Update 08/19/2022 3:56pm:

Sparkle is responding to her niece taking the stand in R. Kelly’s federal trial in Chicago, where she claimed that Sparkle is the person who introduced her to Kelly and coerced her to ask Kelly to be her godfather. 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. Sparkle stated that her niece was “doing the will of her mom,” who she says has allegiance to R. Kelly.

Sparkle went on to explain that she was the one who introduced her sister, brother-in-law, and niece to R. Kelly in hopes of getting her niece a record deal, denying her niece's claims that she met R. Kelly at a concert. Sparkle also spoke about introducing other family members to R. Kelly to see if he could help get them jobs. 

In her statement, Sparkle addressed her niece’s claims that she told her to sit on R. Kelly’s lap, rub his head, and ask him to be her godfather, which she called “an absolute f***ing lie.” Sparkle added that it’s also a lie that she was ever romantically involved with R. Kelly, and she closed out her statement by stating that her niece is now an adult that needs to bear some responsibility to tell the truth about her experience with R. Kelly. 

Original 08/18/2022 7:51pm:

The alleged victim in R. Kelly's infamous sex tape took the stand for the first time in 20 years during the disgraced singer's federal trial in Chicago. Appearing for the prosecution, the woman testified for nearly two hours under the pseudonym "Jane." During her testimony, Jane claimed that sexual contact with R. Kelly started when she was only 14 years old. Now 37, the alleged victim detailed her history with R. Kelly while wiping away tears.

The woman at the center of R. Kelly's 2008 trial admitted to jurors that she was on multiple sex tapes with the singer and was told to refer to her genitalia as "14 years old." When a prosecutor asked why R. Kelly was seen giving her money in one of the videos, she tearfully responded by stating, "Because if anybody saw the tape or if it was released for some reason, he wanted it to appear as if I was a prostitute."

After claiming she and R. Kelly started having intercourse when she was 15, she said she and the singer had sex "innumerable times" before she turned 18 and admitted to recruiting other underage girls at R. Kelly's request. Jane talked about being coached into denying her relationship with R. Kelly even after one of their sex tapes leaked and started circulating. She also detailed the moment R. Kelly came clean to her parents about the relationship.

"I just remember my dad storming out," Jane said. "He was saying, 'I can’t help you, I can’t help you.' ... He was hysterical."

Jane confirmed that R. Kelly sent her and her family to the Bahamas and Cancun so they couldn't be reached by media or law enforcement.

Singer and former R. Kelly protege Stephanie "Sparkle" Edwards was credited as the person who started bringing Jane around R. Kelly when she was 12 or 13 years old. According to Jane's testimony, Sparkle advised her to ask Kelly to be her godfather and told her how to act around him when asking the question.

"[Sparkle said] I should sit on his lap and rub his head and ask him to play that role in my life," Jane testified.

Jane said that after Kelly became her godfather, their relationship started becoming sexual. While she admitted to feeling uncomfortable during some of their sexual encounters, Jane told prosecutors she never spoke up because she viewed the singer as an authority figure and was in love.

Opening statements for R. Kelly's most recent trial began on Wednesday. Evidence and arguments are expected to be delivered over the next month.

Source: Chicago Tribune