Former R.Kelly mentee Sparkle is speaking out following the R&B singer’s guilty verdict, and she is not holding back.
This past Monday, September 27th R.Kelly was found guilty on all counts in his racketeering and sex trafficking trial.
Sparkle, 46, once side by side with the “Ignition” singer as a result her career took off in 1998 as a singing protégé of his. She’s most recognized for her song Be Careful, which features R. Kelly and reached No. 3 on the US Billboard Rhythmic Hot 100.
During a recent interview, she has this to say about the outcome of R. Kelly’s trial. She said,
“I didn’t think I would be emotional. But I am. It’s just been a long time for me, dealing with this. On the one hand, I think I’m a little sad because Robert was my ex-mentor and what he did was just a punch to my chest. And I’m also relieved. Thank God they got it right this time. At the first trial, nobody believed me.”
Reports have stated that the songstress was the first person to speak out against R. Kelly for his sickening actions over 20 years ago after she allegedly viewed a sexually descriptive video featuring the singer and her 14-year-old niece. Sparkle was shortly after blackballed from the singing industry for calling the police and reporting what she had seen.
Regardless that didn’t stop Sparkle from speaking out against R. Kelly. She testified in his 2008 trial for child pornography charges, which he was ultimately found not guilty. She also made an appearance in Lifetime’s Surviving R. Kelly documentary where she shared her past experiences with her former mentor.
Sparkle had this to say in regards to what speaking out against R.Kelly did to her career and personal life.
“My career was shattered… But when people heard I wasn’t on Robert’s side, they disappeared. It felt like that Homer Simpson GIF where he just backs into the bushes. Robert was so powerful in the industry, they didn’t care what he was doing. For the next 18 years, I only put out a couple of songs. I felt disgusted with the music business. I did a lot of private events and made a few dollars.”
