The Truth About Aretha Franklin Having A Child With Her Own Father 

Sexual abuse from fathers to daughters probably is the most horrifying trauma there is. I hope she had some type of person or therapy that helped her internally. Invisible injury is something else.

IF ANYONE HAS ACHIEVED ADULTHOOD...WITHOUT TRAUMA..BE THANKFUL. ARETHA WAS A LEGEND AND NO ONE CAN EVER TAKE THAT FROM HER.😔

Celie said it best, "A girl child ain't safe in a house full of men"!!🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼👀👂🏼🙋‍♀️🏃🏽‍♀️🏃🏽‍♀️🏃🏽‍♀️❤

The scary thing is that Clarence is a special needs person. And it's typical for children born through incest to have particular birth defects, including his. This is terrifying. That biopic could've been a whole other movie, had it explored things people have really been wondering.

Trauma causes depression, loneliness, isolation, embarrassment it gets stored in your cells and I believe Aretha had a food addiction because of this..

It sickens me that all these adults in her church and around her sat back and allowed the abuse of a child and refused to report it.😢

The fact that her family is still hiding and covering this up is horrific. Regardless if the father and Aretha are no longer here- the family needs to air it out!!!! To protect their future kids

It’s awful how the church has historically been a hub for soo much abuse. Folks are tied to these buildings and institutions where they are being mislead, exploited and abused. The church is literally the cause of soo much hurt, specifically in our community.

Damn her father was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. That was a sick man to do that to your own daughter.

This was so common. This happened to my aunties in their childhood. Sad how men especially men viewed as men of God abuse their children and families. Glad my mother kept from my daddy’s side of the family. Also, my step dad was a well known pastor in my childhood church. Church is one of the first things I disowned once I became a mother. Church was an interesting experience for me and it wasn’t even that traumatic just didn’t line up with personal growth.

He was sick...only demons do this...he should have been run out of town. Where was her mother? Who could just let this happen nasty..

Aretha's Oldest son CLARENCE has severe mental issues, maybe mildly retarded. THATS the smoking gun for me! His Mother is his half sister and his daddy is his father and grandfather! Ladt I heard he's been in a "home" for mentally disabled adults for years. And she left money for his care!

Who wouldn't wanna be known as Aretha Franklin's baby daddy. My point is if it was really that "boy" from school he would have came out by now I mean🤷‍♀️

Any time I hear stories like this it makes my stomach turn and I want to puke🤢it sickens me to my core when I hear how a father took their daughters innocence and have a child at that...My God, Im speechless I can imagine what she went through mentally. My heart hurts terribly for her and the other ladies. Its stories like these why I just cant step in a church anymore.

My father molested me when i was young. I dont know the exact age it started, or how long it went on, but as an innocent child I stopped it. Now as a grown woman I have to get therapy

They offered Damon Wayans the part of CL Franklin in ‘Respect’. He turned it down because it is implied that he raped his daughter. He didn’t want to play a pedo, and I understand. He told Marlon about the part of Aretha’s husband, and Marlon accepted that part.

Her childhood was so sad. It amazes me how grown people thinks it's a good idea to take advantage of young people smh. It looks like her dad was her child's father so sad.

I suspect that with in the family they know who is the father of her eldest son. I also believe that's the reason her mother left the home for good.

Sexual abuse is horrifying. Do not act as if she was a willing participant with her father if that’s even the case! Let her rest in peace.

This is the generation that preaches to us about morals 😓.

That's Way She Was So Messed Up Mentally & Physically.

In the respect movie, the first scene was of her father creeping into her bedroom waking her up. Of course, it was so she could come downstairs and entertain the guests, but it was a subtle hint.

If this story is true, Aretha should not be judged. A young teenager who has an overbearing and prominent father has course of resistance That woman was talented but had a hard life. Let her rest in peace.

She was raped by her own so called father . That's why her body looked so mature . It was also said that he raped another young girl at his church and got her pregnant . This is where most of the predators are at , in the black church .

This is why you cannot trust these church pastors. If they're not sleeping with their congregation, they're fleecing them of every penny.

I did know Aretha personally. I was not close to her, but I also knew some of her family as well as some, who were very close to her. I like to believe she trusted me on one level or another. And so, whatever the true parental facts concerning her sons, I think it hurt her when ppl speculated and whispered behind her back. I felt bad for her. If just some of these things actually occurred, losing her mother at such an early age. Having to be on front street as a young star even in the church world. Having her weight issues most of her life and finally living with an illness that ultimately took her life (and lemme also say that this Queen went out on stage in front of thousands of people although her body was feeble and visibly frail), I loved her so...When horrible things happen to ppl (even celebrities) it's not cool to pounce, kee-kee, poke fun and point fingers at them, right? Show a little more love to others and perhaps when your time comes, more love and compassion will be there, waiting for you...

A DNA test will solve the question of whom her first two sons' father or fathers are. Do not even need to exhume CL Franklin. Test the two eldest children and compare to the DNA of Aretha and if they are 'too much her son's', meaning a restricted been pool due to incest, everyone will know. Clarence looks TOO much like his 'grandfather'. Also CL was on the down low too?! This just gets worse and worse with his legacy and he had someone tamper with Barbara Digger's car? She wanted to get all of those children away from that monster! In addition, Carolyn was gay, why and how did that happen? So many questions.

This is more normalized than we realize. I hope she found peace in her latter days. 😞

There are a lot of monsters like this and these Mama’s are silent. Still today

I can believe this. It’s sad but I can definitely believe this

I picked up on that energy while just watching the movie. So I know Detroit folks knew what was going on.

This brings me back to her song A Rose is Still A Rose for some reason

I think CL Franklin fathered Aretha’s first child at 12 years old and that is why he is a special needs person.

Oh my goodness. I never knew she suffered such abuse at a tender age😢

That’s really really nasty. 🤢

So he was a pimp, a preacher, predator, drug dealer, and messed with his child just sick🤢🤮

This happened to so many of my cousins and finding that out as an adult has irreparably traumatized me. The delusion, the enabling... it's all sickening. That I was never sexually abused in my family is nothing short of a blessing but it shouldn't be surprising to have remained without that abuse. It shouldn't be a common occurrence for every woman I know to have some sort of sexual trauma endured at the hands of men that they were born around and who were entrusted with their care and development. Black women never get to be black girls first. They never get to exist as children or stay in a child's place fr, and it's somehow always their fault rather than the clearly depraved and abusive men lingering, pushing the same fast nature onto young girls that they use to justify the abuse. This is why the struggle of black men takes a backseat to the struggles of black women in my mind. They do nothing but perpetuate trauma and outsource their own damn healing responsibilities. I'm over it

I always thought that the relationship between her and her father was weird. He had other children, but always took only Aretha with him. He left the other kids with his mom while traveling

It is appalling that they would have the nerve to type that she at 12, had a child with her father‼️ it's sickening to think that a CHILD can do such a thing! If it is true, SHE had nothing to do with it!! She was a child. He was the adult. Don't get it twisted by trying to misconstrue that she had these babies because she was willing and wanted to. She was RAPED‼️‼️taken advantage of, And should not of had to go through what she had to endure in her young life‼️

Terrible and heartbreaking 💔. What a strong person she must have been to survive such challenging things

It's likely true: 1) Aretha named all her sons after their fathers. Her first son is named "Clarence"; 2) Aretha's first child looks like her father; 3) her first child has disability issues that are common with incest; 4) It's known that C.L. Franklin impregnated a 12-yr-old child in his congregation. Aretha was exactly the same age when she had her son "Clarence". It's just terrible. It's truly amazing that Aretha accomplished all she did in her life.

I heard that Aretha had a terrible sister girl attitude now I understand why. Her dad was a hustler just like other men that are head of the c h u r c h.

Back in the older days. Everyone was so secret. and was scared to say anything. So we will never know.

The question i have is, what black father any1 knows, wouldn't want to kill the man who impregnated their 12 year old daughter? Idk any. Why keep the daddy a mystery? Why?

I've ALWAYS felt he fathered her child since I 1st heard & read about it. So despicable.

It’s 2023 and folks are wondering who is the pappy and we have DNA tests. Have the son take a test and see who his relatives are.

This gives a new meaning to, "only one who could ever reach me, was the son of a preacher man".😢

Disgusting behavior… the HYPOCRISY of ‘some’ leaders yesterday and today.

It is known in Detroit that Reverend Franklin was her 1st sons father. But it also said that he would wear womens clothing and sleep with men and was very promiscuous.

I believe that, it was her father. Otherwise her father would have beaten it out of her to, name her baby's daddy.......

This is so wild!! I wish they would leave kids alone, it’s so sick 🥺😔

This is true; being from Detroit now living in Charlotte,NC...I do remember stories about this. I lived down the street from their church on Linwood ave on the west side of the Detroit. People don't remember that her Father and REV. J Cleveland( he is in your video ) knew each other well birds of a feather hang together ... Cleveland died of AIDS from sleeping with men and boys. Something that the Baptist Church tried to hide under the rug for years and from my knowledge this goes on at their conventions today in some places. Nice video tell the true shine light on the wicked.

this should be an example of how trauma, abuse etc does not have to break you. this little girl grew on to be great..

If she named all her children after their father Then she told it on him

I know a 5 year old child that made a claim that their dad had touched their private parts and showed them how to touch it. The mom asked the dad because before her daughter made the claim she said her daughter was complaining of irritation down there and she noticed redness but thought maybe it was bad soap giving her a harsh reaction & he denied it so she took the child to be examined and a state investigation was launched after the child told the same story to the nurses, doctor, and police. An investigation was launched and the mom said the white male investigator told her that he didn’t think the dad did it simply because he was a single dad himself & “sometimes men had to do things that women may be uncomfortable with when it involves girl children” except that the child’s dad wasn’t single & she also said he stated that they may never know because the child was too young to say what happened although she told everyone the same story and never wavered. It turns out the Mom had threatened to kill the child’s Dad multiple times after her daughter told her what he was doing so he showed the messages to the Investigator when he came to speak with him to portray the narrative that the mom had put the child up to saying something so disgusting even though the child had interviews without the mom and told authorities the same story as she did her mom. He ended up filing charges against the mom for the threats she made and she ended up going to jail & trying to fight her for custody of the child now so that she may be in his care full time. I told her that the move he made about the threats was a coverup for the things his own child had said against him to paint her as a problematic mother he used that to hide his evil doings. She should have sued the state for not doing a proper investigation because the Investigator was clearly bias being that he was a single dad. He completely ignored everything the child said to doctors, nurses, and the police. The mom is suffering heavily from deep depression, suicidal tendencies, & isolation now because no one believed her & her daughter and allowed him to paint her as a criminal for making threats towards him which I totally understood based on what the child said. Its so sad it breaks my heart what they went through and he got off scot free & yes their are men who do those kinds of disgusting acts to their children & if a child ever says they’ve been violated please believe them & don’t protect the abuser because they will only continue and have more victims.

This happens so sad but she is in a better place now ❤

Honestly that right there from going through my own personal pain and trauma is the reason why I don't trust pastors, preacher's, and deacons and none of those type of people in church!

This has S.A. written all over it. Aretha was a victim of abuse all her life. She knew no different because she was conditioned to this behavior by an abuser! If someone says different, then they are just like them. This is devastating to hear this happened to her. We obviously weren’t there so it’s all speculation at this point. However Aretha was neglected her whole childhood. 😢 what a strong woman she became.

That’s really sad. I never knew this 😢RIP 🙏🏿 Aretha

A lot of times the TRUTH isn't UNVEILED until ppl are deceased for several reasons.

This has been addressed multiple times throughout Aretha’s life. Aretha and her siblings have vehemently denied it.

I was waiting for somebody to say this. When I first heard about her story, I immediately assumed her daddy was the father.

The narration had me screaming!! Thank you for reading that quote by Ray Charles. I nearly died. 😂😂😂😂

I wouldn’t be surprised if he did do something so despicable. After all, he had a child with another 12 year old girl. It’s disheartening to know he was such a disgusting predator. 🤮

That's how u know God is real. U can't play with him, u see how it ended for him

SO SAD I CANNOT IMAGINE THAT HAPPENING BUT I BELIVE IT HAPPENED WHAT KIND OF MAN DOES THIS TO HIS OWN CHILD HE WAS TOTALLY SICK HE WAS BY NO MAN OF GOD

Watching the movie with Cynthia Erivo I got an EERIE feeling that her father was the father 🤢

Yes, I have always thought he was the father of his daughter's son. I think that is why Aretha sang with so much painful soul. I am 79 yrs old so I have seen a lot of this sort of horrible behavior covered up!

There were a lot of grown folks in and out of the house. Rev Franklin was very popular.

I know a man who did the same with his daughter. I don’t know how she forgave him. He gave her a child as well

Lord Have Mercy!! I don't know what to think! I do know it was very sickening reading this!! Man!! RIP Queen of Soul!!

Yes from the movie I suspected the way he controlled her that it was him who got her pregnant

I always thought this when I found he had impregnated a 12yr old while her mother was pregnant with her. I’ve heard about men like him during that era from relatives from that era and sadly enough… It wasn’t uncommon.

Never visited this channel but have long known of this story and agree with the hosts conclusion. Dear Host, you are hilarious with those damn "allegedly" whispers. And the "did Ray Charles just say he saw something?" Dead.

The day of judgement will be very interesting. May God have mercy on us all.

It was said that the Reverend C.L Franklin was a national black pastor. Those are the ones who are the richest and corrupt. Aretha adored her father. If, her father is the father of her son, that is a great sin by the father. Mentioned in the Bible. A lot of black pastors, have been known to have ladies of convenience in the Church. And, the pastor's wives have to know about them? The late Aretha Franklin was indeed the Queen Of Soul, and was the first woman to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. I repeat, the very first woman..Period..Rest in peace my Lady. It's God's responsibility to fix, what was wrong in your life. He has the very last word. In any matters. It's in the Bible.

Rest in peace. Icon!!❤❤

Yeah Aretha Franklin went to a lot and I heard about this story. He got up twelve or thirteen-year-old pregnant and left her see it feels a lot of secrets that they don't talk about.

Please have respect for the dead. It was HER story to share not anyone else’s. If she didn’t share it for the world no one else has the right to. This is what’s wrong with the world now no one respects each other. God help us!

Wow wasnt ready for this.

SHE TRULY LIVED A TRAMATIC LIFE SO SAD

This is exactly why there should be stipulations on abortions. If its rape, incest, or harmful to the mothers health, they should have abortion rights. This is so sad. And yes I too was screaming, where's the outrage for this child from the adults, even the grandmother. Aretha was determined to stay strong.

This happened a lot back in the day. Just no one talked about it.

My deceased grandmother was Pop Staples ignored outside daughter..... Water is wet and people have secrets!

This is something that still happens on the community and no one speaks about it 👀 we’re to worried about everyone else but our own ☕️

Wait, what? James Cleveland was a closet case? I have never heard that before 😮

I’m glad this was discussed . Aretha made sure in any interview she had that this shouldn’t be the case. She got pregnant at 12 and the speculations have been rife from the beginning but nobody dared challenged her about it .

I was definitely leery of the Dad when I saw the movie. Something about him made me feel as though he was molesting Aretha.

I always wondered that 🤔

That's like asking is Diana Ross daughter Berry Gordy .Back in the day

5:38 hunniii that's what caught my attention...he said he SEEN WHATT

Glad somebody finally telling the truth/story

Absolutely Horrible...Considering I was Molested by SEVERAL FAMILY MEMBERS MYSELF

People kill me talking about people who has passed on she's gone home to glory let her rest u didn't bring it up when she was living n if she was who took care of the child let her rest n peace ❤ 🙏

It's not the church or the pastor we should be looking to. It's a true repentant heart desiring to be cleansed from sin seeking a relationship with Christ. And from there, you ask the Lord which church to attend. Many were (currently are) attending church because of popularity NOT spiritual growth, and therein lies the problem.

This way too common especially among "Christians". How could you ruin a childs innocence. Then when you grow up, they wonder why you're an alcoholic or a drug addict. Most people try to numb the pain that was inflicted on them as a child. God bless the black church.

Let her rest in peace God made her strong

I have perverted men in my family, and they just protect him. They will never see my kids

So sorry that happened to her May she rest in power

THIS STORY NEEDED TO BE TOLD