Key Takeaways
- Former Color Me Badd singer Kevin Thornton denied his daughter Mikayla’s abuse allegations, writing, “We wholeheartedly maintain our innocence” and urging the public not to treat her claims as established facts.
- Thornton said he and his wife have received death threats and vowed to hold anyone who launched or fueled what he called defamatory claims accountable.
- Mikayla accused her parents of physical abuse, religious coercion and failing to protect their children from sexual abuse, while Color Me Badd backed her and stressed that Thornton has not belonged to the group since 2016.
Kevin Thornton is done staying silent. The former Color Me Badd singer has issued his first detailed response to explosive abuse allegations made by his adult daughter, Mikayla Thornton, flatly denying her claims and signaling that he and his wife may take action against people they accuse of spreading them.
“We wholeheartedly maintain our innocence, reject the veracity of these claims, and welcome a fair examination of the facts,” Thornton wrote in a four-page statement.
Thornton said he and his wife initially remained quiet because they needed time to process the allegations and the attention surrounding them, which he attributed “largely” to his history as a founding member of Color Me Badd.
He also claimed the fallout has moved beyond online criticism. “Since the inception of these allegations, my wife and I have received death threats and public threats of physical harm,” he wrote. Thornton did not provide additional details about the alleged threats.
But the sharpest portion of Thornton’s response concerned what comes next. While saying he had been advised not to publicly argue the “motives or details” behind the allegations, Thornton claimed the situation extends beyond one person.
“I will confirm that this is not a single person assault against us,” he wrote. “Moreover, we are taking the necessary steps to hold every party responsible for launching and/or fueling these defamatory claims accountable.”
Thornton did not identify whom he was referring to or specify whether legal action has already been filed.
His response comes after Mikayla accused her father and mother of years of physical abuse, religious coercion, and failing to protect their children from sexual abuse during a lengthy Soft White Underbelly interview.
She alleged that her father created a “rod of correction” bearing Bible verses and his children’s names that was used to beat them. She also claimed her parents prayed that she would be seriously injured and disfigured so God could “humble” her.
The allegations have since spread well beyond the original interview. Tyrese shared a video highlighting Mikayla’s claim on his Instagram, writing that he was in “shock and disbelief.”
Color Me Badd subsequently issued its own statement supporting Mikayla and her siblings while putting considerable distance between Thornton and the current group. The band said Thornton has not been a member since 2016 and has no involvement in its touring, management, or business operations.
Thornton, meanwhile, asked that Mikayla’s allegations “not be treated as established facts” and maintained that the public has not received the full evidence or context surrounding the family dispute.
Thornton ended his statement with a declaration: “We are prepared to unequivocally challenge every lie, deception, and act of defamation against us.”
“Rest assured,” Thornton concluded, “THE TRUTH will indeed come to light.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, confidential help is available through the National Domestic Violence Hotline. Call 800-799-SAFE (7233), text START to 88788, or visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline for support.
