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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Clémence Michallon

R Kelly: Resurfaced video shows singer knew Aaliyah's age when she was 14

A newly resurfaced clip shows R Kelly knew Aaliyah's age when she was 14, prior to their wedding.

In the video, which was shared on YouTube last week, Kelly can be heard saying: "Right now I'm producing a very talented lady... young lady. She's 14. Aaliyah."

This contradicts claims previously made by Kelly's lawyer Steven Greenberg, who previously said Kelly was unaware of Aaliyah's actual age when the two were married.

Greenberg told Good Morning America last week: “He was married to her when she was 15.”

When ABC's Linsey Davis pointed out that 15 would have been under the age of legal consent, Greenberg added: “Right. Except my understanding is that she did not claim to be 15 and, in order to get married, she had to lie about her age."

Davis added: "And he is saying that he had no idea."

'No idea," Greenberg replied.

The Independent has reached out to Greenberg for comment.

Aaliyah – full name Aaliyah Dana Haughton – was born on 16 January, 1979.

A copy of Aaliyah and Kelly's marriage certificate previously published by the Huffington Post lists the wedding date as 31 August, 1994. Aaliyah was 15 on this date.

Greenberg was pushing back against accusations made against Kelly in the six-part Lifetime documentary Surviving R Kelly.

Despite facing a number of sexual misconduct allegations over the past two decades, Kelly has never been convicted. Last year, he denied accusations of holding young women in an abusive cult.

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