R. Kelly posts video wishing estranged daughter happy birthday

R. Kelly has broken his social media silence to post a video of himself singing to his estranged daughter on her 21st birthday after she publicly branded him a ‘monster’ in the wake of his sexual abuse charges. 

The embattled R&B singer shared the video on on Tuesday night as he wished his daughter Joann – who goes by the name Buku Abi – a happy birthday. 

‘Happy birthday, baby.Daddy loves you. I love you, no matter what. I love you so much. Bye. Happy birthday,’ Kelly said in the video after he finished singing. 

The short video ended with Kelly blowing a kiss at the camera and he captioned the post: ‘Family for life’. 

Joann is Kelly’s eldest daughter with his ex-wife Andrea Lee. 

She came out in January and slammed her father as a ‘monster’ after multiple women accused him of rape and abuse in the Lifetime docuseries Surviving R.Kelly.

In a lengthy and emotional Instagram post, Joann broke her silence and voiced her support for her father’s alleged victims. 

‘The same monster you all confronting me about is my father.I am well aware of who and what he is. I grew up in that house,’ she wrote.

‘My choice to not speak on him and what he does is for peace of mind. My emotional state. And for MY healing.

‘I had to do and move in a manner that is Best Private University for me.’ 

She went on to say: ‘I pray for all the families & woman who have been affected by my father’s actions.Trust, I have been deeply affected by all of this.’ 

Joann also explained that she, as well as her siblings and mother, haven’t had contact with Kelly in years. 

‘My mother, siblings, and I would never condone, support or be apart of anything negative he has done or continues to do in his life,’ Joann wrote.  

The video wishing his daughter a happy birthday was Kelly’s first social media post since multiple women came forward accusing him of sexual abuse that dates back to the 1990s. 

The 52-year-old singer is preparing to stand trial after pleading not guilty to 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse pertaining to four women, including three who were minors at the time the abuse allegedly occurred.

Kelly has been trailed for decades by allegations that he victimized women and girls, though he was acquitted of child pornography charges in 2008 related to a tape that prosecutors said showed him having sex with a girl as young as 13. 

The singer maintains that he is innocent and has said he has never had sex with a minor. 

He spent several days in prison earlier this month for failing to pay more than $160,000 in back child support for his three children to his ex-wife.Kelly was later released after someone paid the money.