R. Kelly's Kids: Facts about His Estranged Children

Former RnB star R. Kelly fathered three kids with his ex-wife, and his children revealed they have not been on speaking terms with the "Ignition" singer following his fall from fame. According to their mother, they will always be haunted by their disgraced father's actions.

Before being labeled a predator and facing years of imprisonment for sex trafficking charges, R. Kelly was a married man who welcomed three kids with his ex-wife, Drea Kelly.

Joann, Jaah, and Robert Kelly Jr. are all commonly known for being R. Kelly's children and revealed that title has seen them suffer from bullying at school. R. Kelly's ex-wife-turned-advocate also shared that the singer's actions have seen him lose the badge of "Dad."

Joann Kelly

Drea and R. Kelly's daughter, Joann Kelly, proved she inherited the musical gene from her father when she ventured into the music industry. According to her Instagram account, she goes by the stage name Buku Abi, and her other credits include appearing on "Love and Hip Hop: Atlanta" in 2017.

However, in 2019, the then-21-year-old revealed she initially did not want to be in the entertainment industry as, through her father, she saw the "hell part of it."

Joann's father had already faced scrutiny for his involvement with underaged women way before she was born, and the scandal followed him well after becoming a father. R. Kelly's daughter added:

"At home, it's normal. You're living a life with your parents. [...] But kids in school don't necessarily care. Fifth and sixth grade is when I started learning the sore part of it [...]. I think that was the hardest part for me because for so long, I went with this image of who my dad (was) and what my family (was)."

Jaah Kelly

R. Kelly and his ex-wife also had another daughter, whom they named Jaya. However, when Jaya was 14, he came out as a transgender male and changed his name from Jaya to Jay and then Jaah.

Jaah knew he was a transgender male from as young as 6 or 7 and slowly began to identify with he/him pronouns. "I believe I am a boy and want surgery and the medication to help me be who I was supposed to be," Jaah said in 2019.

Initial reports claimed Jaah's family did not support his new identity; however, he set the record straight and shared they did. Like his sister, Jaah's Instagram reveals he is also an artist, as well as a sound engineer.

Robert Kelly Jr.

Drea and her ex-husband's other child is Robert Kelly Jr., and unlike his other siblings, Robert Jr. steers clear of the limelight. However, in 2018, he appeared in an ABC interview with his mother, brother, and sister.

It was revealed during the interview that the siblings were not on speaking terms with their father and were subjected to bullying at school due to their father's actions. Their mother later shared:

"My heart breaks as a mother because this is now the legacy that my children will have to deal with and their children's children. At the end of the day, you cannot walk away from your bloodline."

In 2019, Drea echoed the same sentiment that Joann, Jaah, and Robert Jr. were not on speaking terms with their father and revealed the siblings no longer referred to R. Kelly as Dad. "They call him Robert Senior," Drea stated.