I went at it alone. "She kept coming down with me," she told the station, "which was [a] safe [situation] at the time. 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. Trust me.". The girl I knew was always bubbly, but she seems like a robot in that video. No -- it was part of a shouting match during a contentious cross-examination between R. Kelly's defense attorney Ed Genson and the prosecution's star witness, Stephanie "Sparkle" Edwards. According to The New York Times, the extent of this girls cooperation with authorities isnt clear, her lawyer, Christopher L. Brown spoke of her willingness to work with authorities days after Kelly was accused, in a federal indictment, of paying the girl and her father to lie to investigators to protect him. ", Sparkle said that she regrets not being a better protector of her niece. Sparkle was also the one to call her family members when she would find out that the niece was alone in the studio with him. Sparkle, born Stephanie Edwards, issued a video statement denying the claims. A new development in the case has resulted from the Sparkles nieces recent admission of the truth. advice and career trends - and MadameNoire provides all of that. 8771 1829 linktr.ee/sparklelivemusic Posts Reels Tagged Show More Posts from sparklelivemusic When she watched the recording, she said, she recognized her niece, "You know your blood," Sparkle said. 3 on the Billboard 200 and No. Activity. Bop Shop: Songs From J-Hope And J. 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Kellys Former Staffers Gave Feds 20 More Sex Tapes with Minors. But after the meeting, "There was one side and another side," 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! Experience Celebrating The Life Of De La Souls Trugoy The Dove, Tennessee GOP Representative Sorry After Suggesting Hanging By Tree For Executions, C-Murder Reveals Hunger Strike, Claims Health Has Significantly Declined Due To Prison Conditions, TikTok Celebrates Visionary Voices In Black Creatives For Black History Month, R. Kellys Sisters Believe His 30-Year Sentence Is Rooted In Racism. She also attested to having sexual encounters with the singer hundreds of times since the age of 14. She said there was no bitterness between her and Kelly over the split: "He was my homeboy. I Never, Ever Left My Niece Alone In The Studio: Sparkle Shares What Was Left Out Of "Surviving R. Kelly" Posted on January 16, 2019 - By Veronica Wells MadameNoire Featured Video The Times reports, her lawyer says she is now cooperating with authorities. With Philip Michael Thomas, Irene Cara, Lonette McKee, Dwan Smith. Muskan Sharma is a law student at Calcutta University. Sparkle is best known for her 1998 R&B debut hit single 'Be Careful '. 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 publish narratives intentionally and specifically to enlighten and transform the world. In @nytimes Feat. 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. 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]). The "Better Be Careful" singer was one of the first people to go public about . "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. I wish they were backing [me] when I was coming up and had a story to tell, but nobody believed. Prosecutors turned over to Kelly's defense team a DVD that alleges to show Kelly having sex with an underage girl in the 1990s. Sparkle, real name Stephanie Edwards, also positively identified R. Kelly as the man on the tape engaging in illegal sex with her 13-year-old niece. Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. 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. "Anger? Of course Im in full unwavering support of them and their act of courage.. Singer R. Kelly leaves the Leighton Criminal Courts Building following a hearing on June 26, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. Flavor Of Love Reality Star Deelishis' Niece Reportedly Killed in Mass Shooting; Baddies West Season 3 Fights: Stunna Girl vs. Everybody; 50 Cent Inks Non-Exclusive Broadcast Deal With Fox; Cardi B & Offset Meal Launches at McDonald's on Valentine's Day; Leilani Capalot - T Shirt Music Video & BTS | Video Zone [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. What is the relationship between the two singers? Sparkle added that she and Kelly were never romantically involved as painted by the victim. Nope, Sparkle didn't take a payout meanwhile R sending them on trips and paying for their houses. For years, Sparkle has made claims about Kelly allegedly abusing her niece . I cant help the lies told on me & under oath at all & cause ya momma mad at me cause yall were FORCED to testify, she said. I also did not want that person to be me, Jane testified. The partnership between the two dissipated over creative differences, leading her to amicably ask for release from the label, according to MTV. Chicago police have not charged Kelly, and will only say that their investigation is continuing. Singer Sparkle, who formerly recorded with Kelly, says Landfair is her niece. We've joined the BHM Digital family of websites and have updated our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. In the indictment, Kelly gave the girl and her family gifts, money before and after the trial in exchange for her lying to investigators, being unavailable for interviews and refusing to testify against him. Kellys trial is ongoing, with the sex tapes of other underaged victims set to be played for jurors. 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. As you can imagine, all this drama derailed Sparkle's career. Profession: Singer. 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. It's messed up. 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. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and exploring new places. ET. 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. She would go on to release a successful self-titled album in 1998, which debuted at #3 on the Billboard charts. About. She says "There have been too many girls to count. Sparkle added that her niece, sister and brother-in-law all reported that nothing was going on, however. 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. 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. When R. Kelly was acquitted on child pornography charges in 2008, jurors reportedly said it was because the 14-year-old girl he was accused of sexually assaulting on video refused to testify. 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. She added that there is a family feud, and the victims testimony is a clear plan to try to take her down.. Sparkle testified that she then called a family meeting so her other relatives could see the tape for themselves. On Friday, Sparkle took to social media to denounce some of the claims made by her niece on the stand. Since the news of her nieces cooperation has been made public, Sparkle says she is thrilled. 5 Infamous Murder Cases Involving Athletes, Deadly Day for Rappers XXXTentacion and Wopo. Before Fame. Sparkle said that she had discussions with Hankerson, who was also Aaliyah's uncle, about signing to his Blackground record label about two weeks before Aaliyah's death in 2001, but that discussions fell apart. She said that his acquittal then affected her view of the #MeToo movement a decade later. Sparkle says she became suspicious of R. Kelly's involvement with her teenage niece in 2001. Vibe is a part of Penske Media Corporation. The decades-long crusade cost the 46-year-old her closest relationships and stifled her own music career. Robert didnt allow pretty much anyone to speak to me, Edwards alleges in the new show. There's no denying it,' she says on the stand. Sparkle claimed that her niece met Kelly when she was 12. ), "I watched a few seconds of it, and I refused to watch the rest," Adra Gengler testified. NBA Bans Donald Sterling For Life after Racist Comments. 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." We were tight, tight, tight." In a contentious court battle, Edwards testified against Kelly in 2008, according to ET Online. The Times. #SomeoneWhoLovesMusicWayTooMuch What, exactly, is the relationship between Kelly and Sparkle, and what are the claims being made against the infamous artist? "Sparkle" featured a duet with Kelly, titled "Be Careful.". Back in 2008, Kelly ended up being acquitted on charges of child pornography. Photo Credit: Gary Miller for Getty Images). She got . Who wouldn't be [disgusted]? "You have no idea whether this was put together by someone trying to get money from Robert, do you?" 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. Unsurprisingly, that 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? The alleged victim on the tape is also the niece of the singer Sparkle, whom Kelly mentored as an artist early in her career. 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. We want to hear from you! Sparkle's age is 47. The singer used social media to "put a few things in context.". In one of his few public comments on the issue, Kelly told Chicago radio station WGCI-FM in Chicago on April 4 that he couldn't comment on much of the scandal, per his attorney's advice. But in 2001, when she actually witnessed the tape herself, she didn't hesitate to call. "Hampton spoke to me and spoke to my management," Edwards continued. Its impact cannot be overstated and a month later, Kelly was facing new charges in Chicago. MadameNoire Copyright 2023 BossipMadameNoire, LLC All Rights Reserved | BHM Digital, a federal indictment, of paying the girl and her father to lie to investigators. Sparkle said in disgust. "I wanted this to go away. 6 2019, Updated 5:51 a.m. "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. Kelly is facing multiple sexual assault charges and is being held without bail. Last week, Kellywas arrested for an additional 13 counts of federal sex trafficking and child pornography charges. Prosecutors believe that there were many more girls, beyond the initially cited 12, who were victim to Kellys abuse. According to a federal indictment unsealed last week, Kelly gave the girl and her family gifts and money before and after the trial so she would lie to investigators, avoid questioning, and so she would not testify against him. There are a lot of people who are very jealous of me right now and they're trying to destroy me.". Modern Movie Musical Essentials. 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 . The woman disclosed that her aunt and her parents knew about her being around Kelly. TikTok video from Samke Ndlovu INdlovu (@samkeindlovukaz): "#Aunty and Niece Challenge ". 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,. 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. Kelly got emotional during the sit-down and alleged that he is "fighting for his . Sparkle was horrified when she discovered that it was her niece at the center of Kelly's 2002 child pornography indictment. 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 . MTV, EMA and all related titles, logos and characters are trademarks of Viacom International Inc. 'You just know your family. Sparkle Net Worth: Sparkle is an American R&B singer who has a net worth of $600 thousand. By continuing to use this site, you agree to our updated Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), singer began grooming the 14-year-old victim and began having sex with her at just 15 years, Prosecutors are pushing for another conviction, R. Kelly being sentenced to 30 years in prison, R. Kelly and Joycelyn Savages Father Denies She Gave Birth To His Baby, R. Kellys Unauthorized Album I Did It Removed From Streaming Services, DJ Envy, Lil Mama, Erica Mena Calls Out Angela Yee Over Breakfast Club Claims, Nicki Minaj Launches Own Record Label, Skeng Among First Signees, Popcaan and Squash 6ixx Boss Clash On IG Igniting Beef, Nicki Minaj New Song Red Ruby Da Sleeze Debut At No. 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 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. 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. ", Genson then made a comment about the girl on the tape looking like a willing participant. According to . EXPOSED: PROOF Sparkle PIMPED Her Niece To R Kelly!| Andrea Kelly & Lisa VA Have S E X Tape! Sparkle explains that she testified against Kelly in court, although he allegedly tried to bribe her. Prosecutors say he victimized 12 women, at least eight of whom were underage at the time of the events. Singer Sparkle was the only member from the girls family to testify against Kelly in 2008, identifying her niece in the tape. His response thus far has been that the tapes are fabricated and that he's been blackmailed. Her testimony sliced her family into factions, relegating her to years of . In her video, Sparkle read a statement from her phone and said, "Not all that you heard yesterday from my niece is true. Kelly faces 15 years in prison and a $100,000 fine. Recording artist Stephanie "Sparkle" Edwards accused R. Kelly of having sex with her 14-year-old niece at his 2008 trial. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Copyright 2023 Interactive One, LLC. ", More cases against R. Kelly will come forward, Sparkle predicted, if they don't settle out of court first. | Follow on Twitter: @BridgetEE and IG: @Bridgetee26, Source: MadameNoire.com/iOne Digital / MadameNoire. 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. Though his attorney argued that he was not a flight risk and had appeared at all of his court appointments on time, a judge denied bond calling the case extraordinarily serious.. She said she regretted bringing her niece to Kelly's studio and later his home -- "my mistake," Sparkle said. Her family would rather keep the matter quiet, she said, even if that means protecting an alleged predator. 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. Sparkle has since thanked "Surviving R. Kelly" producer Dream Hampton for once again bringing attention to the alleged crimes. Atlanta Black Star is a narrative company. I'm happy to see the #MeToo movement and Time's Up movement are backing these women. 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." 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. 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. (Several other people have also identified the girl and Kelly on the tape during testimony. 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. R. Kelly was later acquitted of all charges. 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. @lifetimetv SRK For Girls/Women linktr.ee/isparklei Posts Reels Videos Tagged Sparkle also heard the news of her niece's testimony and took to Instagram to discuss the allegations. FAQ + Create an Account / Login. Bop Shop: Songs From J-Hope And J. Cole, Daisy Jones & The Six, And More, One trip back to the '70s, another to the future, Deem Spencer Swims Into The Deep End Of His Mind, The New York rapper adds a new layer of introspection and maturity to his trademark jovial teenage anguish with 'AdultSW!M', Diasporic Reflections: Four Black Creatives Making Art Tinged With Legacy, Joshua Renfroe, Kuukua Eshun, Aja Monet, and Mike Abrantie tell MTV News about purpose and perspective in Black communities worldwide, Bop Shop: Songs From Kelela, PinkPantheress And Ice Spice, The Boyz, And More, The boy might be a liar, but the memes simply don't lie, SZA Brings Her Fans On An Emotional Voyage On 'SOS' Tour, In Chicago, the second night of her arena showcase found the singer sailing across a sea of victory, The musician discusses how art about half-human, half-mechatronic beings alongside their gender and racial identities informs their debut album, The Exhibit: Finding the Next Great Artist.

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