Motown Icon Smokey Robinson Faces $50 Million Civil Suit Alleging Serial Rapes

By Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link

Four former housekeepers have filed a $50 million lawsuit against Motown legend Smokey Robinson and his wife, Frances Robinson, alleging the singer repeatedly raped and sexually assaulted them over nearly 20 years, according to court papers filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court.


The civil complaint, brought under the pseudonyms Jane Doe 1 through Jane Doe 4, accuses Robinson of serial sexual battery, assault and gender violence, as well as false imprisonment, negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The suit also asserts labor-law violations, including failure to pay minimum wage and overtime and to provide rest breaks and meal periods.

At a Tueday afternoon press conference, attorney John Harris called Robinson a “serial assaulter” who preyed on low‑wage workers “living paycheck to paycheck” and intimidated them into silence. “These women endured threats and humiliation, fearing reprisals from a powerful celebrity employer,” Harris said. Co‑counsel Herbert Hayden added that none of the plaintiffs reported the attacks to authorities due to shame, fear and Robinson’s fame.

Developing: Attorneys will hold a 2 p.m. news conference in L.A. to announce a lawsuit against Motown legend Smokey Robinson and his wife, alleging serious misconduct. More soon. @knxnews pic.twitter.com/8CMplVvyYU

— Nataly Tavidian (@NatalyTavidian) May 6, 2025

According to the lawsuit:

• One housekeeper alleges Robinson sexually assaulted her at least seven times between March 2023 and her forced resignation in February 2024, summoning her to his Chatsworth home alone, wearing only underwear, and ignoring her protests.

• A second plaintiff says she was assaulted nearly two dozen times from 2016 to 2020

• A third claims she endured harassment, assault and rape “during most of her entire employment” from 2012 until 2024.

• The fourth alleges Robinson assaulted her in 2007 at his Las Vegas residence shortly after she was hired in 2006, with the abuse continuing until her resignation in April 2024.

The complaint names Frances Robinson as a defendant for “failing to take the appropriate corrective action to prevent [Smokey’s] deviant misconduct” despite being aware of prior settlements with other alleged victims.

In addition to general and punitive damages, the plaintiffs seek injunctive relief and unspecified labor penalties. Robinson’s representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment. No criminal charges have been filed.

Robinson, 84, rose to fame as frontman of The Miracles, penning hits such as “Shop Around,” “I Second That Emotion” and “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me,” before scoring solo successes with “Cruisin’” and “Being with You.” He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1987 and continues to perform occasionally.

No Bars, No Flute, Just André: 3000 Unveils '7 Piano Sketches'

The cover of André 3000’s new album “7 Piano Sketches” depicts the Outkast co‑founder with a stripped‑down grand piano strapped to his back, a visual nod to the release’s sparse, lo‑fi improvisations.

There’s no flute this time. No bars, no features, no rollouts. Just André 3000, alone with a piano, playing in rooms with nothing but beds, TV screens — and feelings.

On Monday, André 3000 attended the Met Gala in New York, donning a Burberry jumpsuit and red hat, with a lightweight replica Steinway Model S baby grand piano strapped to his back. Later that day, while fashion fans were still basking in the afterglow of the gala, the Outkast co‑founder quietly released “7 Piano Sketches,” a seven‑track follow‑up to 2023’s “New Blue Sun.”

“These piano sketches are improvisations,” the eclectic artist wrote on Instagram. “To conjure them up, I spread my fingers out on the keys and randomly but with purpose move them around until I find something that feels good or interesting… I cannot name which notes, keys or chords that I’m playing. I simply like the sound and mechanics of piano playing.”

Originally titled “The Best Worst Rap Album in History,” the project contains no lyrics—and that’s the point. “It’s jokingly the worst rap album in history because there are no lyrics on it at all. It’s the best because it’s the free‑est emotionally and best I’ve felt personally. It’s like a palette cleanser for me,” he wrote in his liner notes.

Most of these sketches were recorded in Texas nearly a decade ago, when André 3000 and his son were living in a sparsely furnished house — only beds, a piano and TV screens — sharing snippets privately with friends and family. One studio‑quality track, “Blueberries,” stands out for its fidelity, but the rest are honest, lo‑fi improvisations.

He cites Thelonious Monk, Philip Glass and Joni Mitchell as key inspirations — a list as idiosyncratic and unbothered by boundaries as the artist himself.

For longtime fans who’ve waited decades for a traditional solo album, “7 Piano Sketches” may feel like another detour. But for those listening closely, it’s exactly what André 3000 has always been: open, emotional, strange and beautiful.

Chuck D Accepts Reverb Award at Stax in Tribute to Music’s Power and Purpose

Chuck D receives the inaugural Reverb Award from the Soulsville Foundation at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music in Memphis on Friday. At left is songwriter David Porter. (Photo: Claire James)

Rap pioneer Chuck D received the first-ever "Reverb Award" from the Soulsville Foundation during a powerful ceremony at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music on Friday — a moment that bridged generations of Black musical resistance, from protest soul to politically conscious rap.

The honor, part of the Foundation’s new Power of Music Honors series, celebrates artists who wield music as a tool for activism, education and real-world change. And few embody that ethos more than Chuck D, the commanding voice behind Public Enemy, whose “Fight the Power” remains a battle cry more than three decades after it was released.

“I grew up on my mom’s Stax records and to this day am still in total and complete awe of the talent, the genius, and the legacy that came out of the soul of Memphis,” Chuck D said at the ceremony. “I am humbled beyond any words to receive this honor and I share it with everyone who came before me, stands alongside me now, and will follow us all in the future.”

Presented by songwriter and soul icon David Porter — co-author of “Soul Man” and “Hold On, I’m Comin’” — the award recognized Chuck D not just for his music, but for his decades-long role as a cultural commentator, activist and music historian.

“Chuck D has utilized his platform to transcend the sequestered space of musicians as entertainment,” said Soulsville Foundation CEO Pat Mitchell Worley. “His activism and role as a music historian have fueled the knowledge and self-determination of a generation and exemplify the Power of Music Honors.”

The setting made the moment even more profound. Stax Records was never just a hit machine — it was a community anchor that created jobs, mentored local talent, and nurtured revolutionary Black artistry. During the 1960s and ’70s, it launched the careers of Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, Booker T. & the M.G.’s and The Staple Singers, and helped define the sound of Southern soul and the pulse of Black America.

That legacy continues through the Soulsville Foundation and the Stax Music Academy, which this year celebrates its 25th anniversary. At the ceremony, soul singer Talibah Safiya and current Academy students delivered stirring renditions of “Respect Yourself” and Johnnie Taylor’s “I Am Somebody,” affirming the next generation’s connection to the music’s mission.

The Power of Music Honors will be presented annually to individuals and organizations who use music to open doors, build community, and spark cultural movements. The Reverb Award — named for the echo of impact — is the highest distinction, and Chuck D’s selection as its first recipient reflects a full-circle moment: the rebel spirit of soul finding its mirror in the fire of hip-hop.

The award also shines a spotlight on Soulsville’s ongoing work, including Music Employs, an initiative that connects young artists with training, mentors, and real-world pathways into creative industries. It’s all part of a broader mission to ensure that the power of Memphis music isn’t just remembered — it’s reimagined for the future.