The anti-R.Kelly movement appears to be stronger than ever
Despite R. Kelly threatening legal action against Lifetime, the station aired the first of their six-part series Surviving R. Kelly on Thursday night. The docuseries dives into the sexual history of Kelly, and interviews over 50 women that claim they are victims of sexual, physical, or mental abuse. The stories of R. Kelly’s sexual exploits have been revolving around the industry for years, but Surviving R. Kelly escalates the conversation with some truly hard to stomach evidence.
“These are women who lived in his house and studio for years, and have the same story about being forbidden to talk,” the show’s executive producer Dream Hampton told Complex. “So once those women become free of those barriers, they’re looking to connect with each other, to know that they weren’t the only ones. Those women are from different decades. [We had to] find women from different decades, who had near-identical stories of being denied food, denied movement in the house, denied conversation with other human beings. Physical abuse, again and again.” After the episode aired, several celebrities took to Twitter to speak about the emotional display. John Legend, who is featured on the show, wasn’t shy about letting his feeling about R. Kelly out. “I believe these women and don’t give a fuck about protecting a serial child rapist,” he tweeted.
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
To everyone telling me how courageous I am for appearing in the doc, it didn't feel risky at all. I believe these women and don't give a fuck about protecting a serial child rapist. Easy decision.
— 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
True story: I interviewed Aaliyah in 1995, as an intern for the Detroit Free Press. I asked her if she was married to R Kelly, and she denied it. What I didn’t ask her is if she had ever been married to him. Even when she answered, I didn’t believe her.
— 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
Mans deadass had a flash mob wedding. #SurvivingRKelly
— Phonte (@phontigallo) January 4, 2019
bro, this Aaliyah segment is really fucking tough to watch… FUCK man.
so many people failed her.
my heart is breaking all over again….— Bryan-Michael Cox (@bryanmichaelcox) January 4, 2019
When you ask "How has R Kelly been able to survive and thrive all this time?" it's because people in our own community make excuses for him and prop him up. His art is about abusing young girls, made while abusing young girls, so he can make money to abuse more young girls. https://t.co/C0En3SS1Fl
— April (@ReignOfApril) January 4, 2019
Everybody in Aaliyah's camp when R. Kelly was preying on her #SurvivingRKelly pic.twitter.com/Z5KpPkQULR
— Morgan Jerkins (@MorganJerkins) January 4, 2019
The fact that #SurvivingRKelly was even made is indicative that #RKelly people couldn't stop it legally. They know that it's 100% true or that disputing any interviews would require him to expose other potentially illegal activities he engaged in
— Jason Johnson (@DrJasonJohnson) January 4, 2019
