An article appeared on BuzzFeed yesterday (17 July) detailing R. Kelly’s alleged “cult”, in which a circle of women are ordered to follow Kelly’s rules, and non-compliance is punished with physical and verbal abuse.
The article reports that Kelly controls what the women wear, eat, when they sleep, bathe, and how they engage in recorded sexual acts. Phones have been taken away, and permission must be gained for the women to leave their locations – some of which BuzzFeed has identified as Kelly’s Chicago recording studio, a guest house in Duluth, Georgia, and his suburban Atlanta homes.
Since the article was published, TMZ have received a statement from the RnB singer which was submitted through a representative. Read the statement below.
Mr. Robert Kelly is both alarmed and disturbed by the recent revelations attributed to him. Mr. Kelly unequivocally denies such accusations and will work diligently and forcibly to pursue his accusers and clear his name.
Read the original BuzzFeed report here. We will update this story as we learn more.
Update: Jocelyn Savage, daughter of the parents identified as “J.” and “Tim” in the Buzzfeed article, has responded to the allegations in a video for TMZ.
In the interview, the 21-year-old says she has “never been held hostage” and is in a “happy place” with her life.
“I’m not being brainwashed or anything like that. It just came to a point where it definitely has gotten out of hand. I just want everybody to know – my parents and everybody in the world – that I am totally fine. I’m happy where I’m at, and everything is okay with me,” she says.
On contacting her parents, she details, “I haven’t spoken to them in about five to six months, on and off. They’ll text me from time to time, but I haven’t really wanted to speak to them because of what they’re doing.”
Upon being asked about her location, whether she is able to freely leave the premises and if she has any roommates, Savage refused to comment.
Watch the video interview below.
