In Part I of Lifetime’s Surviving R Kelly, R Kelly’s ex-wife, Drea Kelly, discussed the emotional and physical abuse she endured while being married to the R&B singer. Tonight, the network will release Surviving R. Kelly Part Two: The Reckoning, which will explore the impact of the first installment of the docuseries.
When Lifetime released the trailer for part 2 of the documentary, they included clips of Drea Kelly from Part 1 of the series. As Essence notes, “[Lee] is briefly featured wearing the same pink blazer and blue jeans she wore in the first documentary.”
The ex-wife of the singer has threatened to sue Lifetime for including her in the trailer, when she did not actually participate in interviews for part 2 of the series.
Lee Has Reiterated That She Had Nothing to Do With Part 2 of Lifetime’s R. Kelly Docuseries
A December TMZ article reads, “Drea Kelly says the new official trailer for ‘Surviving R. Kelly Part II: The Reckoning’ is misleading to audiences … because it makes it looks like she was involved… Drea says she’s been adamant about refusing to be part of the follow-up, but despite her requests to not be linked to it … Lifetime did it anyway.”
TMZ also reports Lee as saying that after the first part of the documentary aired, her requests to not contact her kids and family members about Part II of the docuseries were ignored and there has been a “general lack of support, security and aftercare for survivors who participated” in Part 1 of the show.
She is an Advocate of Domestic Violence Awareness
When she was interviewed on TMZ Live, Lee said, “When they brought the idea to me, I let them know that in no way, shape, form, or fashion, would I be a part of it. They reached out to my children without my permission. They reached out to my family members without my permission and when I brought it to them that I don’t want you contacting my children, I don’t want you contacting my family, they did it anyways.”
She continued, “But what’s more important about this is that I’m not happy with the after-care and how the victims and survivors were handled throughout this entire process. Even down to the bomb threat that was in New York… there’s no support of the women, of the survivors, coming forward.”
In the interview with TMZ Live, Lee makes it abundantly clear she did not want to participate in the second installment of the documentary, and that she never signed any release form to be included in the trailer.
Head to Lee’s website, and it’s also clear that she has poured herself into advocacy work for those who have been victims of domestic violence. On the front page of her website, she writes, “I would like to thank all of you for your continued love and support. This has been a long time coming; and at times a difficult journey, but I am not alone, and neither are you. If you are a victim of domestic violence it is never too late to get help. Survivors of domestic violence, there is never an expiration date on speaking your truth. We are in this together! If you need help, please reach out to this life saving organization now!”
She then links to NCADV.ORG, and includes a phone number for the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
Lee is the founder of the 12th Round Foundation, which celebrates survivors of domestic violence and aims to provide education so no one will become a victim and commemorate those who are lost to this tragedy. Her website bio explains that she is currently working on a self-help memoir, titled ‘Under the Red Carpet’, which will “express her passion for women’s empowerment and self-responsibility.”