Tonight, the 6-part "Surviving R.Kelly" docu-series begins airing. And there's plenty of drama accompanying it. Get it all inside...
R.Kelly's lawyers are NOT happy about tonight's series that tells the stories - in their own words - of the women who have accused R.Kelly of sexual abuse.
Like the "12 Play" singer has been claiming for years, his legal team says the docu-series is "all lies." They fired off a cease and desist and a threat to sue the network if they air it. Lifetime is airing it anyway. In full.
Not only will accusers like his ex-wife Andrea Kelly and former protegé Sparkle be heard, but people from the singer's inner circle are coming forward for the first time as well. TMZ reports:
Kelly's lawyer, Brian Nix, fired off a legal letter -- obtained by TMZ -- warning the network that its "Surviving R. Kelly" documentary is packed with lies. Nix threatens to file a federal lawsuit Thursday -- the same day Lifetime's set to air the special -- if the network doesn't relent.
....
Kelly's calling BS ... saying the subjects made false allegations to become famous. What's more ... Kelly says he has 2 audio recordings -- 5 minutes in duration -- that show Lifetime knew "some of the girls are lying, but that the budget was too high to turn back now."
Lifetime has now put out a statement, dubling down on their decision to air:
Despite receiving a scathing cease and desist letter, a Lifetime rep tells TMZ ... the first part of its 6-part documentary will air tonight as scheduled at 9 PM ET/PT.
The rep adds ... "Lifetime has always been a brand that champions women’s stories." Not hard to read between the lines ... the network believes the women.
One of the doc's producer, Dream Hampton, is also speaking out. The writer (who previously edited/wrote Jay-Z's Decoded) says that she reached out to her celeb friends to be involved, and only John Legend agreed to speak on camera.
“John Legend was the only one," who participated, hampton said. “I asked Jay-Z, I asked Mary J. Blige, I asked Lil Kim, Erykah Badu, Dave Chappelle..." But they all said no. “I mean, most people just don't want to touch it. I remember Ahmir["Questlove" Thompson] was like, 'I would do anything for you but I can't do this.' It's not because they support him, it's because it's so messy and muddy. It's that turning away that has allowed this to go on."
Dream also explained to Shadow+Act why the whole "R.Kelly situation" is virtually impossible to navigate and make transparent:
“There are whole systems in place: housing, runners, rules," hampton said. “There are women decades apart testifying to the kind of rules that they were subjected to living with this man, dealing with this man; there are hundreds, probably thousands of tapes made of them [by R. Kelly] without their permission. He's also deeply manipulative; these are women who didn't know each other, 20 years apart, and they'd be talking about being made to sign false confessions and he'd say, 'This is my insurance that you don't hurt me the way these other women have hurt me.' So, I knew we were dealing with someone that we may not want to dismiss. He's dangerous," hampton said.
Questlove, who has been publicly promoting the docu-series, responded. And so did Dream, again:
He deleted his tweets after dream responded. pic.twitter.com/FV5UnoZUFE
— ashley (@sunshinenroses7) January 3, 2019
Also, a good note to remember if you will be watching:
Black women, this will most likely be triggering tomorrow night. If you are watching, find someone to watch it with or turn off when you need to. I am in Harlem if needed! This is necessary but may open up some wounds. You are not alone & it was not your fault. Love you, mean it. https://t.co/9EtlMZF3g1
— deesha (@DeeshaDyer) January 2, 2019
Meanwhile, a backup dancer named Jovante Cunningham alleges in the first parts of the docu-series that she saw a then 15-year-old Aaliyah and the 27-year-old R.Kelly having sex.
In the first episode, Cunningham described what she purportedly witnessed between the two while on tour. "We were out on the road with Aaliyah," she said. "On a tour bus, there really aren't many confined spaces. When you get on the bus there are bunks and so these bunks have little curtains you can pull at night if you don't want anybody to see you sleeping."
She explained that people on tour were "laughing" and at one moment, "The door flew open on the bus. Robert was having sex with Aaliyah." R. Kelly's real name is Robert Sylvester Kelly.
What she apparently saw amounted to "Things that an adult should not be doing with a child."
Aaliyah's mother, Diane Haughton, responded yesterday via E! News, saying she and her late husband were always with her, and that this was all a lie.
"The woman and so-called back up singer that describes seeing, meeting or ever breathing the same air as my daughter, Aaliyah, is lying and is a liar," Haughton said in a statement to E! News. "My husband and I were always on tour with her and at interviews and every place she went throughout her entire career. Whoever this woman is, I have never seen her before anywhere on planet earth, until now."
Haughton then called Cunningham's claims "lies and fabrications" that "can not be tolerated and allowed to be spewed from the forked tongues of saboteurs of Aaliyah's legacy."
She continued, "My daughter only wanted to realize her dream of sharing her talent with the world, and give her all performing on stage and in front of the camera for the fans she adored so much. She realized that dream, thanks to those true fans who still love and support her legacy unconditionally to this day. Shame on all those involved in this project who thought it kosher to drag Aaliyah's name into a situation that has nothing to do with her today. Once again, this will not be tolerated."
As for that rumored marriage between the late Aaliyah and R.:
One of R. Kelly's former personal assistants Demetrius Smith claims in the Lifetime series that the "Ignition" rapper and Aaliyah got married when she was 15. Smith said he got "papers forged for them when Aaliyah was underage."
Aaliyah passed away in 2001 at age 22.
Photo Credit: Jamie Lamor Thompson/Shutterstock