Singer R Kelly's daughter calls him a 'monster'
PHOTO: THE GUARDIAN
American singer-songwriter R Kelly is the subject of a shocking new six-hour series titled Surviving R Kelly, which recounts decades of sexual abuse, manipulation, inappropriate encounters with underage girls and women, and his marriage to singer Aaliyah, who was underage.
Although Kelly has denied all allegations, his estranged daughter, Buku Abi has spoken up on the accusations against her father, reported The Cut. In a statement shared to her Instagram story, she called her father a “monster” and wrote that she was speaking from the heart.
She added, “To the people who feel that I should be speaking up / against everything is going on right now. I just want you all to understand that devastated is an understatement for what I feel currently. I do apologize if my silence to all that is happening comes off as careless.”
Throughout January, more women have come forward, accusing the star of inappropriate conduct. Celebrities such as singer John Legend and Lady Gaga have publicly apologised for working with him while condemning his behaviour.
Gaga even went as far as vowing to remove a duet she recorded with Kelly from streaming services and never collaborate with him again. Her comments, in a lengthy Instagram post late on Wednesday, followed a new television documentary in which multiple women accuse Kelly of sexual misconduct, sometimes with minors.
Kelly, 52, best known for hit song I Believe I Can Fly, has repeatedly denied accusations in recent years of abuse, including those made in the new documentary.
The Grammy-winning singer was tried and acquitted on child pornography charges in Chicago in 2008. His attorney has not responded to Reuters' requests for comment.
It features interviews with several women making on camera allegations of sexual, mental and physical abuse by Kelly, as well as interviews with some of his former managers and producers.
Gaga said she believed the women and found the documentary “absolutely horrifying.” “I stand behind these women 1000 percent, believe them, and know they are suffering and in pain, and feel strongly that their voices should be heard and taken seriously,” she said in her Instagram posting.
Gaga in 2013 released a duet with Kelly called Do What U Want (With My Body.) “I intend to remove the song off of iTunes and other streaming platforms and will not be working with him again,” she wrote on Wednesday. “I’m sorry, both for my poor judgment when I was young, and for not speaking out sooner.”
A Chicago prosecutor on Tuesday urged anyone alleging abuse by Kelly to come forward so claims could be investigated. “There is nothing that can be done to investigate these allegations without the cooperation of both victims and witnesses. We cannot seek justice without you,” Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx told a news conference.
Documentary on R Kelly sheds new light on charges against him
The US entertainment industry has been roiled for more than a year by scores of allegations of sexual misconduct against producers, actors and directors, many of whom have lost their jobs or been forced to step down.
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