Former Destiny’s Child member Farrah Franklin has reportedly come forward with allegations that the group’s manager and Beyoncé’s father, Mathew Knowles, was allegedly inappropriate with her during her time in the group.
In a recently surfaced clip from a never-aired TV pilot, Franklin recalls that Knowles had allegedly invited her to his hotel room to “meet and speak with him,” but when asked whether he had made a move on her, Franklin hesitated before suggesting that he did.
At the time of the alleged incident, Mathew Knowles was reportedly married to Tina Knowles, who is Beyoncé’s mother and with whom he tied the knot in 1980. However, in 2009, they decided to separate after news reportedly surfaced that Knowles had given birth to a child with another woman. They eventually got a legal divorce in 2011 and have since remarried other partners.
Departure of Farrah Franklin from Destiny’s Child after a few months
Franklin earned an official spot in the group along with Michelle Williams in late 1999 after appearing as an extra in the group’s “Bills, Bills, Bills” music video due to the exit of LeToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson from the group. Franklin continued her streak and appeared in videos for “Say My Name” and “Jumpin’, Jumpin'” while also contributing to records.
Franklin’s stint with Destiny’s Child was short-lived, and in July of 2000, Knowles said in a statement shared with MTV that the group had decided to part ways with her after she missed a string of shows. In a 2015 interview with VladTV, Franklin countered Knowles’ assertions, claiming that she didn’t attend the group’s events because she had already left the group after allegedly being mistreated by Knowles when she was battling a cold. She alleged that he had lied to avoid facing repercussions from yet another member leaving the group.
Destiny’s Child went on to achieve enormous success with two highly successful studio albums – Survivor in 2001 and Destiny Fulfilled in 2004 – before eventually disbanding. Although they have reunited for occasions like the Super Bowl and Coachella, only the remaining three members participated.
Since leaving Destiny’s Child, Franklin has worked on a solo music career and tried to establish herself in the industry. In 2002, she reportedly secured a deal with Fo’Reel Entertainment, which was home to artists such as Nelly and the St. Lunatics, but was dropped from the label before releasing an album. She was also briefly signed to Fabolous’ label, but that deal also reportedly fell through.
Where is Farrah Franklin now?
In recent years, Franklin has taken on roles in movies and television shows, including the drama series All of Us (2003 to 2006), which starred Duane Martin and LisaRaye McCoy. But in recent years, she hasn’t done much work onscreen. Nowadays, it looks like she’s putting more of her energy back into music. Her Instagram biography says that she has a new song out called “Billion Dollar Fantasy.”
Despite the difficulties she’s faced in her career, Franklin still looks back on her time in Destiny’s Child with fondness. In fact, she has reportedly expressed a desire to reunite with her former groupmates someday. In a 2018 interview with TMZ, Franklin said she would take up the opportunity to reunite with the group in a heartbeat if given the chance. However, for now, she’s focusing on her music and promoting her new song “Billion Dollar Fantasy,” which can be streamed now on SoundCloud.
