Daughter of R. Kelly, Buku Abi, is set to reveal a “heartbreaking secret” in an upcoming documentary titled R. Kelly’s Karma: A Daughter’s Journey. The documentary, which will air on the TVEI streaming platform on October 11, is expected to provide a raw and emotional look at Abi’s life growing up as the daughter of the infamous R&B singer.
The film will feature interviews with Buku (born Joanne Kelly), her brother Robert Kelly Jr., and their mother, Drea Kelly, R. Kelly’s ex-wife. A promotional post for the documentary teases that Buku will “bravely reveal a heartbreaking secret that shattered her childhood.” In the documentary’s trailer, Buku is seen reflecting on the profound impact her father’s actions had on her, saying, “For a long time, I didn’t even want to believe that it happened. I didn’t know that even if he was a bad person that he would do something to me.”
R. Kelly Family’s Pain
In the documentary, Drea Kelly also speaks out about the pain her children endured due to their father’s behavior. “What he did to me, he did to me, but you didn’t have to do it to my kids,” Drea tearfully states in the trailer. The family’s revelations will shed light on the trauma they experienced, living under the shadow of one of the most notorious figures in music history.
The documentary promises to unveil the dark reality of growing up with a father who has been convicted of heinous crimes. In 2022, R. Kelly was found guilty of six federal charges, including child pornography and sexually assaulting minors. While he has been fighting to have his convictions overturned, citing legal technicalities, the release of this documentary may serve as a reminder of the long-lasting harm his actions have caused.
The documentary aims to show how the lives of R. Kelly’s family members have been irreversibly changed. As Buku says in the trailer, “Nobody wants to be the child of the father that is out here hurting women and children.”