
This post discusses sexual assault and domestic violence.
Model Emily Ratajkowski has alleged that Robin Thicke sexually assaulted her on the set of the video for his 2013 song “Blurred Lines”, groping her bare breasts.
It’s not the first time that serious allegations have been made against the singer.
In 2017, Thicke’s ex-wife, actress Paula Patton, accused him of domestic violence.
Thicke and Patton were childhood sweethearts. They met in 1991, at an underage dance club in Los Angeles, when Thicke was 14 and Patton was a year older.
Thicke was used to being in the limelight. His dad, Alan Thicke, starred in the 1980s sitcom Growing Pains, while his mum, singer/actress Gloria Loring, topped the music charts and was on Days Of Our Lives. The confident teenager serenaded Patton with the Stevie Wonder song “Jungle Fever”, and soon they were dancing together.
"I knew she was special the night I met her," Thicke later said. "I was only 14, but she was already the most special girl."
The couple married in 2005 and had a son, Julian, in 2010.
Thicke made a name for himself as a songwriter, co-writing songs for Brandy and Christina Aguilera. But it took a long time for his singing career to take off.
As for Patton, she co-wrote songs for some of Thicke’s albums before turning to acting, starring in movies like Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.
In 2013, Thicke released “Blurred Lines”, featuring Pharrell Williams and T.I.. Thicke said on The Howard Stern Show that the song was about Patton, and dropped some hints about their sex life.
“My wife is Mrs Good Girl, but gradually over our marriage, I've turned her into a bad girl,” he said.
The song was criticised for perpetuating rape culture. It also became one of the best-selling singles of all time.
The video featured Thicke, Williams and T.I. with models Ratajkowski, Elle Evans and Jessi M’Bengue. Two versions were filmed, one rated and one unrated, with the models topless.
"People say, 'Hey, do you think this is degrading to women?'” Thicke told GQ about the video.
“I'm like, 'Of course it is. What a pleasure it is to degrade a woman. I've never gotten to do that before. I've always respected women.’”
He later claimed his comments were taken out of context.
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Thicke performed “Blurred Lines” with Miley Cyrus twerking in latex underwear at the 2013 MTV VMAs. He caused more controversy with a photo taken at the VMAs afterparty, when he was snapped with a female fan, Lana Scolaro, with a mirror behind them showing his hand on her bottom.