(E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune/Pool/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
R. Kelly‘s children and ex-wife, Andrea Kelly, have spoken out about their alleged experiences with the singer before and after his imprisonment. In a newly released documentary, his daughter, Buku Abi (real name Joann), recalls her dad allegedly touching her inappropriately as a child.
Meanwhile, Kelly’s lawyer, Jennifer Bonjean, has formally denied what Buku shared in the two-episode project, ‘Karma: A Daughter’s Journey.’
Editor’s Note: This article was initially published on Oct. 11. It was updated on Oct. 15 to include a new statement from Buki. Keep scrolling to see the update.
The documentary premiered on Oct. 11 on TVEI Streaming Network. As mentioned, it features all of his kids, including his sons Jay and Robert Jr. Jay was biologically born female, but he came out as transgender in 2014 at age 14. Andrea is the mother of all three of R. Kelly’s kids.
During the first episode of the documentary, Buku Abi opened up about not wanting to believe the sexual abuse occurred. She admitted to first telling her mother about it in 2009 when she was 10. However, before telling Andrea, Buku said she felt “too scared to tell anyone.”
“He was my everything. For a long time, I didnt even want to believe that it happened. I didnt know that even if he was a bad person that he would do something to me,” R. Kelly’s daughter said.
Buku Abi says after she told her mother what happened, she and her siblings didn’t go to her dad’s anymore. However, the incident continues to be something she struggles with a lot. “I really feel like that one millisecond completely just changed my whole life and changed who I was as a person and changed the sparkle I had and the light I used to carry,” Abi said.
The second episode sees Buku Abi describing the alleged abuse and how she reacted. She cried while explaining.
“I just remember waking up to him touching me,” Abi recalled. “And I didnt know what to do, so I just kind of laid there, and I pretended to be asleep.”
Ultimately, Joanne said her father couldn’t be prosecuted after she and her mom filed a police report because she had “waited too long” to speak. “So at that point in my life, I felt like I said something for nothing,” she shared.
As mentioned, Kelly’s lawyer, Bonjean, released a statement toPEOPLE about Buku Abi’s allegations on the singer’s behalf. Bonjean said these allegations had previously been investigated and could not be proven.
“Mr. Kelly vehemently denies these allegations. His ex-wife made the same allegation years ago, and it was investigated by the Illinois Department of Children & Family Services and was unfounded….And the ‘filmmakers,’ whoever they are, did not reach out to Mr. Kelly or his team to even allow him to deny these hurtful claims.”
Also, his sons and Buku all shared in the docuseries that they believe Kelly being in prison is where he belongs. “If you dont want to go to jail, dont do s**t that gets you locked up,” Robert Jr. stated. While Jay stated, “You make your bed, you lay in it.”Meanwhile, Buku said that jail is a “well-suited” place for her father.
Additionally, in ‘Karma: A Daughter’s Journey,’ Buku Abi said she previously felt suicidal. “I just got to a point where I didnt care anymore. I didnt care if I lived or died,” she said. Abi confessed her thoughts to her mother after a cutting incident at Target.
“I remember one day, my mom and I, we went to Target and I had to use the bathroom. We went to the bathroom and she came out and I was washing my hands and she saw that my wrists were all cut up, and she just immediately dropped everything…”
Joanne Kelly said Andrea kept inquiring if she was okay while being “really worried.” She responded by breaking down and admitting she wasn’t okay and felt like her life was going to be cut short.
“I don’t think that I’m gonna make it through to live out the rest of my life,” Buku said she told her mother.
As media outlets circulated coverage of Buku’s allegations against R. Kelly, she took to social media with a lengthy clarification message. She began by saying that part of her wants to hide away while the other part wants to “act like nothing is going on.” However, Buku said it’s too late for her to “shy away” and added that she had decided early on not to speak on her alleged experience out of fear. Additionally, she clarified that speaking out now has nothing to do with hating her dad or backing her mom.
“Let me first clearly say this I DO NOT ‘hate’ MY FATHER. Nor do I blindly follow my mother. I’m not angry. I’m not looking for revenge, I’m not looking for clout, (I am and BEEN more than that) I could care less about people’s opinions. Good or bad. (And I say that with the upmost respect.)”
So why did she speak out now? Buku Abu has a long list of reasons, including for herself, her son, her “peace of mind,” and for loved ones who have misunderstood her throughout her childhood.
“I did it to look my biggest demon in the eyes and tell ’em I’m done. I love my mother, I love my father, I honor my mother, I honor my father. But I will never sacrifice truth over ‘honor,” she wrote.
Furthermore, Abi said her siblings and her child “deserved better” than their past and ongoing experiences. Swipe below to see her entire follow-up statement.
