R. Kelly Used NDA to Silence Aaliyah and Her Family

R Kelly is in jail, but Lifetime’s Surviving R Kelly series was vital in ensuring his initial arrest. The documentary delved into the singer’s decades-old allegations of sexual assault, eventually leading to his arrest and prosecution. Lifetime recently released the third part of the Surviving R. Kelly series.

The latest part, titled The Final Chapter, delves into his illegal marriage to singer Aaliyah when she was only 15. In Kelly’s 2002 federal trial, Aaliyah was named Jane Doe #1, and the NDA she and her family signed was entered as evidence. The doc, however, provides more information about the NDA from people closest to Kelly, including the singer’s bodyguard, Gem Pratt.

Aaliyah’s family did not respond to the series. On the other hand, Pratt described her father’s fury over the marriage. Kelly made a deal that prohibited Aaliyah’s family from filing charges after she demanded an annulment. In exchange, Kelly gave her family the rights to his first three albums.

According to Variety, Pratt revealed that Aaliyah’s father “didn’t want her anywhere near him.” Prior to Kelly’s arrest, Pratt stated that there were plenty of enablers in his corner. Meanwhile, prosecutors and legal experts underlined how important these were for the singer’s “criminal enterprise.”

He couldn’t do this by himself. It’s impossible…It’s clear as day there were enablers. This was not a one-man operation. Most people in that camp knew that a lot of these girls were underage. They had to.”

Jesse Daniels, the executive producer of Surviving R. Kelly, indicated that they sought to treat the subject as carefully as possible in order to respect her legacy. Keep an eye on Thirsty as we dig out more R. Kelly stories.

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