Even if you’re not an avid fan of R&B, you’ve likely heard of R. Kelly.
Decades ago, he was dominating the top charts of the music industry with hits like “I Believe I Can Fly,” “Down Low,” and “Ignition,” among others.
He won 110 awards, including three Grammy Awards, six American Music Awards, and eight Soul Train Music Awards—and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. He was what every artist strived to be: the “Pied Piper of R&B.”
But that all came crashing down when horrific allegations of abuse, coercion, and exploitation began appearing in the limelight, hinting at the darker side of the singer’s life.
Almost immediately, public perception of R. Kelly shifted from being the lovable R&B King to a villainous man who took advantage of women and children.
Here’s what R. Kelly’s kids—Jaah, Joann, and Robert Jr.—have to say about their father’s crimes.
What Are R. Kelly’s Crimes?
Though R. Kelly’s crimes are only recently being discussed and prosecuted, the allegations against him date back to the start of his career in the 1990s.
Many of these allegations center on the predatory pursuit of young girls.
1994: Illegal Marriage to a Minor
One of the many instances of Kelly’s “early” predatory behavior occurred in 1994 when he married 15-year-singer Aaliyah in Chicago.
It was later discovered that Kelly bribed a government official to create a fake 18-year-old ID for Aaliyah so they could get married.
The marriage was annulled in 1995, but not without heavy backlash.
Aaliyah’s album “Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number,” written and produced by R. Kelly, took on a whole new, disturbing meaning in light of these revelations.
Unsurprisingly, given R. Kelly’s fame and influence at the time, he faced minimal consequences—a fact that would, unfortunately, foreshadow years of accusations and missed opportunities to hold him accountable.
1996 to 2001: More Allegations Come Out
In 1996, R. Kelly’s ex-girlfriend, Tiffany Hawkins, sued the R&B star for “personal injuries and emotional distress” during their three-year relationship.
The relationship started when Hawkins was only 15 and ended when she was 18. She demanded $10 million in damages but only received a meager $250,000.
In the years that followed, R. Kelly was taken to court by various women—all underage.
Among them was intern Tracy Samson, who was “treated as his sex object,” according to NBC News.
There was also Patrice Jones, who Kelly allegedly impregnated and forced to have an abortion, and Montana Woods, who Kelly allegedly videotaped without consent, as reported by MTV in 2002.
2002 to 2004: Charges of Child Sexual Abuse and Pornography
Between 2002 and 2004, Kelly was charged with more than 33 counts of producing child sexual abuse videos and images involving sexual acts.
Every charge was dropped due to “insufficient evidence,” with the jury finding him not guilty on all counts in the 2008 trial.
He even released a widely successful musical soap opera series called “Trapped in The Closet” amidst allegations and was nominated for a Grammy Award.
2017 to Current: R. Kelly’s Crimes Resurfaces
Kelly’s fame began to take a nosedive in 2017 when dozens of women came forward with accusations against Kelly.
The situation reached a critical point with the release of the 2019 docuseries “Surviving R. Kelly,” which detailed the extensive and gruesome allegations of coercion, abuse, and exploitation from multiple women.
Kelly was now in hot water. His record label dropped him two weeks after the program was released, and his planned concerts were canceled.
Prosecutors charged Kelly with multiple charges of sexual assault and abuse against minors, as well as child pornography charges, sex trafficking charges, and prostitution charges.
R. Kelly’s Sentencing
At the time of writing, Kelly is serving a 30-year sentence in New York for sex trafficking and federal racketeering.
A Chicago judge sentenced him to another 20 years in prison on child sex convictions, but these years would be served concurrently with his existing 30-year prison sentence.
This means that instead of serving 50 years, Kelly’s prison time is only extended by a year.
How Do R. Kelly’s Children Feel About His Crimes?
Kelly has three children with his former spouse Andrea Danyell Kelly, known professionally as Drea: Joann Kelly, born in 1998, Jaah Kelly, born in 2000, and Robert Kelly Jr., born in 2002.
Before we discuss how R. Kelly’s children feel about their father’s crimes, it’s important to emphasize that their father’s despicable behavior and actions are entirely separate from his children. They have their values, beliefs, and experiences and shouldn’t be judged or held responsible for their father’s actions.
When asked about their father, Robert Jr. and Jaah kept their thoughts private. However, Joann—who now goes by Buku Abi—has spoken out about the situation, expressing support for the survivors and acknowledging the horrific actions of Kelly’s crimes.
In a 2019 Instagram post, Buku Abi called Kelly a monster, saying, “The same monster [you’re] all confronting me about is my father. I am well aware of who and what he is. I grew up in that house.”
Buku Abi said that living under her father’s name has made her life feel like a “living hell.” She learned about her father’s crimes through the rumors circulating at her school.
For nearly the entirety of fifth and sixth grade, she had to deal with the knowledge of who her father was.
Sadly, this led to a ripple effect that caused her to contemplate suicide. She found solace in music, stating that it saved her life.
R. Kelly’s Children Haven’t Spoken to Their Father in Years
All three of Kelly’s children publicly stated that they don’t have a relationship with their father.
When Jaah Kelly came out as a transgender boy in 2014 at the age of 13, R. Kelly didn’t take the news well.
In an interview with WGCI, he asked people not to refer to his daughter as male. After that, Kelly and Jaah’s relationship could only be described as complicated.
Today, Jaah Kelly no longer identifies as a transgender man but rather a nonbinary and gender-fluid lesbian.
As for Robert Jr., he keeps to himself. He doesn’t talk to R. Kelly and strictly refers to him as Robert Sr.
Robert Jr. prefers to keep a low profile and even shut down his Instagram account in 2018. He has stayed off social media since.
What About Kelly’s ex-wife, Andrea?
In a 2019 interview with The Bert Show, R. Kelly’s former spouse, Andrea “Drea” Kelly, revealed that her children haven’t spoken to R. Kelly in years. She also stated that they don’t refer to him as their dad.
Kelly changed his phone number and kept it private, so even if Drea wanted to talk to him, she had no way of doing so. This was around the time that R. Kelly stopped paying child support.
Drea has been with R. Kelly for 13 years, from 1996 to 2009. During that time, she suffered years of physical and emotional abuse. The abuse was so bad that it culminated in her attempting suicide. She filed for divorce shortly after.
Drea is one of the many women who appeared in “Surviving R. Kelly.” Regrettably, she received a lot of backlash from her participation, with some accusing her of lying and wanting to “cash in” on Kelly’s downfall.
On Drea’s end, she expressed her support and empathy for the survivors, praising their courage to come forward.
She also opened up on the lasting negative impact on her three children, worried that they’d forever be associated with Kelly’s crimes.
Conclusion
Kelly is one of the many examples that shows the dangers of separating the artist from the art.
For decades, Kelly was praised for his talent, and countless fans enjoyed his music without questioning the man behind the microphone. It was this fame that caused him to evade justice for years.
If he were held responsible for his crimes as soon as they emerged back in the 1990s and early 2000s, perhaps fewer victims would have suffered. We empathize with the victims and advocate for strict and systematic changes to prevent similar abuses of power in the future.
