R. Kelly under siege in the wake of ‘Surviving R Kelly’ docu-series
The new docu-series Surviving R. Kelly continues to elicit varied reactions, despite legal threats from the disgraced R&B singer.
The three-night, six-part special premiered on Thursday night and immediately began trending on Twitter.
The docu-series explores the disturbing sexual abuse allegations against 51-year-old entertainer.
It includes more than 50 interviews with Kelly’s brothers, his former collaborators and even his alleged victims.
Audiences had mixed reactions to the first couple of installments while others applauded producer dream hampton and her team for shedding light on this horrific story.
AALIYAH STORY
However, the mother of the late singer Aaliyah has denounced claims that her daughter had sex with the controversial crooner as an underage teenager.
Ahead of the debut of docu-series, accusations from one of R. Kelly’s former backup performers emerged. She alleged she caught the singer having sex with a then 15-year-old Aaliyah.
Now, the Try Again singer’s mother is slamming the allegations as “lies and fabrications.”
It’s been widely reported that Aaliyah and Kelly wed in a secret ceremony in 1994, but the pair never commented on the nature of their relationship.
Despite a public marriage certificate listing Aaliyah’s age as 18, since she was born in 1979, she would have been 15 at the time.
Here are some of the reactions on Twitter:
We should all thank my friend @dreamhampton for her very necessary work to create #SurvivingRKelly. These survivors deserved to be lifted up and heard. I hope it gets them closer to some kind of justice.
— John Legend (@johnlegend) January 4, 2019
If you look back at the reporting during the R Kelly-Aaliyah marriage, it was a massive failure. Zero understanding of sexual abuse. Nobody treated this seriously. It was a collective shrug #SurvivingRKelly
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) January 4, 2019
#SurvivingRKelly is the #1 trending topic on @twitter. Amen. Speaking truth to power.
— kerry washington (@kerrywashington) January 4, 2019
So proud of the women telling their truth tonight. It’s finally time for the music industry to be held ACCOUNTABLE.#SurvivingRKelly https://t.co/IDZkLJot8V
— terry crews (@terrycrews) January 4, 2019
The #SurvivingRKelly documentary is just too much to stomach.
Those girls.
That abuse.
The silence.
??— xoNecole (@xonecole) January 4, 2019
Um, lemme tell ya what they not gon’ do, act like #RKelly is holding young girls captive because he had a tough childhood. LOTS of folks had tough childhoods and did not go on to do what he is alleged to have done. #CutItOut! #SurvivingRKelly
— yvette nicole brown (@YNB) January 4, 2019
Stellar journalism, stellar filmmaking. But furthermore, just grateful for your resolve to amplify survivor stories and the truth. Thank you and everyone involved for believing black women @dreamhampton. #SurvivingRKelly
— Christina Coleman (@ChrissyCole) January 4, 2019
People are really victim blaming teenage girls for their decisions, and it says a lot about how society approaches rape culture. #SurvivingRKelly
— T’Keyah Lynette ? (@ventrilloquism_) January 4, 2019