R. Kelly’s Daughter Buku Abi Alleges Sexual Abuse by Father in New Documentary
ICARO Media Group
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Buku Abi, daughter of the controversial singer R. Kelly, has come forward with grave allegations against her father, claiming that she was sexually abused by him. This revelation comes more than five years after she publicly supported the survivors of her father’s alleged misconduct.
In the documentary series "R. Kelly's Karma: A Daughter's Journey," now available on TVEI Streaming Network, Abi asserts that the abuse occurred when she was just eight or nine years old. Reflecting on the harrowing experience, she remarks, "He was my everything. 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."
Abi explains that her fear kept her silent for years. "I was too scared to tell anybody," she shares, adding that she couldn’t even confide in her mother initially. The second episode of the documentary sheds light on Abi's memories of waking up to her father touching her as she pretended to be asleep. She recalls first reporting the incident to her mother in 2009, at the age of ten.
"The incident profoundly affected my life," Abi confides. "I really feel like that one millisecond completely just changed my whole life and changed who I was as a person and changed the sparkle I had and the light I used to carry." Following her disclosure, she and her siblings, Robert and Jaah, stopped visiting their father’s home. Abi admits that she continues to struggle with the trauma.
In response to these allegations, R. Kelly’s attorney Jennifer Bonjean issued a firm denial. Bonjean criticized the filmmakers for not reaching out to Kelly to address the accusations, stating, "His ex-wife made the same allegation years ago, and it was investigated by the Illinois Department of Children & Family Services and was unfounded."
Abi had previously voiced her support for her father's accusers following the release of Lifetime's "Surviving R. Kelly" in 2019. In a heartfelt statement at that time, she acknowledged the complexity of her relationship with her father, describing him as "the same monster you all [are] confronting me about." She emphasized her need to manage her emotional state and well-being, asserting her right to heal in her own way.