Kelis Details Alleged ‘Mental and Physical Abuse’ in Marriage to Nas The singer spoke to Hollywood Unlocked about her failed marriage to the Queens rapper. It was really dark. There was a lot of drinking. There was a lot of mental and physical abuse.” Kelis, to Hollywood Unlocked I probably would have stayed longer had I not been pregnant [with Knight] because I really did love him and because we were married. We weren’t dating, we were married. Like, this was my person. Kelis admitted that both she and Nas hit each other, saying “Did he hit me? Mhm. Did I hit him back? Mhm.” She also opened up on how Chris Brown’s 2009 assault of Rihanna opened her eyes to leave Nas. When the Rihanna and Chris Brown pictures came out I thought about coming out because I also had bruises all over my body. Kelis, to Hollywood Unlocked 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 filed for divorce from Nas in April 2009 after the pair married in 2005.