For years, the world knew her only as “Jane Doe”—the 14-year-old girl at the center of the infamous 2002 sex tape that triggered R. Kelly’s first child pornography trial. While the graphic footage of the singer urinating on a minor ignited a national scandal, the girl in the video remained a ghost. For two decades, Reshona Landfair lived as a prisoner of public ridicule, forced to navigate her trauma under the radar.
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Landfair’s 2022 testimony, which contradicted her denial during the 2008 trial, was central to R. Kelly’s conviction. Regarding her memoir, Kelly’s attorney told various publications that the singer would not offer any refutation, as he did not wish to “limit the financial success” of the book, and instead “wishes her success and peace.”
Even after her Kelly was eventually convicted and sentenced decades after the abuse, Landfair is finally releasing the prison shackles of public ridicule and reclaiming her identity. In her raw new memoir, “Who Was Watching Shorty? Reclaiming Myself from the Shame of R. Kelly’s Abuse,” Landfair provides the first-hand account the world has waited twenty years to hear, offering a vivid look at her journey from being a victim to a survivor.
The book chronicles the rise of the hip-hop group 4 The Cause in Chicago in the late 1990s. At just 12, Landfair was far from a typical pre-teen — she was touring internationally and scoring Top 10 hits in Europe. Her musical success comes as no surprise to anyone, as talent runs through her family’s bloodline. Her aunt, Stephanie “Sparkle” Edwards, was a rising R&B star with ties to R. Kelly.
Sparkle would become the whistleblower, identifying the girl on the tape and reporting the abuse to the authorities. The physical tape was submitted anonymously to the Chicago Sun-Times. Sparkle’s testimony became the foundation of the prosecution’s case, creating a rift within the family that remains to this day.
Though Sparkle was seeking justice, Landfair’s parents were protective of Kelly, viewing him as “family,” which created questionable family dynamics highlighted in the “Surviving R.Kelly” documentary.
The tension between the two women was further complicated by their individual histories with the singer. Sparkle had been Kelly’s protégé, and her “surprise” appearance in the 2019 documentary — speaking about the trauma of the tape —ultimately severed her relationship with Landfair, and they still remain estranged.
Across 240 pages, Landfair vividly recounts an abusive experience masked by Kelly’s power and the predatory title of “godfather.” For over a decade, she lived in a web of narcissistic control, love-bombing, and physical abuse. The Root sat down with Landfair to discuss the weight of that silence and her journey toward healing.
“It was never going to be a good time to tell my story,” Landfair shared with The Root. “It took a lot of prayer, therapy, commitment, and obedience to write the book. This was my official release for myself to change the false narratives that had been perpetuated in the media. Ultimately, I am the only one that is really qualified to speak on my experience.” She further explains that as a mother to her 5-year-old son, it was important to “clear up” the image the public created of her.
Landfair expressed to The Root how the grooming initially felt innocent. One seemingly harmless conversation opened the gate to a relationship that blurred every boundary. “He is asking me what I am wearing…thinking normal day-to-day things, not realizing what he meant,” Landfair recalled. “I didn’t know how to process it.”
The world eventually saw the devastating result of those blurred lines. Reshona—nicknamed “Chon” by Kelly—saw her private life enter the public eye during the 2002 court case. As the trial unfolded, her life was flipped upside down. After her parents accepted a $250,000 payment from Kelly — a move she describes as a calculated effort to buy their silence — she was removed from high school and moved into Kelly’s Chicago Trax recording studio, where she lived in near-total isolation.
The tragedy of Landfair’s story lies in the echoing silence of the “village” that was supposed to protect her. From the engineers at Chicago Trax to the industry executives who profited from Kelly’s fame, she was the secret everyone knew. Even in her own home, there was no protection. Her father, Greg Landfair Sr., later admitted he had been duped by the lie that Kelly would protect his daughter, succumbing to Kelly’s power.
Landfair writes that her family “asked God to bless our mess rather than order our steps,” ultimately investing in the lies as much as the predator himself. This grooming shaped her perspective during the legal battle; she recalls receiving a call from Kelly when he was found “not guilty,” admitting that, at the time, she didn’t want him to go to prison.
“During that time I was operating out of cognitive dissonance,” she explained. “So where things may have not felt right or felt pure, I was trained and groomed to be loyal and protective of him.”
Her suffering didn’t stop there. During her days of isolation, her trauma was met with public mockery. In 2003, while she was an 18-year-old dealing with the trauma of her abuse, Dave Chappelle’s “Piss on You” skit hit the air. “It was very depressing,” Landfair reflected. “Imagine your worst moments and secrets being lived through the public… that was traumatizing, humiliating, and very discouraging.”
Today, Landfair has successfully severed ties and rebuilt her life. She currently works at a school-based health center and has launched her nonprofit, Project Refine, a mentorship program for young women.
“It’s my passion to pour into people who have experienced similar difficulties,” Landfair said. “I want to bring awareness so victims know they are not alone.”
Reshona Landfair’s memoir, “Who’s Watching Shorty? Reclaiming Myself from the Shame of R. Kelly’s Abuse,” is set for release Feb. 3.
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