Actor and “All of the Queens Males” creator Christian Keyes made a stunning revelation over the weekend when he accused a strong Black Hollywood “billionaire” of sexual harassment.
In an almost hour-long video on Instagram, Keyes alleged that the unnamed particular person tried to “climb” into mattress with him in a room whereas he was intoxicated at a celebration. He added that the person additionally provided him $100,000 to strip and one other actress patted his “tools.” Although he’s by no means publicly spoken about these interactions in concern of being blackballed from the trade, his expertise with trauma goes again additional than his early appearing years.
As a toddler who grew up within the foster care system, the now-48-year-old remembers struggling abuse by the hands of his very first foster mom, Mrs. Keyes. When requested to explain his childhood of “bouncing round” totally different foster properties between Detroit, Pontiac, and Flint, Michigan, Keyes advised Atlanta Black Star, “It was fascinating, to say the least.“
The achieved playwright and screenwriter, who was adopted twice because the age of three, mentioned there wasn’t a lot consistency being raised by court-appointed guardians.
“The one constant factor in a few of the foster properties have been pencil and paper. So in case you’re in a lower than fantastic setting, you already know, I might create or I might write a spot, write myself into an area that was higher than what I used to be experiencing, in order that helped,” Keyes defined, noting that writing ultimately grew to become his “refuge.”
“You already know, a spot to mentally escape this or that or little one abuse or, emotions of neglect or not being worthy, issues like that … and it positively formed my storytelling.”
Christian Keyes is about to take down a strong man in Hollywood
Finna watch how this all unfolds 👀
pic.twitter.com/BBNQwdW31o
— ❄️🗝️ (@DiaryOfKeysus) December 16, 2023
The “Saints and Sinners” star remained mum on why he was positioned into foster care however he went on to debate his upbringing with Mrs. Keyes, who formally adopted him. He described her as an “extremely abusive” lady who would hit him with a “bat, hammer, broomstick, saucepan, and/or bottle.”
“When the belt didn’t … when it wasn’t as efficient as she needed. When it didn’t make us scream loud sufficient, she would maintain the leather-based aspect and beat us with the belt buckle. It will get worse,” he continued. “But it surely was that form of setting between eight and 12. So by 9, I began working away. By 10, I used to be fairly good. By 11, I used to be an expert runaway.”
Working away grew to become his norm as Keyes discovered to fend for himself by stealing or consuming out of the rubbish cans at McDonald’s and Farmer Jack supermarkets.
“Little one Protecting Providers, man, they dropped the ball in all probability a dozen instances. Neighbors complained as a result of she would have, as a punishment, she made me stroll down the road bare within the rain at 9 years previous to ask a neighbor for {a magazine} — The Watchtower and Awake — Ask one other Jehovah’s Witness household.”
The state of Michigan has been accused of dropping the ball on quite a few events, with 371 youngsters dying from abuse or neglect up to now decade, based on the Detroit Information. Households of the kids have accused CPS of not completely investigating allegations, whereas specialists have blamed overworked caseworkers and crowded properties with too many youngsters beneath one roof.
“It took a few a long time to construct my vanity again up and to heal from all that. And it was heavy and painful,” mentioned the singer-songwriter, “however I used to be so joyful to get out of there.”
Keyes started to see higher days after a second adoption with one other household beneath Michelle Williams, who had no drawback caring for him with out being paid.
“It was fantastic. The household taught me love. Taught me how one can be a person. Taught me accountability,” he acknowledged, including that he discovered self-discipline from having an “intensive chore record, together with reducing the grass, taking the trash out, and washing dishes.
He added that Johnson took him in with none formal paperwork submitting, which got here a lot later. Keyes’ upbringing additionally led him to review social work at Ferris State College, however he ended up focusing extra on singing and writing.
“I imply I’ve been in group properties, detention facilities, foster properties, and handled little one abuse and neglect, and I determine I might have an effect on some change on the opposite aspect. So, you already know, why not?” mentioned ‘The Household Enterprise” star.
#celebritiesonlyblackpeopleknow Christian Keyes: What’s accomplished at midnight, diary of a mad black lady pic.twitter.com/54DxGqh5TE
— Jeremy Keianté (@Music_Maniac_19) November 23, 2015
As an alternative of pursuing a profession as a social employee, Keyes took the extra artistic route and dove deeper into his music and his writing. He began doing native stage performs earlier than gaining the eye of media and movie mogul, Tyler Perry, whom he’s grown to work carefully with over time.
Perry presently serves as govt producer of Keyes’ “All of the Queens Males,” which airs on BET+ via his partnership. He additionally forged Keyes in his stage performs “Madea Goes to Jail,” “What’s Performed Within the Darkish,” and the blockbuster film “Diary of a Mad Black Girl.”
