Almost two months after the Lifetime docuseries Surviving R. Kelly, which renewed the public’s interest in the allegation’s made against R. Kelly, the rapper has been charged with 10 counts of aggravated sex abuse in Cook County in Chicago, according to the New York Times.
The four different indictments charge Kelly with sexually abusing four victims, with all but one being underage, occurring between the years 1998 and 2010, according to the Chicago Tribune.
The six-part docuseries has received widespread acclaim since its release in January, as it brought attention to allegations that had been long overlooked. The audience heard from a plethora of Kelly’s survivors, the victims’ parents, experts, and other stakeholders about Kelly’s alleged grooming, abuse, and other predatory behavior. The docuseries also caught the attention of law enforcement, as authorities in Illinois and Georgia began investigating him shortly after it aired.
Many have been praising executive producer of the docuseries, Dream Hampton, for her tireless work to bring down Kelly, which has seemed to materialize today.
“I know it is Oscar weekend, but this proves some films are bigger than awards, ratings, and how much money is made. @dreamhampton’s #SurvivingRKelly paved the way for justice,” comedian Kamau Bell wrote on Twitter.
I know it is Oscar weekend, but this proves some films are bigger than awards, ratings, and how much money is made. @dreamhampton's #SurvivingRKelly paved the way for justice.
— W. Kamau Bell (@wkamaubell) February 22, 2019
The Latest: R Kelly charged with 10 counts of sexual abusehttps://t.co/Ja6JYZwwOu
Other users had similar praise for Hampton.
Let's be clear, @dreamhampton and other black women made this happen. Period. https://t.co/bXDemA4j14
— Chad Williams (@Dr_ChadWilliams) February 22, 2019
https://twitter.com/NatachaRueda/status/1099057575797116928
Hampton responded with the tweets to say, “The survivors are heroes.”
The survivors are heroes https://t.co/6d2iC4E7F1
— dream hampton (@dreamhampton) February 22, 2019
Hampton went on to thank the Surviving R. Kelly team and other Black women who have been instrumental in making the latest development possible, including the survivors of Kelly’s alleged abuse.
“This was always about Lizzette, Drea, Lisa, Jerhonda, Kitti, Asante, Faith and all the women who talked to us off camera because they knew they’d be dragged, doxxed and disbelieved. Thank you #SurvivingRKellly,” she wrote.
This was always about Lizzette, Drea, Lisa, Jerhonda, Kitti, Asante, Faith and all the women who talked to us off camera because they knew they’d be dragged, doxxed and disbelieved. Thank you #SurvivingRKellly
— dream hampton (@dreamhampton) February 22, 2019
Kelly is now expected to surrender to the police.
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