The finale of Lifetime’s six-part documentary, Surviving R. Kelly, aired on Saturday (January 5). For three nights, it explored disturbing details of R. Kelly’s sordid past and sparked outrage across social media.
Prior to Thursday’s (January 3) premiere, Kelly’s lawyer Brian Nix reportedly threatened to sue the television network if the show aired. Now that it has, sources close to Kelly say the R&B legend is getting ready to “sue everybody who had anything do with this,” according to TMZ.
Despite not watching any of it, Kelly is allegedly “disgusted” by the series and believes those who participated in it have a “vendetta” against him.
Kelly also claims he didn’t know half the people who were interviewed for the show and insists the other half hates him for personal and professional reasons. He says there were various people who wanted to defend him, but the producers wouldn’t allow it.
Topics discussed in the docu-series included Kelly’s alleged inappropriate sexual relationship with Aaliyah. Former backup singer Jovante Cunningham said she caught the couple having sex on a tour bus while on the road. Aaliyah’s mother, Diane Haughton, denies anything like that ever occurred.
Kelly and the late singer were married August 1994. Shortly after the hotel room ceremony, Aaliyah’s parents had the marriage annulled. Although the Cook County Clerk Office couldn’t provide a digital copy of the marriage certificate, Deputy Communications Director James Scalzitti provided the details to HipHopDX.
“Our office policy is that we cannot share images of marriage certificates until 50 years from the date of the marriage have passed,” Scalzitti wrote in an email. “However, we can confirm the information.
“According to the marriage record, however: Robert S Kelly of Chicago DOB 1/8/1967 and Aaliyah D Haughton of Chicago DOB 1/16/1976 got their marriage license on 8/30/1994 and were married on 8/31/1994 in Rosemont, IL. Officiant was Elder Nathan J Edmond.”