Reshona Landfair Publishes Memoir on Relationship with R. Kelly

Reshona Landfair, now in her early forties, has published a memoir detailing her account of events related to singer R. Kelly. Landfair was a member of the 1990s Chicago hip-hop group 4 the Cause and was involved in legal cases against Kelly. The singer was convicted on federal charges in 2021 and 2022 and is currently serving prison sentences.

Book Details and Background

Landfair's memoir is titled Who's Watching Shorty? Reclaiming Myself from the Shame of R. Kelly's Abuse. In the book, she describes a relationship with Kelly that she states began when she was 14 years old and lasted for more than a decade.

Landfair states she met Kelly through her aunt, R&B singer Sparkle, whom Kelly was mentoring.
She states Kelly became her godfather when she was a child.
A video documenting an encounter between Kelly and Landfair when she was 14 was obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times in 2002. This video was used as evidence in child pornography charges against Kelly.
Kelly was acquitted in a 2008 trial related to those charges. Landfair states she did not testify in that trial.
Landfair testified under a pseudonym at Kelly's 2022 criminal trial in Chicago.

Legal Context for R. Kelly

R. Kelly faced multiple trials in recent years.

He was convicted in 2021 in a federal trial in New York on charges including racketeering and sex trafficking.
He was convicted in 2022 in a federal trial in Chicago on charges including production of child sexual abuse imagery and coercion of minors.
Kelly is currently serving a 30-year sentence from the New York trial and a concurrent 20-year sentence from the Illinois trial.

Statements from Reshona Landfair

In interviews and her memoir, Landfair has made several statements regarding her experience and the publication of her book.

"I just really wanted to capture the fact that I was a human being. I had dreams and aspirations. I was not just the 'R. Kelly girl,'" she said.

She stated the purpose of the memoir is to reclaim her story and her name, noting she had shortened her name to "Chon" in daily life for years.
She expressed regret over not testifying in the 2008 trial, writing, "I regret that so many more people were hurt by Robert because he wasn’t stopped in 2008."
Landfair stated that the long-term impact has been significant: "There's no job that I can apply for where this isn't the forefront of my life. There's no relationship I could be in where this isn't the forefront of my life."
Regarding her family's role at the time, she said her parents were in a position of "utter, naive denial" and faced a difficult choice.
On hearing Kelly's music in public, Landfair stated it is a common occurrence which she handles by going "into my little shell, and eventually it passes." She separately noted, "The music itself is his gift... I can’t take away a fan’s memory."

Statement from R. Kelly's Representative

R. Kelly's attorney, Beau Brindley, provided a statement regarding Landfair's memoir.

"Mr. Kelly wishes Ms. Landfair all the best in life. At a young age, Ms. Landfair was unfairly forced into the public eye against her will by people that were intent on destroying the reputation of R. Kelly. She did not deserve that. Mr. Kelly has no negative comments to make about her. He hopes she finds success and peace."

Landfair's Current Activities

Landfair currently lives in Chicago.

She works at a school-based health center.
She has founded a non-profit mentor program for young women called Project Refine.
Landfair has stated that publishing the memoir represents "the beginning of my freedom officially."