PEOPLE exclusively revealed that in the six-part docuseries, which premiered with its first two episodes Thursday night, former backup singer/dancerJovante Cunningham claimsshe once witnessed music star R. Kelly, then 27, having sex with the R&B star Aaliyah Haughton, then 15 on a populated tour bus.
“It just so happened we were all laying in our bunks and the curtains are open, everybody’s communicating, laughing,” Cunningham says in the documentary. “When the [room] door flew open on the bus. Robert was having sex with Aaliyah.”
Just ahead of the documentary’s premiere, Aaliyah’s motherreleased a statementon Twitter denying the account and calling it “lies and fabrications.”
“My husband and I were always on tour with [Aaliyah] and at interviews and every place she went throughout her entire career,” the statement read. “Whoever this woman is [who is making the allegations], I have never seen her before anywhere on planet earth, until now.”
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“It’s unfortunate that there are still people trying to protect Robert when they know he has destroyed so many people’s lives,” she writes. “I loved Aaliyah and when people watch the documentary, they will see how much I cared for her and how much Robert’s actions deeply affected me and so many others.”
The documentary is built upon wide-ranging interviews with many of R. Kelly’sformer friends,family membersand colleagues, but most notably, women who claim that for decades the hit-making singer and producer used his power and influence tosexually and physically abuse womenand young girls. In this week’s issue of PEOPLE, eight who escaped his world — or tried to help loved ones they say were trapped — share their harrowing stories.
In 2002 Kelly was indicted after a video surfaced allegedly showing a man engaged in sex acts with a woman who some witnesses testified was 14 at the time of the recording. Both R. Kelly and the woman denied that the video was of them, and R. Kelly was never charged with assault. In 2008, R. Kelly was found not guilty on 21 counts of child pornography.
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A report fromBuzzFeed Newsreleased in July 2017 alleged that R. Kelly haskept at least six womenin his Chicago and Georgia properties who allegedly fulfill his desires and are punished if they break any of his “rules.” Amid these allegations — which have never led to formal charges — women’s rights organization Time’s Up along with stars likeAva DuVernayandJohn Legendhave called for a boycott of his music with#MuteRKelly.
John Legendis one of the only stars to take part in the documentary. In it, he claims, “R. Kelly has brought a lot of pain to a lot of people.”
For more powerful stories from alleged victims of R. Kelly, pick up this week’s issue of PEOPLE on newsstands now.
Surviving R. Kellyairs on Lifetime at 9 p.m. ET from Thursday, Jan. 3 through Saturday, Jan. 5.
If you or someone you know think they are being abused, call theNational Domestic Violence Hotlineat 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE) or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY) now for anonymous, confidential help, available 24/7.
source: people.com
