Sparkle is speaking out to clear her name after some intense allegations from her own family began to surface this week. The R&B singer, known for her early career as a protégé of R. Kelly, is addressing recent comments made by her niece, Reshona Landfair.
For decades, Landfair was known only as the “Jane Doe” in the high-profile legal cases involving the disgraced singer, but she has recently stepped into the public eye to share her story. Alongside her new memoir, Who’s Watching Shorty?, Landfair is opening up about the years she spent being groomed by Kelly, who is currently serving a 31-year sentence for sex trafficking and racketeering.
The situation took a personal turn after Landfair’s recent appearance on CBS Mornings, where she sat down with Jericka Duncan to discuss her upcoming book. During the conversation, Landfair alleged that Sparkle, whose real name is Stephanie Edwards, played a role in bridging the gap between her and Kelly. Landfair claimed her aunt encouraged her to build a close relationship with the singer, even suggesting she sit on his lap and treat him like a godfather. “That is the start of him entering into my life in a different way than just being an artist or hanging out at the studio,” Landfair said. She explained that these interactions made the situation feel more personal, which she believes led to the years of grooming that followed.
Sparkle was quick to deny these claims, taking to Instagram to set the record straight and provide her side of the timeline. In a detailed statement and a follow-up Live session, the singer explained that she was actually the one trying to intervene when she realized what was happening behind the scenes. “When I was informed her parents were allowing Reshona to spend unchaperoned time with R. Kelly, I immediately contacted DCFS. When the tape surfaced and the state brought charges against him in 2008, I cooperated fully and testified under oath, despite immense pressure not to do so. I did this because protecting my niece from abuse and telling the truth mattered more to me than money and my career,” Sparkle wrote.
She made it clear that while she acknowledges her niece’s trauma, she will not accept the blame for the abuse. “This is the beginning of Reshona’s lengthy deprogramming journey. It is true that she is a survivor of years of abuse, still learning to process what happened to her and who is responsible. It is also true and well documented that I stood up for her to try and stop the damage being done to her and countless others.”
Addressing the specific claims about the “godfather” request, Sparkle did not hold back. “I don’t want to hinder this legal process, but to testify that I had my niece sit on Robert’s lap and rub his head and have her ask him to be her godfather is an absolute fucking lie,” Sparkle stated. She expressed deep disappointment over the rift in her family, noting that while she has faced skepticism in the past, she won’t stand for what she describes as false statements, “Enough is enough.”
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
