Kelly faces 14 counts of child pornography -- seven for directing, seven for producing. Last week, Kellywas arrested for an additional 13 counts of federal sex trafficking and child pornography charges. Modern Movie Musical Essentials. 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. Surviving R.Kelly: The Final Chapter Sheds Light On Singers Alleged Feces Force-Feeding Ritual And Intimate Footage Of Aaliyah, Jailhouse Drop: Streaming Platforms Remove R. Kelly I Admit It Album, Singer Calls The Pied Piper Prison Production A Bootleg, More Punishment Pending: Pied Piper R. Kelly Found Guilty On Six Counts In Federal Child Pornography Trial, testimony did not sit well with Sparkle, who reacted to her neices claims online after someone asked her, Are you the aunt who had that child rub R. Kellys head? Both have pleaded not guilty. "She's doing exactly what he told her to do. Sparkle's age is 47. A post shared by Sparkle (Stephanie Edwards) (@isparklei). Genson accused Sparkle of being bitter and characterized the end of her working relationship with Kelly as a firing. Sparkle, wearing a touch of silver glitter on her face, testified that in December 2001, she got a phone call from an attorney telling her that a relative of hers was on a sex tape she needed to see, at which point an associate of the attorney's came to her home and played her the tape. Singer Sparkle found herself in the middle of R. Kellys federal child pornography trial. This decades-long history of abuse was documented through witness and survivor testimony in the dream hampton produced documentary Surviving R. Kelly which aired on Lifetime this past January. The girl's mother -- Sparkle's sister -- didn't want to see the tape and didn't want to talk about it, she said. This can't be real, can it? : r/awfuleverything - reddit In her traumatic account, she recalled her aunt introducing her to Kelly and encouraging her to build a close relationship with the now-disgraced singer. Her family eventually began to allow her to visit with Kelly without an adult present. "Surviving R.Kelly," a Lifetime docu-series that's airing in six parts on three nights about musician R. Kelly, has reinvigorated the public's interest in the long list of accusations made against the controversial singer. The video was of a man urinating on a little girl while she called him daddy. Kelly would ultimately be acquitted on charges pertaining to the tape. Kelly is now facing state and federal charges including sexual assault, obstruction of justice, child pornography, and racketeering. 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. Sparkle - Age, Bio, Personal Life, Family & Stats - CelebsAges Sparkle prayed for her niece to one day tell the truth and shame the devil and for them to be a family again. Sparkle (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - Apple Music Sparkle Claims Her Niece Lied About Her In R. Kelly Case - Thirsty for News The federal charges are separate from the 10 counts of sexual abuse Kelly received in February in Chicago and different from the other 11- sexual misconduct counts he was slapped with in May in that same city. What do you think about the matter? 2023 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. 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 Kelly's 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. Sparkle was Kelly's protge in the 90's. The singer agreed to testify in the 2008 trial and identified Kelly as the man in the video and her niece as the girl. What is the relationship between the two singers? "You couldn't break the chain with us. A post shared by Sparkle (Stephanie Edwards) (@isparklei). 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. MadameNoire Copyright 2023 BossipMadameNoire, LLC All Rights Reserved | BHM Digital, a federal indictment, of paying the girl and her father to lie to investigators. 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. But now people are seeing.". "Sir, it's Robert and [my niece] on the tape," she said. Picture Perfect Poster Girl: Taylour Paige Stars As "Boogie's" Leading Lady, UPDATE: Jesseca Dupart Denies That LisaRaye Found Out About Da Brat's Pregnancy Via Social Media, Your Weekly Helping Of Tidday Meats & Treats On The Gram, Cougar Chronicles! Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! There's no denying it,' she says on the stand. But I didnt know that a bomb was coming.. 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. 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. Stephanie Edwards, a singer known as Sparkle, testified at R. Kelly's 2008 trial. A new development in the case has resulted from the Sparkles nieces recent admission of the truth. Three sisters form a singing group in 1950s Harlem, but success threatens to ruin their relationship forever. Sparkle Net Worth: Sparkle is an American R&B singer who has a net worth of $600 thousand. 2023 Vibe Media, LLC. Sparkle niece is still with R kelly - YouTube Sparkle's niece recently confronted something against her aunt and as a result, Sparkle claimed that her niece had lied about her. 1 on iTunes. However, her sister Valerie didn't want to do anything about the tape, and the family became divided. At the time, Sparkle identified the child in the video as her niece. "But there are others that haven't been spoken of that have been possibly paid off. Will No Longer Be Pursuing These Indictments: Chicago Prosecutor Drops Sex-Abuse Charges Against Singer R. Kelly Months After Conviction. Music Videos. "Of course not. Singer Sparkle was the only member from the girl's family to testify against Kelly in 2008, identifying her niece in the tape. Trust me. If you are in your 40s you have seen the video (whether you want to admit it or not). Prosecutors turned over to Kelly's defense team a DVD that alleges to show Kelly having sex with an underage girl in the 1990s. 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! he asked. Although a jury acquitted R. Kelly,. Sparkle (Stephanie Edwards) (@isparklei) Instagram photos and videos Aunt Of R Kelly Victim Accuses Her Of Lying On The Stand - Bossip 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. 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. With Philip Michael Thomas, Irene Cara, Lonette McKee, Dwan Smith. We publish narratives intentionally and specifically to enlighten and transform the world. Singer Sparkle was the only member from the girl's family to testify against Kelly in 2008, identifying her niece in the tape. He did say, however, that not all the evidence had been revealed (see [article id="1453299"]"R. Kelly Settles Civil Suit, Defends Himself On Radio"[/article]). Sparkle, however, disputed the witness account after a social media user questioned her about it. Its not clear to what extent shes working with investigators, but her attorney, Christopher L. Brown, confirmed that she is indeed cooperating. The woman disclosed that her aunt and her parents knew about her being around Kelly. She also attested to having sexual encounters with the singer hundreds of times since the age of 14. In another video she released, Sparkle claimed that the claim was an absolute f**king lie. She added she had indeed introduced Kelly to the victim and her mother and father, but it was not her intention for her to become involved with the singer. BridgetEE: A Music and Entertainment blogger/ Historian / Global Grind Freelance Writer Fast forwarding to now, R Kelly pretty much got a life sentence plus he still has more charges to face. In "Surviving R. Kelly," Edwards discusses Kelly's behavior toward her while they worked together. No," she said. We were tight, tight, tight." Sparkle explained that this is a result of a "family feud," which has led to her being a target of lies from her niece, who Sparkle feels lied about her on the stand out of loyalty to her mother. I believe that [the police] have a lot that they are actually going to bring to light.". Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox, Get our latest stories in the feed of your favorite networks. During an Instagram broadcast, she decided to put a few things in context.. "Sparkle" featured a duet with Kelly, titled "Be Careful.". About. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. On Friday, Sparkle took to social media to denounce some of the claims made by her niece on the stand. What, exactly, is the relationship between Kelly and Sparkle, and what are the claims being made against the infamous artist? But after the meeting, "There was one side and another side," she said. This encounter disheartened Sparkle and caused her to step back from her career in entertainment. Sparkle, who is reportedly the aunt of the 14-year-old who testified that she was introduced to R. Kelly by her aunt, who encouraged her to ask the singer to be his god-daughter and entice him by rubbing his head and sitting on his lap, is disputing the claim. For years, Sparkle has made claims about Kelly allegedly abusing her niece . Kellys trial is ongoing, with the sex tapes of other underaged victims set to be played for jurors. 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. Singer Sparkle Denies Her Niece's Claims That She Introduced Her To R Sparkle (1976) - IMDb Prosecutors believe that there were many more girls, beyond the initially cited 12, who were victim to Kellys abuse. I'm happy to see the #MeToo movement and Time's Up movement are backing these women. All Rights Reserved, Follow Us on Snapchat for All Our Breaking News, Kelly was accused of abusing Sparkles niece, Offset and Quavo Spotted Sitting Apart at NBA Game Following Alleged GRAMMY Argument, Drake Wagers Half a Million Dollars on Jon Jones Victory at UFC 285, Soulja Boy Performs In Front Of Seemingly Low-Energy Crowd At Rolling Loud. Sparkle corrected him and said she had asked to be released from her contract so she could work with other people, such as Steve Huff, Teddy Riley, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Sparkle (singer) - Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia To what degree, singer, Sparkle's niece, is cooperating with authorities is still not official. Recording artist Stephanie "Sparkle" Edwards accused R. Kelly of having sex with her 14-year-old niece at his 2008 trial. Update: Sparkle Calls Her Niece's Claims in R. Kelly's Trial an So I feel a responsibility for that also, although I'm not responsible for his actions, I feel responsible for even taking her there. The Jane Doe witness, who allegedly was a minor when she first met Kelly but is now an adult, reportedly told the court that Sparkle instructed her to ask Kelly to be her godfather. She was my heart.". R. Kelly's ex-wife Drea and singer Sparkle react to his conviction "He made her do [those sexual acts]," she said. Sparkle is claiming that the victims mother was also upset at her, and the victims testimony was aimed at getting back at her for going against Kelly. 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. 2 on the R&B charts and was certified gold soon after . Singer Sparkle, who formerly recorded with Kelly, says Landfair is her niece. "We've had contact all along with the girl's family," Chicago police spokesperson Officer Pat Camden said. Sparkle Speaks Out Following Niece's Testimony, Singer Claims Niece Is The victim in the video did notcooperate with prosecutors in the original case, but finally agreed to workwith the government after Kelly was arrested in 2019. 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. We were still cool." R. Kelly's Former Backup Dancer, Sparkle, Slams His Interview With 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. When I learned that, I would go out of my way to speak to people just to tick him off. because you deserve it! "But until our investigation is complete, we can't confirm or deny that [Sparkle is the girl's aunt]." Sparkle said that she regrets not being a better protector of her niece. Sparkle has always admitted to introducing her then-12-year-old niece to Kelly, a decision she has said she's haunted by. There's no denying it. Sparkle's niece who was 14 years old was alleged to be the young girl in the video tape that went viral on the streets before going viral was such a thing. "You have no idea whether this was put together by someone trying to get money from Robert, do you?" Report: Then-14-Year-Old in R. Kelly's Sexual Assault Tape Is Now We've joined the BHM Digital family of websites and have updated our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. . black entertainment news, parenting tips and beauty secrets that are specifically for black women. Last week in court R. Kelly's original case, Sparkles niece at 30 plus years took the stand to testify. Sparkle has since thanked "Surviving R. Kelly" producer Dream Hampton for once again bringing attention to the alleged crimes. She said she regretted bringing her niece to Kelly's studio and later his home -- "my mistake," Sparkle said. Its no secret the original R Kelly having relations with a minor (allegedly) video was all over the streets on VHS. 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. 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. We've joined the BHM Digital family of websites and have updated our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. In a contentious court battle, Edwards testified against Kelly in 2008, according to ET Online. 11 Songs. Since the news of her nieces cooperation has been made public, Sparkle says she is thrilled. Interview: Sparkle on R. Kelly's Guilty Verdict - The Cut According to the niece that is identified as Jane Doe, her aunt said,That I should rub his head and ask him to take that role in my life. as the young teens Godfather. Now that her niece has finished testifying, Sparkle is speaking out again - and what she's saying is EXPLOSIVE. Sparkle's Niece Now Working With Authorities In R. Kelly Case Sparkle prayed for her niece to one day tell the truth and shame the devil and for them to be a family again. ", Sparkle wasn't the only witness to get emotional on the stand Thursday. While the survivors have now found justice, Sparkle said she still feels guilty for introducing her niece to Kelly in 1997. Jurors and observers heard the gory details from the 14-year-old, who disclosed that the singer began grooming the 14-year-old victim and began having sex with her at just 15 years old when Kelly was around 30 years old. In 2002, the singer Sparkle, whose real name is Stephanie Edwards, claimed her niece was the underage girl in an infamous sex video featuring R. Kelly. That's it.". ), "I watched a few seconds of it, and I refused to watch the rest," Adra Gengler testified. 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 Net Worth | Celebrity Net Worth 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. Whitten Sabbatini for . An exchange between two ex-lovers? - YouTube 0:00 / 25:48 Intro EXPOSED: PROOF Sparkle PIMPED Her Niece To R Kelly!| Andrea Kelly. EXPOSED: PROOF Sparkle PIMPED Her Niece To R Kelly!| Andrea - YouTube She said there was no bitterness between her and Kelly over the split: "He was my homeboy. When she watched the recording, she said, she recognized her niece, "You know your blood," Sparkle said. Sparkle was horrified when she discovered that it was her niece at the center of Kelly's 2002 child pornography indictment. Kelly is on trial in Chicago for child pornography and charges that he rigged his 2008 trial to secure his freedom by intimidating the witnesses and using money to make the victim disappear. Of course Im in full unwavering support of them and their act of courage.. 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]. put a few things in context,. Im not that girl. You may recall in the 2008 trial against Kelly, the girl in the tape along with her family members refused to testify against the singer. NBA Bans Donald Sterling For Life after Racist Comments. Earlier this week, Kelly who wore ankle shackles along with his orange jumpsuit, pled not guilty to the charges. Sparkle, who had a hit with Kelly in 1998 called "Be Careful," told radio DJ Adimu of the Beat (KKBT) on April 3 that her niece was a fledging rapper whom she introduced to Kelly. He is accused of perpetrating these acts against 12 women, at least eight of which were underage at the time he was sexually involved with them. Sparkle replied with a strong denial. 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. An R&B singer who was once Kelly's protg, Sparkle testified for more than an hour and a half Thursday afternoon during Kelly's child-pornography trial, describing how she introduced her niece . (Several other people have also identified the girl and Kelly on the tape during testimony. Celebrate (From "Sparkle") Whitney Houston, Jordin Sparks. CHICAGO -- "Sweetie, I'm not trying to get any money for this!". Sparkle (singer) - Wikipedia I know them. 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. Sparkle's Niece Now Working With Authorities In R. Kelly Case TikTok video from Samke Ndlovu INdlovu (@samkeindlovukaz): "#Aunty and Niece Challenge ". Sparkle the Singer Niece - Search - chipnation.org Who wouldn't be [disgusted]? R&B Singer Sparkle, Who Spoke Out Against R. Kelly Decades Ago Singer who came to prominence in the late 90s through her collaborations with R. Kelly . Sparkle Just Admitted Something About R. Kelly And Aaliyah's 'Marriage R. Kelly was later acquitted of all charges. Sparkle did cooperate at the time and testified against Kelly at trial, a step that reportedly led to her estrangement from her family for years. Sparkle (Singer) Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Who is Sparkle and how is she linked to the R Kelly case? Here's what's