Kelis Accuses Nas of "Mental and Physical Abuse" in New Interview

"We had really intense highs and really intense lows. It was never normal"

BY Calum SlingerlandPublished Apr 26, 2018

Kelis has opened up about the dissolution of her marriage to Nas in a new interview, alleging their relationship included "a lot of mental and physical abuse."

Speaking with Hollywood Unlocked, Kelis recalled that her relationship with the MC "had really intense highs and really intense lows. It was never normal." She described an intense low to the publication as follows:

An intense low….we had a lot. It was really dark. A lot of drinking. A lot of mental and physical abuse and it got to the point where if I wasn't pregnant, I might have stayed with him... I was pregnant and it was a mess and I felt like I wasn't going to bring a child into this.

When asked about the physical abuse, Kelis responded, "Did he hit me?...Mmm hmmm. Did I hit him back?...Mmm hmmm."

Kelis told the site that she made her decision to walk away from the relationship after learning of the domestic violence case between Rihanna and Chris Brown:

When the Rihanna and Chris Brown pictures came out I thought about coming out because I also had bruises all over my body. But I didn't say anything because I'm private. But seeing her the way she looked and then looking at myself… I felt embarrassed.

Kelis also spoke about the custody battle between Nas and herself over their 8-year-old son Knight, saying that the rapper only "shows up when there's a photo op." 

"A parent isn't about showing up when you feel like it," she added. "You can't not show up for months and then show up and try to make up your own [visitation] schedule."

Kelis filed for divorce from Nas in 2009, citing irreconcilable differences at the time. The divorce was finalized in 2010. The rapper's most recent album, 2012's Life Is Good, saw him holding Kelis' green wedding dress, which he said was the only item she left him after their split.

You can watch Kelis' full interview in the video below.

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