Sparkle, the girl in the picture and a few others confirmed it was said niece, but the rest of the nieces family said it was . She added that there is a family feud, and the victims testimony is a clear plan to try to take her down.. The decision, many believe, ultimately resulted in the jury acquitting the singer. SEPTEMBER 17: Singer R. Kelly appears standing beside his attorney, Steven Greenberg during a hearing at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse on September 17, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. But I didnt know that a bomb was coming.. Uh Oh! The "Better Be Careful" singer was one of the first people to go public about . "You have no idea whether this was put together by someone trying to get money from Robert, do you?" "Sir, it's Robert and [my niece] on the tape," she said during the emotional trial, according to MTV. Please say its not you, the user said. "Sir, it's Robert and [my niece] on the tape," she said. I also did not want that person to be me, Jane testified. Sparkle replied with a strong denial. Singer Sparkle was the only member from the girl's family to testify against Kelly in 2008, identifying her niece in the tape. She eventually became a key witness in Kelly's 2008 child pornography case, claiming that the young girl in the video in question was her 14-year-old niece. "Sparkle" featured a duet with Kelly, titled "Be Careful.". In the 1960s, three sisters form a girl group and soon become local sensations with major label interest, but fame becomes a challenge as the close-knit family begins to fall apart. People are trying to make money off my music and my name in a very, very negative way. "Like she's a prostitute!" In a contentious court battle, Edwards testified against Kelly in 2008, according to ET Online. Custom Content Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand . Music Videos. Bossip Video Sparkle, the aunt of an R Kelly victim, is claiming her niece is lying on the stand as she testifies about her experience with the singer as a 14-year-old. Career. "I wanted this to go away. TikTok video from Samke Ndlovu INdlovu (@samkeindlovukaz): "#Aunty and Niece Challenge ". The singer used social media to "put a few things in context.". By continuing to use this site, you agree to our updated Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. We were tight, tight, tight." Without Wayne Shorters Weather Report, Jazz Rap Wouldnt Be What It Is, Fans Are Overjoyed to See De La Soul Albums on DSPs, 9 New Hip-Hop & R&B Albums You Should Be Listening To (Week of March 3), Larry June & The Alchemist Announce Joint Album The Great Escape. Im beyond pleased to finally hear the mountain Ive tirelessly worked on moving over the years is now being assisted with the help of my niece and her parents, she told The New York Times on Tuesday. Naked Pic of Serena Williams Goes Viral! Now that her niece has finished testifying, Sparkle is speaking out again - and what she's saying is EXPLOSIVE. His response thus far has been that the tapes are fabricated and that he's been blackmailed. "I'm beyond pleased to finally hear the mountain I've tirelessly worked on moving over the. At the time, the niece had denied it was her, although she changed her testimony on the stand on Thursday to confirm that it was her in the video. Among things hes already been convicted of, prosecutors accuse him of abusing young girls for decades and filming their encounters. We later found out that the alleged little girl was the niece of R&B singer Sparkle best know for her smash hit slow cut Be Careful with R. Kelly himself. Im letting those who know and support me that this is a family feud, she says at the beginning of her video, reading notes from her mobile device. I cant help he lies told on me & under oath at the.. & cause ya Momma mad at me cause yall were FORCED to testify.. [shrug emoji].. Close Menu. "I know my family. "But until our investigation is . Genson pointed out that the girl is seen receiving money on the tape. She grew up in Chicago, Illinois and first met Kelly in 1989. Kellys defense team had argued that the girl and Kelly could not be identified in the tape, and some jurors said the girls refusal to testify made it difficult to convict him. I know them. "Never. She's being exposed to the world. The singer, real name Stephanie Edwards, alleges that the girl on this videotape was her 14-year-old niece, whom she had introduced to Kelly along with other members of her family, including her . 2 on the R&B charts and was certified gold soon after . . Sparkle testified against Kelly in 2008 but, as we all know, he was found not guilty. Jane, one of multiple alleged victims set to take the stand, revealed under oath that she was the teenager with Kelly in the explicit video recording that resulted in his arrest and child pornography trial in 2008. The woman, who is now in her 30s and had been identified by singer Sparkle as her niece, had refused to testify against R. Kelly in his 2008 trial, which resulted in his acquittal. Its no secret the original R Kelly having relations with a minor (allegedly) video was all over the streets on VHS. At the time, Sparkle identified the child in the video as her niece. Its not clear to what extent shes working with investigators, but her attorney, Christopher L. Brown, confirmed that she is indeed cooperating. "She kept coming down with me," she told the station, "which was [a] safe [situation] at the time. In 2002, Kelly re-entered Sparkle's life when a video that appeared to depict sex between Kelly and a 14-year-old came to the attention of police. As you can imagine, all this drama derailed Sparkle's career. In this courtroom sketch, a woman who goes by pseudonym Jane, left, testifies in R. Kellys trial in federal court, Friday, Aug. 19, 2022, in Chicago. It's disgusting. Among the issues covered in the investigatory program were allegations made by a former Kelly protege, Stephanie "Sparkle" Edwards. MadameNoire Copyright 2023 BossipMadameNoire, LLC All Rights Reserved | BHM Digital, a federal indictment, of paying the girl and her father to lie to investigators. This ongoing R. Kelly trial has caused one of the disgraced singer's former artists to come forward to defend herself. READ: Report: R. Kellys Former Staffers Gave Feds 20 More Sex Tapes with Minors. Sparkle (Stephanie Edwards) (@isparklei) Instagram photos and videos isparklei Follow 180 posts 27.5K followers 395 following Sparkle (Stephanie Edwards) Musician Obstacle Course EP - 7/13 Response To The Verdict @thecut Life Feat. The Times reports, her lawyer says she is now cooperating with authorities. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google. Whitten Sabbatini for . Sparkle met singer R. Kelly in 1989. Sparkle has publicly spoken out against Kelly in multiple formats, including in the 2019 Surviving R. Kelly docuseries that led to his most recent charges and convictions. The video was of a man urinating on a little girl while she called him daddy. Though Kelly has talked to local Chicago media about the scandal, he hasn't addressed a lot of the questions people have about the tapes. Sparkle first started singing in her family's gospel music group. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. Kelly faces 15 years in prison and a $100,000 fine. The prosecution has not responded to the claim. Things heated up when Genson accused her of being in on a scheme to either use the tape to extort Kelly or to make money by mass-producing it. For full coverage of R. Kelly, see "The R. Kelly Reports.". "We've had contact all along with the girl's family," Chicago police spokesperson Officer Pat Camden said. "She's like a robot." 2023 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. Sparkles niece recently confronted something against her aunt and as a result, Sparkle claimed that her niece had lied about her. Three sisters form a singing group in 1950s Harlem, but success threatens to ruin their relationship forever. When I learned that, I would go out of my way to speak to people just to tick him off. The long-running criminal case of R. Kelly consistently takes strange turns that leaves fans perplexed and for which the case becomes more complicated. As of today, they're still investigating the situation. She said this took place during a time when other members of her family also had a working relationship with the singer (Sparkle's brother-in-law, for instance, played guitar for Kelly, she said). Our societys awareness and understanding of sexual assault has increased while Kellys funds have dwindled. Shortly after the tape was released, the woman's aunt - 1990s R&B singer Sparkle - came forward and blasted her former mentor R Kelly. The Times. because you deserve it! Sparkle Addresses Niece's Testimony Against R. Kelly The singer used social media to "put a few things in context." By DeMicia Inman August 22, 2022 4:12pm Singer R. Kelly leaves the. "Anger? All Rights Reserved. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! That I should rub his head and ask him to take that role in my life., Sparkle denied any wrongdoing when a social media user questioned her about being the aunt who was mentioned during the testimony. She shared that she feels these are lies organized by her sister as a method of sabotage. I wish they were backing [me] when I was coming up and had a story to tell, but nobody believed. Nope, Sparkle didn't take a payout meanwhile R sending them on trips and paying for their houses. And earlier this week, lawyer Michael Avenatti who gave a tape of Kelly and a young girl to the Cook County States Attorney in February said the singer gave the girl in the tape and her family $2 million to remain silent. ET. It's messed up. CHICAGO -- "Sweetie, I'm not trying to get any money for this!". ", Though it's causing division within her family, Sparkle said that she's aiding the Chicago police investigation. Prosecutors are pushing for another conviction on those charges to add to R. Kelly being sentenced to 30 years in prison after being found guilty of sex trafficking and racketeering by a New York jury last month. Sparkle: Directed by Sam O'Steen. [article id="1587950"]The mother of another friend of the alleged girl on the tape[/article] cried when she talked about seeing the tape for the first time and recognizing her daughter's friend, saying she was "100 percent certain" it was her by her face, her hairstyle and her voice. Singer Sparkle was the only member from the girl's family to testify against Kelly in 2008, identifying her niece in the tape. Yesterday, R. Kelly sat down with Gayle King for his first interview since new allegations of sexual abuse against the singer have been revealed, most due in part to Lifetime's docu-series, Surviving R. Kelly. She got . It's very upsetting to my family. One of those relatives, singer Stephanie "Sparkle" Edwards, testified Thursday that she had introduced the alleged victim to Kelly, and that the girl called him her "Godfather." 6 2019, Updated 5:51 a.m. Back in 2008, Kelly ended up being acquitted on charges of child pornography. Absolutely NOT! Singer Sparkle testified back then that it was her niece on the video but her niece nor anyone else in the family would corroborate her identity on the video tape. She says "There have been too many girls to count. Sparkle has long asserted that her niece was abused by Kelly. Those who have been following the scandal were shocked to hear Sparkles testimony because she has long advocated for R. Kellys imprisonment for what he is accused of doing to her niece. Genson suggested that Sparkle next tried to conspire with former Kelly manager Barry Hankerson "about doing something bad to Robert. Black women "Hampton spoke to me and spoke to my management," Edwards continued. His Masters Are Missing: New R. Kelly Music, I Admit, Unauthorized, Pulled from Streaming Services, The Man is In Prison: Tevin Campbell Receives Backlash After Stating R. Kelly Could Go Against Usher In a Verzuz Battle. Im beyond pleased to finally hear the mountain Ive tirelessly worked on moving over the years is now being assisted with the help of my niece and her parents! "It's hurtful to my sister, to my brother-in-law and to my niece, especially, because it's all her. To what degree, singer, Sparkle's niece, is cooperating with authorities is still not official. This encounter disheartened Sparkle and caused her to step back from her career in entertainment. Profession: Singer. I went at it alone. 8771 1829 linktr.ee/sparklelivemusic Posts Reels Tagged Show More Posts from sparklelivemusic R. Kellys new case may end differently than his last. The woman, who is now in her 30s and had been identified by singer Sparkle as her niece, had refused to testify against R. Kelly in his 2008 trial, which resulted in his acquittal. For full coverage of the ongoing R. Kelly case, see The R. Kelly Trial Reports. But let me chill. Sparkle did try and make up for her mistake, and I don't believe her niece in saying rub his head, I believe the niece is permanently damaged by Robert and her parents and her parents told her to say that to take the blame off of them. Like she said on "Surviving R. Kelly," Sparkle reiterated that she was naive at the . I've been blackmailed for the last four years, and I didn't give in, and I'm still not gonna give in. Last week, Kellywas arrested for an additional 13 counts of federal sex trafficking and child pornography charges. Sparkle added that she and Kelly were never romantically involved as painted by the victim. 3 min read Singer Sparkle has refuted testimony made by a witness recognized as "Jane" in R.. Sparkle added that her niece, sister and brother-in-law all reported that nothing was going on, however. Several witnesses identified the singer and the girl to authorities afterward, but Kelly was still acquitted of 14 child pornography charges on June 13, 2008. #SomeoneWhoLovesMusicWayTooMuch Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Prosecutors believe that there were many more girls, beyond the initially cited 12, who were victim to Kellys abuse. There's no denying it,' she says on the stand. Meanwhile, Sparkle, real name Stephanie Edwards, has come out in her own defence and claims that her niece has lied on the stand as she did not push her to be involved with Kelly. "I have an ex-manager that's been on my back," he said. If convicted, he'd have to register as a sex offender. @lifetimetv SRK For Girls/Women linktr.ee/isparklei Posts Reels Videos Tagged On the stand, the woman, who is now 37 and identified as just Jane Doe, shared details of how she met Kelly and how they had sex hundreds of times, and he made videos of their encounters which sometimes also involved other minor girls. "We've had contact all along with the girl's family," Chicago police spokesperson Officer Pat Camden said. MTV, EMA and all related titles, logos and characters are trademarks of Viacom International Inc. Former protégé of R. Kelly makes allegations on Los Angeles radio station. The woman who is known as an early protg of Kelly in the 1990s and goes by the stage name Sparkle had previously testified in Kellys 2008 trial and the Surviving R. Kelly documentary as she had identified her niece as the girl in a porn video that circulated in Chicago. On Tuesday, after Kelly pleaded not guilty to the federal charges, a Chicago judge ordered him to remain behind bars without bond, where hes being kept away from general population for safety reasons. People in Kelly's circle interviewed in "Surviving R. Kelly" claim to have seen the woman on the singer's property multiple times in recent years. Sparkle, the aunt of an R Kelly victim, is claiming her niece is lying on the stand as she testifies about her experience with the singer as a 14-year-old. The woman who previously testified against Kelly in 2008 and was the one who brought the sex tapes to the victims parents knowledge says that she had the greatest of intentions when she spoke up against Kelly, but her life was made hell by the victims mother. She began her career in 1998 as a protg of fellow Chicago native R. Kelly. She writes for Thirsty for News, covering world news and entertainment. Latest dancehall and hip hop news and music at your fingertips. The girl's mother -- Sparkle's sister -- didn't want to see the tape and didn't want to talk about it, she said. By Kelly Butler. Sparkle's niece recently confronted something against her aunt and as a result, Sparkle claimed that her niece had lied about her. Before Fame. Stephanie "Sparkle" Edwards, a recording artist as well, was born on May 13, 1975. Stephanie 'Sparkle' Edwards Although she praised her niece for finally cooperating with prosecutors, the singer says that she is at the center of a "family feud." Blog. The victims aunt is a singer named Sparkle, who agreed to testify in the 2008 trial and identified Kelly as the man in the video and her niece as the girl. "He made her do [those sexual acts]," she said. I was ashamed.. In 2002, Kelly re-entered Sparkle's life when a video that appeared to depict sex between Kelly and a 14-year-old came to the attention of police. 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Robert didnt allow pretty much anyone to speak to me, Edwards alleges in the new show. 3 on the Billboard 200 and No. She pointed out that during this time period, she ran into Kelly at a family bowling event, and he gave her his number and invited her to come down to the studio, to illustrate that there was no bad blood between them, however much Genson tried to imply it. Sparkle first started singing in her fa Stephanie Edwards (born May 13, 1975), better known by her stage name Sparkle is an American RB singer. Sparkle first introduced her then-12-year-old niece to Kelly in 1997 a decision that still haunts her to this day. She went on to claim that Sparkle was the one who introduced her to Kelly, saying her auntencouraged her to rub Kellys headand sit on his lap. Source: Chicago Tribune / Getty Earlier this week, the disgraced singer and his legal team appeared in a Chicago court, where Kelly faces several criminal charges. ", "No," she said. If convicted, Kelly would face the maximum of 195 years in prison. About. Kellys federal trial in Chicago began last week and he is faced with charges of producing and receiving child pornography, enticing minors to engage in criminal sexual activity, and obstruction charges. The co-defendants in the case are Derrel McDavid, a former business manager who faces child pornography and obstruction charges, and Milton June Brown, Kellys former assistant, who faces one count of conspiracy to receive child pornography. She said she regretted bringing her niece to Kelly's studio and later his home -- "my mistake," Sparkle said. Photo Credit: Gary Miller for Getty Images). It's so very sad.". Are you the aunt who had that child rub R. Kellys head? The young girl who was recorded in the infamous and wide-spread tape of R. Kelly engaging in sexual acts is going back on years of precedence and cooperating with investigators in the child pornography case against the R&B singer. Celebrate (From "Sparkle") Whitney Houston, Jordin Sparks. Sparkle was the first and only successful artist to release an album on Kelly's Rockland label.Sparkle's dbut album, the self-titled Sparkle, was released on May 19, 1998.The album debuted at No. Although a jury acquitted R. Kelly,. In court, Sparkles now-37-year-old victim niece told the court R Kelly starting having sex with her when she was only 14, claiming they had sex hundreds of times before she turned 18. MadameNoire is a sophisticated lifestyle publication that gives African-American women the latest in fashion trends, Fast forwarding to now, R Kelly pretty much got a life sentence plus he still has more charges to face. "I had a nasty taste in my mouth after seeing what I saw, and after many people, you know, didn't want me to speak out," Edwards told ET. Earlier this week, Kelly who wore ankle shackles along with his orange jumpsuit, pled not guilty to the charges. We talked about business. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and exploring new places. Though she hadn't witnessed anything between Kelly and her niece that could be considered inappropriate, Sparkle said she saw hints of things that she didn't want to acknowledge at the time, "little hints of something, little touches," that in hindsight concerned her. We were very cordial.". Her family would rather keep the matter quiet, she said, even if that means protecting an alleged predator. She previously told the Cut that, when Kelly was producing her first album in the late '90s, she thought the singer could also help her niece, an aspiring rapper, launch a career. Sparkle prayed for her niece to one day tell the truth and shame the devil and for them to be a family again. ", Genson then made a comment about the girl on the tape looking like a willing participant. While the survivors have now found justice, Sparkle said she still feels guilty for introducing her niece to Kelly in 1997. Of course Im in full unwavering support of them and their act of courage.. Sparkle has responded in a video (see below) to her nieces testimony: Absolutely NOT!! he asked. Bop Shop: Songs From J-Hope And J. 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At the time, Sparkle was largely ignored by the media. Singer Sparkle found herself in the middle of R. Kellys federal child pornography trial. The alleged victim on the tape is also the niece of the singer Sparkle, whom Kelly mentored as an artist early in her career. "We were thick as thieves," Sparkle said of the family's closeness before the meeting. At times sniffling and dabbing her eyes and her nose with a tissue, Sparkle appeared to be on the verge of tears but remained composed, although she also became defiant when Genson had his turn and accused the R&B singer of trying to take revenge against Kelly for terminating her record-label contract. Still, she admitted, she hadn't had the same level of success on her sophomore album with Motown as she did with her Kelly-produced debut, and she hadn't received any royalties from Kelly. Sparkle claimed that her niece met Kelly when she was 12. However, her sister Valerie didn't want to do anything about the tape, and the family became divided. "She shared how she didn't see me as a survivor but she wanted to celebrate me for being the first one to stand up and bring to light what was going [on].". The singer's niece, who's allegedly the 14-year-old girl on the infamous 2008 sex tape, recently claimed Sparkle encouraged her to ask Kelly to be her godfather by enticing him. Anyway, this tape leaked and Sparkle recognised it to be her niece, other people did too and that's when R Kelly facing his trial of raping a minor, filming it etc was in courts (that tape being the one he peed on her). If you are in your 40s you have seen the video (whether you want to admit it or not). Home. During an Instagram broadcast, she decided to put a few things in context.. All Rights Reserved. - YouTube 0:00 / 25:48 Intro EXPOSED: PROOF Sparkle PIMPED Her Niece To R Kelly!| Andrea Kelly. According to a report in The New York Times, the young girl who appeared in the infamous tape that showed the R&B singer performing sex acts and urinating on the then-14-year-old is now cooperating with prosecutors. Prosecutors say he victimized 12 women, at least eight of whom were underage at the time of the events. In our exclusive interview, she shared that the decision cost her the relationship with her family. Sparkle thinks that allegiance to Robert still exists. Sparkle testified at trial in 2008 that the man in the video was Mr. Kelly, and that the girl was her 14-year-old niece. Prosecutors turned over to Kelly's defense team a DVD that alleges to show Kelly having sex with an underage girl in the 1990s. While the witness is addressed in court as Jane, her story included identifying details, including that she is Sparkles niece. In the meantime, Kelly has hired private investigator Jack Palladino to help build his defense, Palladino's office confirmed.