Kelis says seeing photos of Rihanna after Chris Brown assault led her to leave ‘abusive’ partner

‘It just woke me up,’ says singer

(Getty Images)

Kelis has said she felt compelled to leave her allegedly abusive ex-husband after seeing the photographs of Rihanna following Chris Brown’s assault.

In 2018, the “Milkshake” singer accused her former partner, hip-hop artist Nas, of physical and mental abuse, nine years after she had left him while seven months pregnant with their child.

Nas has strongly denied any accusations of abuse.

Speaking about their marriage to The Guardian, Kelis explained that the photographs of Rihanna (Brown received five years probation and a community service order for the assault) led her to leave Nas.

“It just woke me up,” she said, adding that the pregnancy also encouraged her to leave. "I can endure a lot, but I’m not prepared to bring someone else into this. So I’m done.”

Kelis went on to say that “red flags” were there from the beginning of her relationship with Nas, which started when the singer was in her early 20s.

“I was really young and didn’t know that love isn’t enough,” she said.

“It was crazy from the start, but I think as girls we’re taught that that’s what love is, like you can’t breathe without them. What kind of s*** is that? I want to breathe!”

The singer went on to discuss the difficulties of co-parenting their 10-year-old son, Knight.

“Any rational person would look at this situation and say [to Nas]: ‘Well, if you want to see [your child], you have to actually show up!’,” she said.

“My kid is a really happy child, because I don’t tell him when [his father] says he’s going to come and doesn’t show up.”

Kelis first opened up about her relationship with Nas in the wake of the #MeToo movement.

In the video interview with Hollywood Unlocked, the singer described the relationship as “tumultuous and toxic”.

The Independent has contacted representatives for Nas for comment.