Drea Kelly says, “I earned this name,” in defense of her choice to retain R. Kelly’s last name in spite of accusations of abuse against the singer

In an emotional interview, dancer and choreographer Drea Kelly discussed her turbulent marriage to accused R&B artist R. Kelly and defended her choice to retain his last name. 
Drea boldly declared, “Here’s the real gag, boo, if my name weren’t Kelly, you wouldn’t even care.” 

The 50-year-old diva has long been the target of criticism from those who wonder why, after years of abuse and violence, she chose to remain with the music legend and adopt his last name. 

Drea finally responded to the criticism on Tuesday in an open interview with Carlos King. 

Drea, who married R. Kelly in 1996 and filed for divorce in 2006, asked people to stop criticizing her choices, stating that women in her position sometimes fail to completely understand the complexities of an abusive relationship, particularly if they have a traumatic or damaged family history. The celebrity shed tears as she disclosed that she had been abused by both her mother and her grandpa, providing insight into the nuanced emotional elements that shaped her decisions.
“A clever individual is attempting to weaken your defenses. At the twenty-second mark, Drea said to Carlos, “He wants to know where that bruise is on you.” “He knew my mother and grandfather were violent, in his opinion.”

Because of their shared pasts with violent family members, Drea and Kelly developed a “kindredship” when they first met at the age of 19. Kelly struggled with illiteracy while growing up in an abusive home. According to the celebrity, Kelly exploited what she believed would strengthen their relationship to intimidate and manipulate her. 

Drea then gave a huge FU to everyone who had criticized her for sticking with the R&B icon throughout the years.

I was raised to despise myself, to believe that I am unworthy, and to believe that there is no way out of this situation since it is not just my mother but also my grandpa. It’s my spouse now,” she added. 

“So, it explains why I am where I am now. F*** you all with a capital F because you don’t understand what it’s like to be abused and then to be abused at the age of 19 by a man with this much authority, with nowhere to go and no money to do it with.

Drea gave the example of Cassie’s assault lawsuit against Sean “Diddy” Combs in 2023 to illustrate how abusers, especially well-known males with abusive tendencies, frequently take advantage of their victims, especially when they are young since they lack life experience and are therefore more susceptible to manipulation.

When they first encounter their abusers, the majority of women in violent relationships are young. What life knowledge do you possess? The web is so vast, she said, “and then you meet this man in a position of power and people don’t understand it’s just not a Cassie going against Puff.” It’s not only him. You have to consider what [his] homeboy will do to me behind my back if he can knock someone out at a bar when everyone is seeing. People don’t consider that. You can make me vanish with the money you have.

Why Did Drea Kelly Retain the Last Name of Her Former Husband?

Drea decided to retain Kelly’s last name after years of abuse at the hands of the “Step in the Name of Love” hitmaker, a choice that has drawn constant condemnation. Some have questioned why Drea retained the R&B legend’s last name, drawing parallels to Tina Turner’s relationship with Ike Turner. Others have completely disregarded the abuse Drea endured, claiming that she didn’t “bring anything to the table” to merit the right to bear it, in contrast to Tina.

“At the end of the day, what do I bring to the table if I am the table, and you have no idea what my profession is?” Later in her interview with King, Drea gave a clap back.

The choreographer joined Kelly as a backup dancer in the 1990s and quickly established himself as a key member of his crew, helping to choreograph the Grammy Award-winning singer’s concerts, music videos, and tours. Along with the guilty celebrity, Drea reared three children: Joann, 26, Jaah, 24, and Robert Jr., 22.

“I brought a whole womb with me. It makes me sad when ladies say things like that because I gave birth to children.Additionally, you believe it’s acceptable to go online and claim that “she doesn’t do nothing, Tina Turner did something,” since you are unable to clock what I do and haven’t done your research. “The only difference between Tina Turner and me is that I danced on one with Robert, and she sang on the stage with Ike,” she said. 
Drea told King that she didn’t “give a f**ck” about what others thought of her decision to preserve Kelly’s last name, further demonstrating her contempt for those who have attempted to denigrate her choice. 
“I ultimately earned this name through blood, sweat, and tears.”

It’s the name of my children.How would you feel if you and your children were both named Brown, and your family experienced a difficult time, and you told your children, “Oop! You’re a Brown by alone, and I’m leaving! No, if my children must experience it as Kelly, then they will experience it as their mother.

There are some benefits to Drea Kelly keeping the Chicago-born singer’s last name as well, since it allows her to support other victims.

“My last name, Kelly, gets me 20/20 followers, and she gets me on CNN to advocate and raise awareness of domestic violence,” she said. “My last name, Kelly, gave me the opportunity to speak about abuse on military bases. But here’s the real joke: if my name weren’t Kelly, you wouldn’t even give a damn because Ms. Jones, Ms. White, and Ms. Anderson are all going through the same thing I am right now, but you don’t care about it, you’re not commenting on her page, you’re not attempting to be an advocate, you’re just being nosy.” Do you know why? since Kelly is my last name.

When Kelly started verbally abusing his daughter Joann while on a family vacation in Miami, Drea disclosed that she mustered the will to leave him. According to Essence, the divorce was completed in 2009 after she filed for it in 2006. 

After being found guilty in 2021 on crimes involving forced labor, child sex abuse, and racketeering, R. Kelly was given a 30-year jail term in 2023.