Crime

R. Kelly’s daughter speaks out about the controversy

ROLLINGOUT.COM — R. Kelly’s daughter has finally broken her silence.

Published

7 years ago

January 12, 2019

By Rollingout.com

R. Kelly’s daughter has finally broken her silence. The 52-year-old singer was recently the subject of the docuseries “Surviving R. Kelly,” which featured claims he had used his position to abuse women and young girls for decades.

The singer’s estranged daughter, Buku Abi has branded him a “monster.” She admitted she has been “deeply affected” by the program and has found it “very difficult” to process the revelations.

She wrote in a lengthy post on her Instagram Stories: “Before I start I just want it to be known that I am speaking from the heart, nothing I say or do not say is to hurt ANY party reading this or affected by this.

“To the people that feel I should be speaking up/against everything that is going on right now. I just want you all to understand that devastated is an understatement for all that I feel currently.

“I do apologize if my silence to all that is happening comes off as careless. That is my last intention. I pray for all the families & women who have been affected by my father’s actions. Trust, I have been deeply affected by all of this.

“However, it has been very difficult to process it all, let alone gather all the right words to express everything I feel.”

Buku — whose real name is Joann Kelly — clarified that she, her mother and her siblings haven’t had a relationship with the “I Believe I Can Fly” singer for “years” following many challenges “in regard to him, his life decisions and his last name.”

And the singer-songwriter admitted she’d been left unhappy about people bombarding her with messages saying she should have spoken out about her famous father before now.

She continued: “My mother, siblings and I would never condone, support or be a part of ANYTHING negative he has done and or continues to do in his life.

“Going through all I have gone through in my life, I would never want anyone to feel the pain I have felt.

“Reminders of how terrible my father is, and how we should be speaking up against him, rude comments about my family, fabricating me, my siblings & our mothers ‘part’ etc. Does not help my family (Me, my sister, my brother, and my mother) in our healing process. Nor does it allow a safe space for other victims who are scared to speak up, speak up.

“The same monster you all [are] confronting me about is my father. I am well aware of who and what he is. I grew up in that house.”

Abi explained she had stayed quiet for the sake of her own “peace of mind” and “healing” and stressed she needs to put herself first.

She wrote: “My choice not to speak on him and what he does is for my peace of mind. My emotional state. And for MY healing.

“I have to do & move in a manner that is best for me. I pray anyone who reads this understands I put nothing but good intent behind each word.”

Buku concluded her long series of posts by thanking her family’s supporters for helping to “push us through this hard time.”

She wrote: “This past year for my family has been very difficult, all the love and support you all continue to show is why we keep going. You all fuel us.

“Family, friends, followers, fans, etc… I love you guys to pieces. Your love is appreciated & always will be.”

Kelly, 52, has denied all the allegations made against him and has threatened legal action against his accusers and the makers of the series.

This article originally appeared in Rollingout.com.

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Oakland Post: Week of December 31, 2025 – January 6, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – December 31, 2025 – January 6, 2026

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January 2, 2026

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Alameda County

Oakland Council Expands Citywide Security Cameras Despite Major Opposition

In a 7-1 vote in favor of the contract, with only District 3 Councilmember Carroll Fife voting no, the Council agreed to maintain its existing network of 291 cameras and add 40 new “pan-tilt-zoom cameras.”

Published

4 weeks ago

December 21, 2025

Oakland Post

At the International Association of Chiefs of Police Conference, Flock Safety introduces new public safety technology – Amplified Intelligence, a suite of AI-powered tools designed to improve law enforcement investigations. Courtesy photo.

By Post Staff

The Oakland City Council this week approved a $2.25 million contract with Flock Safety for a mass surveillance network of hundreds of security cameras to track vehicles in the city.

In recent weeks hundreds of local residents have spoken against the camera system, raising concerns that data will be shared with immigration authorities and other federal agencies at a time when mass surveillance is growing across the country with little regard for individual rights.

The Flock network, supported by the Oakland Police Department, has the backing of residents and councilmembers who see it as an important tool to protect public safety.

“This system makes the Department more efficient as it allows for information related to disruptive/violent criminal activities to be captured … and allows for precise and focused enforcement,” OPD wrote in its proposal to City Council.

According to OPD, police made 232 arrests using data from Flock cameras between July 2024 and November of this year.

Based on the data, police say they recovered 68 guns, and utilizing the countywide system, they have found 1,100 stolen vehicles.

However, Flock’s cameras cast a wide net. The company’s cameras in Oakland last month captured license plate numbers and other information from about 1.4 million vehicles.

Speaking at Tuesday’s Council meeting, Fife was critical of her colleagues for signing a contract with a company that has been in the national spotlight for sharing data with federal agencies.

Flock’s cameras – which are automated license plate readers – have been used in tracking people who have had abortions, monitoring protesters, and aiding in deportation roundups.

“I don’t know how we get up and have several press conferences talking about how we are supportive of a sanctuary city status but then use a vendor that has been shown to have a direct relationship with (the U.S.) Border Control,” she said. “It doesn’t make sense to me.”

Several councilmembers who voted in favor of the contract said they supported the deal as long as some safeguards were written into the Council’s resolution.

“We’re not aiming for perfection,” said District 1 Councilmember Zac Unger. “This is not Orwellian facial recognition technology — that’s prohibited in Oakland. The road forward here is to add as many amendments as we can.”

Amendments passed by the Council prohibit OPD from sharing camera data with any other agencies for the purpose of “criminalizing reproductive or gender affirming healthcare” or for federal immigration enforcement. California state law also prohibits the sharing of license plate reader data with the federal government, and because Oakland’s sanctuary city status, OPD is not allowed to cooperate with immigration authorities.

A former member of Oakland’s Privacy Advisory Commission has sued OPD, alleging that it has violated its own rules around data sharing.

So far, OPD has shared Flock data with 50 other law enforcement agencies.