Drea Kelly tells Page Six that her marriage to R. Kelly was a bitter experience — in spite of his wealth and fame.
“Money does not bring you happiness; it is a lonely place,” Drea told us of her union with the infamous singer. “I still say, ‘I was married but I was never a wife,’ and I don’t want anyone [else to experience that] … especially the younger generation.”
Drea, who appeared on VH1’s “Hollywood Exes,” said that young people put too much stock in “material things” — which the end of her marriage taught her is a mistake. “At the end of the day, what you need to understand … is that when it’s over, they will let you know his damn money is his damn money and they leave with their money,” she said.
The pair were married in 1996, and their divorce became final in 2009. They have three children.
“Hollywood Exes” — which also starred Nicole Murphy, ex-wife of Eddie Murphy, Will Smith’s former spouse Sheree Zampino, Prince ex Mayte Garcia and Jessica Canseco, who was married to Jose Canseco, among others — has put together a reunion show, which is set to air on Tuesday.