What do you think about the matter? A post shared by Sparkle (Stephanie Edwards) (@isparklei). You just know your family. Are you the aunt who had that child rub R. Kellys head? This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google. Singer Sparkle Denies Her Niece's Claims That She Introduced Her To R The prosecution has not responded to the claim. 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. Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox, Get our latest stories in the feed of your favorite networks. 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. Kelly's former protg Stephanie Edwards, who recorded under the name Sparkle, also spoke on the verdict. Sparkle thinks that allegiance to Robert still exists. Sparkle - Age, Bio, Personal Life, Family & Stats - CelebsAges Please say its not you., Sparkle replied, Absolutely NOT! Please say its not you., Takeoff Shot in Head and Torso, According to Coroner Report, Aaron Carter Pulled Over On Suspicion Of DUI While Driving RV. 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. If you are in your 40s you have seen the video (whether you want to admit it or not). Fourteen witnesses had identified the girl in the video during the 20018 trial, but she and members of her family did not testify. Kellys trial is ongoing, with the sex tapes of other underaged victims set to be played for jurors. R. Kelly's Former Backup Dancer, Sparkle, Slams His Interview With Genson suggested that Sparkle next tried to conspire with former Kelly manager Barry Hankerson "about doing something bad to Robert. Both have pleaded not guilty. She. "She's doing exactly what he told her to do. She began her career in 1998 as a protg of fellow Chicago native R. Kelly. Its impact cannot be overstated and a month later, Kelly was facing new charges in Chicago. Lets continue to pray for healing in this family. 5 Infamous Murder Cases Involving Athletes, Deadly Day for Rappers XXXTentacion and Wopo. 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. Sparkle has long asserted that her niece was abused by Kelly. Sparkle Addresses Niece's Testimony Against R. Kelly - Yahoo! Singer Sparkle was the only member from the girl's family to testify against Kelly in 2008, identifying her niece in the tape. There are a lot of people who are very jealous of me right now and they're trying to destroy me.". She's being exposed to the world. Advancing the culture and building bridges. Yes, Sparkle identified the 14-year-old as her sister's daughter and that the girl was engaging in filth with the Pied Piper of R&Pee. What Ever Happened to: Sparkle | Soul In Stereo "You have no idea whether this was put together by someone trying to get money from Robert, do you?" But after the meeting, "There was one side and another side," she said. Music Videos. At the time, Sparkle was largely ignored by the media. In her video, Sparkle read a statement from her phone and said, "Not all that you heard yesterday from my niece is true. At the time, she and her family denied her appearance in the video and refused to testify. While the witness is addressed in court as Jane, her story included identifying details, including that she is Sparkles niece. Offset Changes Instagram Avatar to Takeoff Photo After His Death. Whitten Sabbatini for . Sparkle first introduced her then-12-year-old niece to Kelly in 1997 a decision that still haunts her to this day. Sparkle Net Worth: Sparkle is an American R&B singer who has a net worth of $600 thousand. We talked about business. The partnership between the two dissipated over creative differences, leading her to amicably ask for release from the label, according to MTV. Sparkle met singer R. Kelly in 1989. It's very upsetting. Sparkle's Niece Now Working With Authorities In R. Kelly Case Sparkle: Directed by Sam O'Steen. 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].. Who wouldn't be [disgusted]? Since the news of her niece's cooperation has been made public, Sparkle says she is thrilled. Modern Movie Musical Essentials. R. Kelly Trial: Sparkle Claims Niece Lied About Her On The Stand We were a gospel group just years prior so me thinking about them for them was partly programmed in meagain, Because Robert was given the opportunity to have his own imprint, record label, I introduced my sister, my brother-in-law and my niece to Robert at CRC studios in 1997 in hopes of landing my niece a career in this industry, not a concert as she testified, Sparkle said. Since the news of her nieces cooperation has been made public, Sparkle says she is thrilled. Sparkle first started singing in her family's gospel music group. 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. I'm happy to see the #MeToo movement and Time's Up movement are backing these women. Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. As of now, Sparkles niece and her attorney have yet to respond to Sparkles claim she lied on the stand. I cant help the lies told on me & under oath at all & cause ya momma mad at me cause yall were FORCED to testify Sparkle: Directed by Salim Akil. 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. advice and career trends - and MadameNoire provides all of that. 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. 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. In our exclusive interview, she shared that the decision cost her the relationship with her family. Shortly after the tape was released, the woman's aunt - 1990s R&B singer Sparkle - came forward and blasted her former mentor R Kelly. TikTok video from Samke Ndlovu INdlovu (@samkeindlovukaz): "#Aunty and Niece Challenge ". Now that her niece has finished testifying, Sparkle is speaking out again - and what she's saying is EXPLOSIVE. "She's my niece. Recording artist Stephanie "Sparkle" Edwards accused R. Kelly of having sex with her 14-year-old niece at his 2008 trial. "I have an ex-manager that's been on my back," he said. Genson pointed out that the girl is seen receiving money on the tape. "Never. Is Sparkle's Niece Cooperating With Authorities Against R. Kelly? Sparkle testified that she then called a family meeting so her other relatives could see the tape for themselves. 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. "I just shied away from the industry. Ivie is a Nigerian-American, native New Yorker, and journalist covering, Report: R. Kellys Former Staffers Gave Feds 20 More Sex Tapes with Minors, R. Kelly Sentenced to 20 Years For Child Sex Crimes, R. Kelly Silenced Aaliyah & Her Family With Non-Disclosure Agreement After 1995 Marriage Annulment, Watch the Trailer For Surviving R. Kelly Part III: The Final Chapter. What, exactly, is the relationship between Kelly and Sparkle, and what are the claims being made against the infamous artist? One of the disgraced singer's former artists has stepped forward to defend herself in the ongoing R. Kelly trial. Sparkle was horrified when she discovered that it was her niece at the center of Kelly's 2002 child pornography indictment. Sparkle (1976) - IMDb Nope, Sparkle didn't take a payout meanwhile R sending them on trips and paying for their houses. Girl In Alleged R. Kelly Tape Said To Be 14-Year-Old Niece Of Singer CHICAGO -- "Sweetie, I'm not trying to get any money for this!". 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. 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! For full coverage of the case, read the R. Kelly Reports and check out this [article id="1586932"]complete timeline[/article] of the events leading up to the trial. Since the alleged R. Kelly sex tapes first hit the media two months ago, the primary question has been if the girl featured on the 27-minute tape, currently under investigation by the Chicago police, was actually underage, since her identity had been kept hidden.