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Who Is Kitti Jones, How Is She Connected To R. Kelly, And What Is She Up To Now?

The 33-year-old Dallas radio DJ fell in love with R. Kelly.

By Sowmya Krishnamurthy

R. Kelly preyed on girls and women he felt he could control, the new Lifetime docu-series "Surviving R. Kelly" claims.

The six-part show has featured allegations—spanning nearly 30 years—involving the R&B singer having romantic relationships with underage girls. There are numerous allegations from Kelly's own family and professional associates that he enjoyed being with teenage girls, oftentimes picking them up in places like malls and high schools.

Usually he dazzled them and offered them the chance to become famous. In the case of Aaliyah, who was 15 when they tied the knot, he was her mentor and best friend.

But Kitti Jones was different. Unlike many the other victims, she was already established in the entertainment industry when she fell in love with R. Kelly, and she was older than the women he usually allegedly targeted.

Here's what you need to know about the former Dallas radio personality and where she is today.

She Was 33 When She Met R. Kelly

The most surprising fact about Kitti Jones is how old she was when she fell for R. Kelly. She was 33 years old—the oldest victim in the doc—and considered herself a huge fan. She claims that he was surprised by how old she was when they first met. He was 44.

They Met During the Love Letter Tour

Kitti didn't meet Kelly at a mall or high school. She crossed paths with him during the Love Letter tour in her hometown of Dallas in 2011. "He was my Brad Pitt," she would later tell Rolling Stone of her crush on the singer.  

Kitti Was A Radio DJ

Unlike many of Kelly's alleged victims, Kitti Jones didn't need the crooner to usher her into the music industry. She was already an on-air personality on Dallas'  97.9 The Beat. After dating Kelly, she left her job and moved to Chicago to be with him. 

She Hadn't Seen the Sex Tape

Kitti alleges that it was a friend who told her about the sex tape of Kelly with two minors that got him indicted in 2002 on charges of child pornography. He was acquitted in 2008. She says in the docu-series that she initially did not believe it until she Googled the tape for herself. What shocked her was that the 14-year-old victim in the tape was someone Kelly had personally introduced her to. 

He Put Her in His Show 

Kitti was a stage prop in Kelly's live show. In a raunchy skit, she's dancing in a cage and he simulates oral sex on her. She told Rolling Stone that he treated her like a "princess" during the tour and it was hard to leave him.

She Went Public With Her Story

Kitti dated Kelly from 2011 to 2013. In 2017, she went public with her story of abuse at the hands of her ex. She told Rolling Stone that the relationship was rife with sexual coercion, abuse and manipulation. Like many of his other victims, he allegedly forced her to call him "daddy" and controlled her moves. 

Where Is She Now?

As the conclusion of "Surviving R. Kelly" shows, Kitti has moved on and is working to help others. She penned a book, I Was Somebody Before This, that has been optioned to become a film and is seen in a “stop violence against women” PSA.

[Photo: Getty Images]

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