R. Kelly‘s eldest daughter has claimed in a new interview that her father’s reputation as a serial sex offender cost her a record deal.
Joann Kelly, who performs under the moniker Buku Abi, briefly appeared alongside her mother, Drea Kelly, on Atlanta’s radio station Majic 107.5 on Friday (August 26).
The show’s hosts began by asking Joann whether her music career had either stalled or flourished because of her father’s name. The 24-year-old said it was both.
“For me the experience has been, ‘You’re only getting this because of who your parents are,’ and then, ‘You’re not getting this because of who your parents are,'” Joann said around the 21-minute mark below.
“Absolutely,” Joann said. “Simply based off of my last name. I think for me especially ’cause a lot of people don’t know, music is my first passion. I love music. I’m a singer, songwriter, I love music, and I been doing music since I was 13 years old.”
She continued: “That’s the first time I ever wrote a song was at 13, and from 13 up until 24 I’ve been trying to get into the music business. Trying to get into the industry and all those years it’s either been you’re getting it because of who your dad is or you not getting it because of who your dad is.
“I’ve been this close to a record deal and when they found out who I was it got swiped away…the paperwork was drawn up and everything. Flew out to L.A., and everything. [Somebody] found out who I was, and that was it.”
When asked how many times that’s happened, she said: “A good amount.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Joann praised the resilience of her mother, who she called an inspiration for being able to work through the baggage and harassment that came with being married to R. Kelly.
“I would say the one thing that I’m most proud of her about would probably be her ability to get up and try to be a better person every day,” Joann said as Drea began to tear up. “Because she’s been through a lot and I’ve had to watch her go through a lot and as her oldest child it’s hard, and I think more than anything that’s what’s affected me the most.”
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Joann’s father –who is already serving a 30-year sentence in New York after being convicted on nine counts of racketeering and sex trafficking charges back in 2021 –is currently on trial again in his hometown of Chicago.
R. Kelly is being charged with multiple felonies there, including child pornography and obstruction of justice. The trial is already off to a rocky start for the disgraced singer, as a federal judge recently rejected his request to ban jurors who’ve seen Surviving R. Kelly from his trial.
According to NBC News, Kelly’s attorney Jennifer Bonjean told U.S. District Judge Harry D. Leinenweber for the Northern District of Illinois: “It would be impossible for anyone who saw any part of the series to separate what they saw on TV and in the courtroom.”
Judge Leinenweber disagreed, saying it wouldn’t “make sense” to prohibit someone from serving if they’d seen only seen a portion of the series, adding that it aired years ago.
surprise surprise.
Wow, im suprised!
This country is not what we are hear and see is wonderful like the revenge and the penality for being free after one have ready pay the price why should anyone pay for being in prison and when u come out you still have to pay the government it that freedom r being punish because of your parents ?
Cancel culture needs to be cancelled.
rapin kids and peeing on them on camera and still having people with extra chromosomes think your innocent needs to be cancelled.
If the music was undeniably good then they would have signed her anyways. It is fucked up to be punished for the actions of your family members but it does happen.
I call bs plus Caping. If your music is half as good as her father’s. No one would care.
capping mean bs.
why would anyone with a brain want a record deal especially if pops is the king of rnb?
Even Kanye West’s daughter, wouldn’t get a modeling deal for Dior nor Carter’s, because of her daddy’s craziness
Shorty Capp n for attention like her mom… if u were half good dad would have pushed you… attention seeking behavior… most kids follow in parents footsteps fail. Curve your own lane… if you have that much talent… write for others… steph curry and a handful of others did better in the same areas as parents.. just be great at you…
This is a stupid comment
Lmaoo yup you tried it but we are not dumb you just garbage asf face it don’t blame that man for your shortcomings it’s mfs out here still bumping that man’s greatest hits because….well shit he’s just that good and the music and his talent are undeniable.
Good.
Alot of peole do not care for her mother either because she was apart of 3 somes with the underage girls. She help him be a sexual predator. If she is going to do interviews, she need to leave her no good mom home. Jaden and Willow Smith do their own thing. They do not use their parent’s name or money.
If she was as good as she think she is, why didn’t her Dad help her? She must not be that great. Besides, she do not need her Dad to be successful. She dropped out of high school, tried to commit suicide etc. This girl need therapy not a recod deal. Also, performers have a certain look. She do not have that look, and she is not confident. Her mom ought to be ashamed of herself for allowing her to embarrass herself. She is an embarrassment all by herself. They have been dicussing her mom during the trial saying how lying and vile she has been.