R&B singer Sparkle, best known for her 1998 hit “Be Careful” with R. Kelly, is pushing back against new allegations from her niece, Reshona Landfair, who says she was groomed and abused by Kelly as a teenager — and that Sparkle played a role in introducing her to the singer. Sparkle has denied the claims and released a statement defending her actions.
Landfair, once known only in court documents as Jane Doe, was the 14-year-old girl featured in a sexually explicit videotape tied to Kelly that became central evidence in his federal trials. Kelly was later convicted on charges including racketeering, sex trafficking, and child pornography and sentenced to decades in prison.
In her forthcoming memoir ‘Who’s Watching Shorty?: Reclaiming Myself from the Shame of R. Kelly’s Abuse,’ Landfair names her aunt Sparkle as the person who first encouraged her to get close to Kelly; a decision she now says led to years of sexual and mental abuse.
Sparkle took to Instagram to deny those claims.
In response, Sparkle — who herself testified against Kelly in his 2008 child pornography case — took to social media to dispute the grooming accusation. She said any suggestion that she “groomed, facilitated, or enabled harm” to her niece is “untrue and deeply painful,” and outlined steps she took to try to protect Landfair when she first became aware of harm, including calling DCFS when she learned Landfair’s parents were allowing Kelly to spend time with her unsupervised. Sparkle also noted that she cooperated fully with authorities and testified under oath despite pressure not to, and said that her priority has always been her niece’s safety and well-being.
Landfair’s memoir, which was released on Tuesday (Feb. 3), represents the first time she is telling her story under her own name and on her own terms.
