CULT OF ABUSE
R Kelly’s ex-wife Drea claims she was ‘verbally, emotionally and sexually’ abused by singer as daughter brands him ‘toxic person’
R KELLY'S ex-wife Drea has claimed she was verbally, emotionally and sexually abused by the singer, as his daughter blasted him as "toxic".
Appearing on Good Morning Britain today live from Atlanta, Drea, 44, and Joann, 21, admitted how difficult it has been hearing allegations against the singer as they know both sides of his personality, "R Kelly the persona and Robert the person".
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Drea, born Andrea, who was married to the R&B star for at least 13 years, told Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid: "Myself and my daughter have personally dealt with Robert the person.
"Robert the person was funny in the beginning. But fast forward a few years and we're in an abusive relationship [because that's what we knew].
"I wear two hats, I sit here not only as a survivor but as the mother of his children.
"What I can say is that he was abusive to me verbally, emotionally, sexually and today he's financially abusing me".
My heart is torn into two separate pieces. He's still my blood
Joann Kelly
Adamant that she could not confirm or deny the allegations that have been made on the docu-series, Drea admitted that the women have shared stories that are very similar to her own experiences.
The documentary, Surviving R Kelly, shines a spotlight on allegations of sexual and physical abuse against the R&B singer, which he has strenuously denied.
Drea added: "After 10 years going by and thinking I've made it out of the storm, and then here come more allegations and they ring true to my life.
"Me and these women we don’t know each other [but] how can we have the same stories about the same man and not know each other. My story comes from understanding as a survivor and as an advocate."
Nodding throughout the interview as her mum spoke, Joann stuttered before she expressed how "hard it is to digest" the allegations.
She said: "My heart is torn into two separate places. He's still my blood.
How can we [the other survivors] have the same stories about the same man and not know each other?
Drea Kelly
"Yes I still do love my father. I didn't mean to say that I hate him or I'm bashing him. But at the end of the day you have to be responsible for your actions. If my father's a toxic person then unfortunately you have to love him from a distance."
It was claimed that Joann branded R Kelly a "monster", in an emotional Instagram post.
She wrote: “The same monster you all confronting me about is my father. 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 peace of mind. My emotional state. And for MY healing.
“I had to do and move in a manner that is best for me.”
She told Piers and Susannah that she has not seen or heard from the singer "in a few years".
R Kelly's daughter Joann says she still loves her father even after women have come forward with sexual abuse allegations against him
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Piers said he found it "hard to believe that these women are making [their stories] up".
Speaking to Susannah after the interview he said: "At some point you add it all up and you don’t come up with the word coincidence. What a mess."
The singer was ditched by Sony Music after the Surviving R Kelly documentary series was aired in the US.
Allegations against the singer have been circulating for over a decade, and he was acquitted from child pornography charges in 2008.
And his brother Carey Kelly, who grew up with the troubled star in Chicago, says he has “no regrets” about taking part in docuseries.
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