Nationwide — Buku Abi, the daughter of R. Kelly, is speaking publicly for the first time about the alleged abuse she experienced as a child at the hands of her father. In the two-part documentary Karma: A Daughter’s Journey, which premiered on TVEI Streaming Network, Abi, now 26, shares that she first reported the abuse to her mother, Andrea Kelly, in 2009 when she was 10 years old. Reflecting on the painful memories, she says, “He was my everything. For a long time, I didn’t even want to believe that it happened.”
According to the People, in the first episode, Abi, who was born Joann Kelly, doesn’t go into detail about the abuse but expresses her belief that her father’s current imprisonment is justified, based on her personal experiences. She recalls how the trauma altered her life, saying, “That one millisecond changed everything—who I was and the light I used to carry.” After confiding in her mother, Abi and her siblings stopped visiting their father, a decision that still weighs heavily on her.
The second episode delves deeper into Abi’s account, where she emotionally recounts waking up to her father inappropriately touching her when she was around 8 or 9 years old. Too frightened to react, she pretended to be asleep. Abi later informed her mother, and together they filed a police report under the name “Jane Doe.” However, because of the time that had passed, the authorities were unable to prosecute. Abi expresses her frustration, feeling like her voice had gone unheard.
R. Kelly’s attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, responded to the documentary by vehemently denying the allegations. She noted that similar claims were previously investigated by the Illinois Department of Children & Family Services and were found to be unfounded. Bonjean also criticized the filmmakers for not reaching out to R. Kelly or his legal team for a response.
R. Kelly is currently serving a 20-year sentence for child pornography and enticement of minors, alongside a 30-year sentence for racketeering and sex trafficking. He will be eligible for release in 2045. Despite his legal battles, Abi and her family are focusing on moving forward with their lives. Abi, who is expecting a child, states that she will not take her son to meet his grandfather in prison.
The documentary also highlights the struggles the family endured living in R. Kelly’s shadow. Andrea Kelly recounts the night she left him, taking their three children to live with her father, a man they had never met due to Kelly’s alleged controlling behavior. Abi also shares how these experiences led her to struggle with suicidal thoughts, revealing an emotional moment when her mother discovered her self-inflicted wounds.
