Current:Home > StocksR. Kelly's Daughter Joann Kelly to Share a "Heartbreaking Secret" in Upcoming Documentary -Elevate Profit Vision
R. Kelly's Daughter Joann Kelly to Share a "Heartbreaking Secret" in Upcoming Documentary
View
Date:2025-04-16 17:42:34
R. Kelly's estranged daughter has been carrying a heartbreaking childhood secret.
In a new documentary, Joann Kelly, who also goes by the name Buku Abi, shares details about her experience growing up with the R&B singer, who is serving a more than 30-year prison sentence for sex crimes against underage girls.
"He was my everything for a long time," Joann, who was not named as one of the victims during Kelly's 2021 trial, says in the TVEI Network's R. Kelly's Karma: A Daughter's Journey, as seen in a trailer released Sept. 29. "I didn't even want to believe it happened."
The 26-year-old continued, "I didn't know that even if he was a bad person, that he would do something to me. I really feel like that one millisecond completely just changed my whole life."
According to TVEI, in the documentary, Kelly's daughter "bravely reveals a heartbreaking secret that shattered her childhood."
Joann, who appeared to be pregnant while filming the documentary, vowed to be open about her experiences with her son and keep him away from the "I Believe I Can Fly" singer.
"If my son asks questions I'm going to be as truthful as possible," she said, "but I would not be taking my son to a prison to meet his grandfather."
Kelly will be 78 when he eligible for release from prison in 2045. In April, a federal appeals court upheld his convictions on child pornography and enticement charges, more than 18 months after the conclusion of his trial in Chicago, WTTW reported.
Joann's mother, Kelly’s ex-wife Drea Kelly, also appears in the documentary. "Just because you’re not a good husband, doesn't mean you can’t be a good father. And the fact that he didn’t even try," the 50-year-old said in the trailer. "What he did to me, he did to me. But you didn’t have to do it to my damn kids."
In 2019, Joann spoke out about her father after the release of the docuseries Surviving R. Kelly, which chronicled allegations of abuse and pedophilia that others made about the singer.
The project preceded an investigation against Kelly that helped lead to his 2022 conviction of racketeering and sex trafficking, and a year later, convictions for felony sexual exploitation of a child, enticement of a female, and possession of material containing child pornography.
"The same monster you all confronting me about is my father," Joann wrote on her Instagram Story at the time. "I am well aware of who and what he is. I grew up in that house. My choice to not speak on him and what he does is for my peace of mind. My emotional state. And for MY healing. I have to do & move in a manner that is best for me."
For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News AppveryGood! (8)
Related
- Scoot flight from Singapore to Wuhan turns back after 'technical issue' detected
- Are jalapeños good for you? What to know about the health benefits of spicy food.
- Handcuffed and sent to the ER – for misbehavior: Schools are sending more kids to the hospital
- China’s government can’t take a joke, so comedians living abroad censor themselves
- Rylee Arnold Shares a Long
- National Cookie Day 2023: How to get deals, freebies and even recipes to try at home
- Biden is spending most of the week raising money at events with James Taylor and Steven Spielberg
- North Carolina candidate filing begins for 2024 election marked by office vacancies and remapping
- Federal court filings allege official committed perjury in lawsuit tied to Louisiana grain terminal
- Gwen Stefani makes Reba McEntire jealous on 'The Voice' with BIAS performance
Ranking
- NHL in ASL returns, delivering American Sign Language analysis for Deaf community at Winter Classic
- Reported cancellation of Virginia menorah lighting draws rebuke from governor
- Derek Chauvin returned to prison following stabbing, lawyer says
- Julia Roberts Reveals the Simple rules She Sets for Her Teenage Kids
- Angelina Jolie nearly fainted making Maria Callas movie: 'My body wasn’t strong enough'
- U.S. warship, commercial ships encounter drone and missile attacks in the Red Sea, officials say
- Stabbing at Macy's store in Philadelphia kills one guard, injures another
- Christmas shopping hangover no more: Build a holiday budget to avoid credit card debt
Recommendation
Working Well: When holidays present rude customers, taking breaks and the high road preserve peace
Prosecutor to drop charges against 17 Austin police officers for force used in 2020 protests
Putin to discuss Israel-Hamas war during a 1-day trip to Saudi Arabia and UAE
Grassroots college networks distribute emergency contraceptives on campus
DeepSeek: Did a little known Chinese startup cause a 'Sputnik moment' for AI?
Who can and cannot get weight-loss drugs
More than $950,000 raised for Palestinian student paralyzed after being shot in Vermont
Woman killed in shark attack while swimming with young daughter off Mexico's Pacific coast
Like
- House passes bill to add 66 new federal judgeships, but prospects murky after Biden veto threat
- Government, Corporate and Philanthropic Interests Coalesce On Curbing Methane Emissions as Calls at COP28 for Binding Global Methane Agreement Intensify
- Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence sprains right ankle in 34-31 overtime loss to Bengals on MNF