Singer's salacious video for Do What U Want was delayed because of resurfacing allegations against co-stars R Kelly and Terry Richardson, according to reports

Lady Gaga's music video for Do What U Want was allegedly scrapped due to accusations of sexual misconduct against two of its stars. According to a source speaking to the New York Post, the involvement of R Kelly and Terry Richardson was too much for a video that already "[seemed] literally [like] an ad for rape".

On Thursday, TMZ posted 33 seconds of the video, which was shot in November and subsequently shelved. The footage shows Gaga in the role of hospital patient, interacting with Kelly's doctor character. "Will I ever be able to walk again?" Gaga asks the other singer. "Yes, if you let me do whatever I want with your body," Kelly replies. "I'm putting you under, and when you wake up, you're going to be pregnant."



Kelly is also seen reaching under Gaga's bedsheet, where she appears to be nude. "How does that feel?" he says. "Seems like that medicine is starting to kick in." She responds with a moan. Nurses appear later, dancing with and on an anaesthetised Gaga. TMZ's video finishes with the pop-star nude and writhing under sheets of newspapers before Richardson, who is snapping photos.



In January, Gaga wrote on her official website that Do What U Want's video had been "delayed" because she didn't have enough time to work on it. "Unfortunately, I was given a week to plan and execute it ... All my most successful videos were planned over a period of time when I was rested and my creativity was honoured."

But New York Post's Page Six reports that there were some other factors: resurfacing allegations of sexual assault, brought against Kelly by journalist Jim DeRogatis, as well as several models' subsequent abuse claims against Richardson. Kelly was found not guilty in an earlier case related to sex abuse, and Richardson has denied all of these latest accusations. A representative for Lady Gaga had no comment on the allegations.

As the Post's unnamed source put it: "Gaga had a video directed by an alleged sexual predator, starring another [alleged] sexual predator. With the theme, 'I'm going to do whatever I want with your body'?" In April, the Post reported that Kelly had been sued in 2010 for allegedly sexually harassing his maid. It stated that he settled the case out of court.



Do What U Want, which is a duet with Kelly, reached No 9 on the UK singles chart. It was the second single to be released from the singer's commercially disappointing third album, Artpop.



• Listen to Do What U Want here