known fact that there are many people in Show Business who prey on the vulnerabilities of ambitious wanna-be stars. Safe is better than sorry. Protect your children. Ask for a background check when leaving your children in the custody of any adult. Check to be sure the person's name does not appear on any Sex Offender's Registry. At the very least, run the person's full name online and see what comes up. Scroll through all the page numbers. Pay a few dollars to run your own background check online to be sure the person with your child is not a criminal or felon. Tell your child to walk out or call 911 if they ever feel compromised in any adult's presence. Teach them to protect themselves. Ask questions. An honest person will not mind a little prodding BUT be polite and respect. There's a fine line between protecting your child and turning a person off. Your intent is to keep your child safe without blowing the opportunity with someone who poses no threat. Make sure you can tell the difference. For more information on keeping your child safe, contact your local police for additional tips.
Young Performers: If you ever feel unsafe or unsure about what is going on around you or to you, leave. If it is not possible to walk out, tell the adult in the room that you are uncomfortable and wish to leave. If they refuse, ask to call your parent/guardian. If they refuse again, run away or call for help. If you ever feel that you are in danger, call the police if possible. Don't be afraid to say, "No" if anyone asks you to do something you know is wrong.
TIP: If you are being assaulted, be careful not to upset your offender. The key is to stay alive and get help as soon as possible.
Photo Sources
- http://binside.typepad.com/binside_tv/images/2007/12/28/omarionbeardedmtv_2.jpg
- http://www.blastro.com/artists/artistpage/Marques+Houston.html
- http://www.mtv.com/shared/promoimages/bands/b/b2k/stokes_razb/281x211.jpg
- http://www3.images.coolspotters.com/photos/54185/chris-stokes-profile.jpg
- http://www.mzeus.com/images/chrisstokesb2k8.jpg
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