R Kelly’s estranged daughter, Buku Abi, has found herself at the center of attention again amid public interest in the disgraced singer’s ongoing and new legal battles. Born JoAnn Kelly, Buku has publicly talked about the emotional toll her father’s crimes have on her, but never said she was a victim of his.
In her past public statements, Buku said she “sympathized with every survivor” of R. Kelly’s abuse who was “forced to live through that at the hands and mercy of my father.” Having an evil burden being closely related to such a controversial figure, Buku has, however, clarified that she no longer sustains a relationship with her father, whose convictions for sex crimes have sent shockwaves throughout the music world and beyond.
I’m truly devastated by everything that’s come to light, and it’s been really, really hard to process, Buku wrote in 2019 on Instagram. In the same post, she also touched on how she struggled to balance her personal relationship with her father against his public persona, saying she must “pray for all the families and women that have been affected from my father’s actions.”
Though other documentaries, such as “Surviving R. Kelly,” have brought to light the stories of many of R. Kelly’s victims, Buku has stayed clear of any active involvement in them. Her choice to remain mostly silent because of her father’s legal issues has brought both empathy and speculation from the public.
Ongoing trials and convictions against R. Kelly on charges that involve sexual abuse and exploitation put a certain kind of spotlight on his family. While Abi has not made any legal allegations, her public comments are evidence of her personal battle with being associated with someone convicted of serious crimes.
The solidarity with Buku has been loud from many fans and supporters of R. Kelly’s victims for what many children from public figures have to live their lives: between loyalty to family and personal integrity. As the case against R. Kelly remained in process, Buku stays a figure of strength and resilience to many people close enough to this case.