CHICAGO— A Chicago journalist and music critic began a two-decade journey investigating R. Kelly after receiving an anonymous fax in 2000 that said the singer had a problem with “young girls.”

Jim DeRogatis recently released a book detailing that investigation called “Soulless: The Case Against R. Kelly.”

After receiving the fax, within a year, DeRogatis also received two separate tapes. One was eventually used at the Kelly’s 2008 child pornography trial.

“I’ve never seen anything more disgusting or horrifying, 26 minutes and 39 seconds,” DeRogatis said. ” I’ve never seen anything worse in my life.”

DeRogatis said Kelly had thousands of enablers ranging from his attorneys to hotel employees. He said he heard from over two dozen women across the country that associates of Kelly would put a piece of paper in young girls’ hands with Kelly’s phone number.

He also cited money and race for the reasons why cases against him failed. DeRogatis said civil attorneys failed and kept a third of settlements, and signed a non-disclosure agreement rather than pressing for criminal charges. He also cited Cook County Judge Vincent Gaughan for limiting evidence that was allowed to be presented during his 2008 trial.

R. Kelly was just in court Thursday where he plead not guilty 11 sex-related charges, four of which are aggravated criminal sexual assault counts. Earlier this year, the singer pleaded not guilty to 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse pertaining to four women.