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." At the time, she and her family denied her appearance in the video and refused to testify. 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]). "Never. Mar. | Follow on Twitter: @BridgetEE and IG: @Bridgetee26, Source: MadameNoire.com/iOne Digital / MadameNoire. 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. Its no secret the original R Kelly having relations with a minor (allegedly) video was all over the streets on VHS. Whats your take on it? At the time, Sparkle was largely ignored by the media. Sparkle's Niece Now Working With Authorities In R. Kelly Case BridgetEE: A Music and Entertainment blogger/ Historian / Global Grind Freelance Writer 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. We've joined the BHM Digital family of websites and have updated our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. 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].. Sparkle (singer) - Wikipedia Sparkle (Singer) Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Chrisean Rock Announces Blueface Made It Official With Her 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. Sparkle stated that her niece was "doing the will of her mom," who she says has allegiance to R. Kelly. "We've had contact all along with the girl's family," Chicago police spokesperson Officer Pat Camden said. Three sisters form a singing group in 1950s Harlem, but success threatens to ruin their relationship forever. Singer Sparkle was the only member from the girl's family to testify against Kelly in 2008, identifying her niece in the tape. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and exploring new places. Featured On. Singer who came to prominence in the late 90s through her collaborations with R. Kelly. Sparkle Addresses Niece's Testimony Against R. Kelly - VIBE.com She shared that she feels these are lies organized by her sister as a method of sabotage. Copyright 2023 Interactive One, LLC. All Rights Reserved. I'm happy to see the #MeToo movement and Time's Up movement are backing these women. 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. 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. advice and career trends - and MadameNoire provides all of that. It's so very sad.". 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. R&B Singer Sparkle, Who Spoke Out Against R. Kelly Decades Ago Kids edition - Orlando And Sparkle. One of the disgraced singer's former artists has stepped forward to defend herself in the ongoing R. Kelly trial. Atlanta Black Star is a narrative company. 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. 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. 2023 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. They would pretty much drop me off and then leave, she said about her parents and the introduction by her aunt. Sparkle prayed for her niece to one day tell the truth and shame the devil and for them to be a family again. In our exclusive interview, she shared that the decision cost her the relationship with her family. Sparkle claimed that her niece met Kelly when she was 12. That's it.". ", More cases against R. Kelly will come forward, Sparkle predicted, if they don't settle out of court first. What, exactly, is the relationship between Kelly and Sparkle, and what are the claims being made against the infamous artist? he asked. If convicted, he'd have to register as a sex offender. We publish narratives intentionally and specifically to enlighten and transform the world. 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. MTV, EMA and all related titles, logos and characters are trademarks of Viacom International Inc. 'You just know your family. She grew up in Chicago, Illinois and first met Kelly in 1989. "Sir, it's Robert and [my niece] on the tape," she said during the emotional trial, according to MTV. Singer Sparkle's Allegations About R. Kelly And Her Niece In 'Surviving As of now, Sparkles niece and her attorney have yet to respond to Sparkles claim she lied on the stand. Sparkle Talks R Kelly, Aaliyah Marriage, Introducing Cousin To Singer 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? Last week in court R. Kelly's original case, Sparkles niece at 30 plus years took the stand to testify. Girl In Alleged R. Kelly Tape Said To Be 14-Year-Old Niece Of Singer Sparkle claimed that her niece met Kelly when she was 12. 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. Sparkle, however, disputed the witness account after a social media user questioned her about it. At the time, Sparkle identified the child in the video as her niece. The girl's mother -- Sparkle's sister -- didn't want to see the tape and didn't want to talk about it, she said. Aunt Of R Kelly Victim Accuses Her Of Lying On The Stand - Bossip 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). Fast forwarding to now, R Kelly pretty much got a life sentence plus he still has more charges to face. 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 admits that some things went down but now she is saying her aunt encouraged it. Bop Shop: Songs From J-Hope And J. 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Kelly's Former Backup Dancer, Sparkle, Slams His Interview With EXPOSED: PROOF Sparkle PIMPED Her Niece To R Kelly!| Andrea - YouTube In @nytimes Feat. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Who is Sparkle and how is she linked to the R Kelly case? Here's what's "I know my family. seek information on a wide variety of topics including African-American hair care, health issues, relationship "Sir, it's Robert and [my niece] on the tape," she said. "There have been a couple that have come to light that have settled out of court, so that they would not go to criminal court," Sparkle said, referring to Kelly's settlements with Tracy Sampson and Tiffany Hawkins. 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. 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. Will No Longer Be Pursuing These Indictments: Chicago Prosecutor Drops Sex-Abuse Charges Against Singer R. Kelly Months After Conviction. Sparkle (2012) - IMDb MadameNoire Copyright 2023 BossipMadameNoire, LLC All Rights Reserved | BHM Digital, a federal indictment, of paying the girl and her father to lie to investigators. The "Better Be Careful" singer was one of the first people to go public about . Who, do you believe, is lying? Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! "But until our investigation is complete, we can't confirm or deny that [Sparkle is the girl's aunt]. "But until our investigation is . 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. 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. 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. MadameNoire is a sophisticated lifestyle publication that gives African-American women the latest in fashion trends, As you can imagine, all this drama derailed Sparkle's career. Profession: Singer. 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. Creator of Bridget EEs Bloghouse, a A Place Where Real Music Is Previewed and Reviewed. ", Sparkle wasn't the only witness to get emotional on the stand Thursday. 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 . Now that her niece has finished testifying, Sparkle is speaking out again - and what she's saying is EXPLOSIVE. Are you the aunt who had that child rub R. Kellys head? 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. In 2001, the singer Sparkle (seen above in the 2019 Lifetime series Surviving R Kelly), whose real name is Stephanie Edwards, went public with allegations that R Kelly sexually assaulted her niece . 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. One of the disgraced singers former artists has stepped forward to defend herself in the ongoing R. Kelly trial. 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. In the recent federal indictment, he was accused of paying off the girl and her family so they would lie for him and not cooperate with investigators. Singer R. Kelly leaves the Leighton Criminal Courts Building following a hearing on June 26, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. ", Genson then made a comment about the girl on the tape looking like a willing participant. Recording artist Stephanie "Sparkle" Edwards accused R. Kelly of having sex with her 14-year-old niece at his 2008 trial. @lifetimetv SRK For Girls/Women linktr.ee/isparklei Posts Reels Videos Tagged Among the issues covered in the investigatory program were allegations made by a former Kelly protege, Stephanie "Sparkle" Edwards. Blog. 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. 1 on iTunes. In her video, Sparkle read a statement from her phone and said, "Not all that you heard yesterday from my niece is true. We were tight, tight, tight." Music Videos. Kelly is facing multiple sexual assault charges and is being held without bail. At the time, Sparkle identified the child in the video as her niece. If convicted, Kelly would face the maximum of 195 years in prison. According to . Sparkle first introduced her then-12-year-old niece to Kelly in 1997 a decision that still haunts her to this day. Find a review of [article id="1587729"]the major players in the R. Kelly trial here[/article]. In addition to child pornography, Kelly is facing state and federal charges of obstruction of justice, sexual assault and racketeering. Close Menu. Sparkle went on to sign with Motown Records and released a second album, titled "Told You So," in 2000. Her testimony sliced her family into factions, relegating her to years of . She said there was no bitterness between her and Kelly over the split: "He was my homeboy. "I just shied away from the industry. 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. Cardi B and Offset Meal Boycotted By Several McDonalds Franchise Owners, Gary Owens Estranged Wife Clowns His New Boo On The Gram, Da Brat Reveals Shes Pregnant at 48, Expecting Baby With Wife Jesseca Judy Dupart, R. Kelly Sentenced to 20 Years for Child Sex Crimes in Illinois. Sparkle Net Worth | Celebrity Net Worth I was ashamed.. She began her career in 1998 as a protg of fellow Chicago native R. Kelly. Years ago, Kelly was accused of abusing Sparkles niece, but during Kellys current trial, the niece claimed that Sparkle encouraged the interactions.