Joann Kelly aka Buku Abi, the estranged daughter of singer R. Kelly, has released a strong statement condemning her, “terrible” father for the allegations of abuse that many women have said they’ve experienced at the hands of the singer.
In the long and thoughtful statement she released via Instagram Thursday, she apologized for her silence thus far and expressed sympathy to all of the victims of her father’s abuse, which she implies that she and the rest of her family also experienced. She goes on to explain the difficultly that she is experiencing processing what is going on and that in no way did she intend for her initial silence to be perceived as “careless[ness],” but she wanted to find the right words to say before speaking.
Also she mentions that her mother, siblings, nor she condone any of the negative behavior attributed to her father in the past or present, thus explaining their collective estrangement from him over the last few years.
She concludes by saying that she and her family will continue their own healing process and by thanking all those who are supporting her family and her during this time by mentioning their “love is appreciated and will always be reciprocated.”
Read her statement in full below.
By: Latayla Branson