R. Kelly’s (51) ex-wife, Drea Kelly (44), has just come forward to reveal horrors she says she endured at the hands of the “Bump N’ Grind” singer. The two were married for 13 years and it’s been nine years since their divorce. Now, Drea, the former “Hollywood Exes” star, is ready to finally tell her side of the story. *Scroll down for video*
(VIDEO) Abuse & Suicide Attempt
In a new interview on Atlanta’s talk show, “Sister Circle,” Drea opened up to singer/co-host, Syleena Johnson, about her time with R. Kelly. During her discussion, she dropped a few bombshells about domestic violence that she reportedly endured from Kelly, as well as her suicide attempt at that time.
Drea cried uncontrollably as she went into detail about the day she decided to walk away from the alleged abusive relationship. She said she was at hotel and had played sick all day. Fed up with the alleged abuse, Drea says she walked over to the hotel room’s balcony and proceeded to hoist herself up onto the balcony’s ledge, preparing to jump off. Then she says an inner voice and thoughts of her children sobbing after she would have killed her self, is what ultimately changed her mind.
Feeling hopeless, she started pleading, “God, I need an answer today, not tomorrow, not in an hour, I need it now and the first thing God told me, He said, ‘Grab your laptop,’… and once I grabbed the laptop, He said, ‘Put in domestic violence.'”
However, Drea felt that she was “not the teeth missing, broken bone girl” type, so she assumed the ‘domestic violence’ term didn’t apply to her. Then she says she was shocked after what she’d read on her computer at that moment:
“I kept scrolling and at the end of the domestic violence awareness website, there was a questionnaire,” Drea admitted as tears streamed down her face. “There were 17 questions and they ask you, ‘Has your abuser ever done…?’ Of the 17[things on the list], Robert [R.Kelly] had done 15 to me.”
Why She’s Speaking Out Now
After revealing her abuse allegations, Drea was asked why she chose to speak out now, nearly 10 years after their divorce. Drea revealed that’s how long it’s taken her to heal herself psychologically and mentally:
“You have to love somebody enough to tell them, ‘enough,’ and I don’t believe that my ex-husband has enough people in his life to be real with him, to be honest with him, who care about his healing, who care about the healing of these families and I feel like it’s God’s time,” said Drea. “I was not strong enough. How can I be a voice for the voiceless when I don’t even have my own?… So, I had to wait until God said, ‘OK, daughter. It’s time.”
So far, R. Kelly has not responded to his ex-wife’s claims.
Even though Drea’s and R. Kelly’s marriage was clearly a rocky one, there are three beautiful blessings their union produced. Their three children- daughter, Joann Kelly; son, Robert Kelly Jr.; and transgender son, Jay Kelly- are their pride and joy. Hopefully, the alleged traumatic experiences they’ve had to witness throughout the years (the sex assault allegations against their dad and the reported abuse Drea revealed) has not severely scarred them emotionally and psychologically. Wishing them all the best going forward.
