'Surviving R. Kelly' helped bring singer down. But #MeToo 'blowback' is real, producer says
R&B icon R. Kelly on Wednesday was sentenced to 30 years in prison by a U.S. district judge for racketeering and sex trafficking, 26 years after the first accusation of sex with an underage girl was brought against the singer.
The 2019 Lifetime docuseries "Surviving R. Kelly" explored decades' worth of sexual, physical and mental abuse claims by girls and women against a megastar who operated with hubris and the protection of handlers, managers, bodyguards and more. The series featured first-hand testimony from survivors, many of whom had never come forward publicly before the documentary, and drew renewed attention to Kelly's predatory patterns. Shortly after it ran, Kelly was charged with aggravated criminal sexual abuse and other crimes.
Co-executive producer of "Surviving R. Kelly" dream hampton spoke with the L.A. Times about her reaction to this week's sentencing, what it means for Kelly's survivors and whether it's changed the way we consider claims of violence against women.
Q: R. Kelly skirted the law for decades. What's your
