Current:Home > ScamsEthermac|R. Kelly's Daughter Joann Kelly to Share a "Heartbreaking Secret" in Upcoming Documentary -WealthRoots Academy
Ethermac|R. Kelly's Daughter Joann Kelly to Share a "Heartbreaking Secret" in Upcoming Documentary
SignalHub View
Date:2025-04-08 09:27:01
R. Kelly's estranged daughter has been carrying a heartbreaking childhood secret.
In a new documentary,Ethermac 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! (3736)
Related
- IRS recovers $4.7 billion in back taxes and braces for cuts with Trump and GOP in power
- What Nikki Garcia's Life Looks Like After Filing for Divorce From Artem Chigvintsev
- Supplies are rushed to North Carolina communities left isolated after Helene
- Voters in Northern California county to vote on whether to allow large-scale farms
- Realtor group picks top 10 housing hot spots for 2025: Did your city make the list?
- New rules regarding election certification in Georgia to get test in court
- How often should you wash your dog? Bathe that smelly pup with these tips.
- Raheem Morris downplays Kyle Pitts' zero-catch game: 'Stats are for losers'
- Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie return for an 'Encore,' reminisce about 'The Simple Life'
- Travis Hunter strikes Heisman pose after interception for Colorado vs UCF
Ranking
- In ‘Nickel Boys,’ striving for a new way to see
- New rules regarding election certification in Georgia to get test in court
- Kris Kristofferson, singer-songwriter and actor, dies at 88
- College Football Misery Index: Ole Miss falls flat despite spending big
- SFO's new sensory room helps neurodivergent travelers fight flying jitters
- Nebraska law enforcement investigating after fatal Omaha police shooting
- Epic flooding in North Carolina's 'own Hurricane Katrina'
- Steelers' Minkah Fitzpatrick upset with controversial unnecessary roughness penalty in loss
Recommendation
Apple iOS 18.2: What to know about top features, including Genmoji, AI updates
Georgia power outage map: Thousands still without power days after Helene
No time for shoes as Asheville family flees by boat, fearing they lost everything
Awareness of ‘Latinx’ increases among US Latinos, and ‘Latine’ emerges as an alternative
Buckingham Palace staff under investigation for 'bar brawl'
DirecTV will buy rival Dish to create massive pay-TV company after yearslong pursuit
As theaters struggle, many independent cinemas in Los Angeles are finding their audience
Trump lists his grievances in a Wisconsin speech intended to link Harris to illegal immigration