ReAnna Simone Kelly, who is the granddaughter of the late music legend, Nina Simone, has slammed U.S. vice president, Kamala Harris. Kelly excoriated Harris on Twitter over her case against her mother, whom she said nearly committed suicide, which is regrettable.

Nina Simone's daughter, Lisa Simone Kelly, was sued by Harris, who was the Attorney General of the State of California at the time, for embezzling money from the late singer's estate and charitable trust.

Lisa Simone was formally accused in court documents of embezzling over $2,000,000 from her mother's estate and charitable trust, and placing the money in her personal bank account, in violation of her late mother's will.

Harris entered the picture as attorney general, because Lisa Simone taking money from the charitable trust in the manner she did violated laws in the State of California governing charities, which are tax exempt. Lisa Simone gained access to the money and tax free, which presented problems and violations under California law.

It was Nina Simone's wish that some of her money go into a charitable trust to teach music to children in Africa. Nina Simone's daughter Lisa Simone diverting over $2,000,000 into her personal account from said estate and trust, hampered these wishes from being carried out.

This is why Harris brought the case against Lisa Simone, among others in California, who divert money from charitable trusts into personal bank accounts and use said funds as well. This is where the problems occurred. Anyone who engaged in these actions would face court proceedings.

Nina Simone (right), her daughter Lisa (left) and granddaughter ReAnna (front left)

Now the trust is managed by a company the Attorney General's office appointed. They are making all the decisions in compliance with California law and have to file reports on a regular basis to that effect. Lisa Simone is barred from profiting off her mother's name, image and likeness due to having stolen money from the charitable trust and estate. She signed a legal settlement with the State of California, in lieu of massive financial fines and possible imprisonment.

ReAnna stated there exists a gag order regarding the case, barring her mother from speaking about it, or as she alleges, even acknowledging Nina Simone as her mother. I don't understand the purpose of the gag order in this particular matter. Was it to stop Lisa Simone from further profiting from her mother's estate.

Lisa Simone should have been able to write a book and make a film about her mother by using free speech laws. There are after all unauthorized biographies and biopics of various entertainers and sports figures. As long as the material is not defamatory, and if music, music videos and photos are used, clearance is lawfully obtained from copyright holders, there should not have been an issue.

Nina Simone's granddaughter's tweets

Then again, this all depends on what Lisa Simone signed in the case that was brought against her by Harris and the State of California. If she signed a settlement to avoid full criminal prosecution for financial embezzlement, stating she would not profit off her mother's name again, then said binding agreement would be in effect and with civil penalties, and possibly criminal ones as well.

However, I don't comprehend how Nina Simone's granddaughter would be subject to adhering to the rules of the settlement her mother signed. Therefore, she could do a book or biopic about her grandmother if the family needs money, but she can't divert the profits to her mother, then they'll both be in trouble. See a lawyer about the matter and have him look at the settlement your mother signed. I cant' fathom Nina Simone would not want her granddaughter to have income from her legacy, especially if she is in financial need.

The aforementioned circumstances are why Lisa Simone is barred from making decisions concerning their late relative, including all biopics, which by the way, went spectacularly wrong for the estate in a recent film on Simone.

Nina Simone's granddaughter's tweet

I did not agree with the casting for the Nina Simone biopic, which ultimately flopped. The casting was almost comical to the point I couldn't even take it seriously (nothing against Nina Simone). It did not make me want to watch it. Black, mixed race actress Zoe Saldana was signed to the role, but she looks nothing like Nina Simone and had to do the role with dark make-up on, which looked fake and improperly applied.

It can also be construed as blackface. Simone had lovely brown skin. At times Saldana's make-up had a slightly green hue. I saw the image of Saldana for the movie poster and I couldn't take the film seriously. Many online wanted singer India Ire to play the part and they are correct in that she does look like Nina Simone and is also a singer. Ire would have been more authentic in the role.

I will state this though, people need to be very careful about what they place in their wills. Yes, it is great to help charity, but do remember charity begins at home. Try to leave your offspring something to help them in life. You never know what could happen after you are gone. Your offspring could get sick, lose their job or your grandchildren end up in financial distress.

Some charities are great. Some misappropriate money. At the end of the day, be careful where you choose to leave your money, and do bear your descendants in mind while writing your will. Put all grievances aside and help your descendants you are leaving behind.

STORY SOURCE

Nina Simone’s Family Blame Kamala Harris For Taking Singer’s Estate Away From Them

Updated Jun. 20, 2021 3:33AM ET - Published Jun. 19, 2021 4:19PM ET - The singer’s granddaughter claimed that Simone's family no longer runs her estate. “Wanna hold someone accountable,” she wrote. “Ask Kamala Harris why she came for my family.”
Nina Simone’s daughter and grandchildren have declared they will no longer be silent, claiming her estate had been “taken away” from them and they are placing the blame on Vice President Kamala Harris.

It kicked off on Friday evening when RéAnna Simone Kelly, the daughter of Simone’s daughter Lisa Simone Kelly, praised Chlöe Bailey’s sexy rendition of the singer’s iconic song “Feeling Good”. “Everyone’s coming at @ChloeBailey for her performance… But what y’all don’t understand is that grandma was a free-spirited woman herself,” RéAnna tweeted. “She would’ve loved that performance as much as I do! Relax. Chloe killed it.”

“Grandma was unapologetically herself,” she added in a follow-up tweet. “She was a muhhhf**kin badass woman who did what she wanted when she wanted. She was a sexual woman and she expressed that. Educate yourselves! If grandma could, she probably would’ve done that performance herself.”

Still scrolling through comments about Simone and her legacy, RéAnna came across a tweet questioning why her estate would make a Twitter account for the singer years after her death in 2003—and she decided it was finally time to air her grievances.

“We as her family don’t run her estate anymore,” the 22-year-old declared. “It was taken away from us & given to white people. Our family name was DRAGGED in the media. We get NO royalties, nothing. Wanna hold someone accountable? Ask Kamala Harris why she came for my family.”

The iconic jazz singer’s family gripe with Harris goes back to 2013, when Harris was serving as California’s Attorney General. After Simone’s death, Kelly was made the administrator of her estate, as well as a charitable trust that Simone had established. It was Simone’s last wish for the charity to support the musical education of Black children in Africa.

But in 2013, Kelly was accused of “breaching her fiduciary duty” to both the estate and trust, allegedly draining up to $2 million from its coffers, including a $1.5 million deposit into her personal company, according to court records reviewed by The Daily Beast.

Harris oversaw the case and came down hard on Kelly, at one point wanting to surcharge her nearly $6 million, plus more than $2.5 million in interest. Eventually, the parties came to an agreement: Kelly was stripped of her title of estate administrator and agreed to relinquish her rights to Simone’s works. She also was barred from saying or implying that she had any affiliation with her mother’s legacy and estate.

This never sat right with Kelly and her children, with RéAnna ripping into Harris in her tweetstorm, accusing the politician of separating her family, taking away their family’s rights, and leaving the estate in shambles.

“Ask her why she bullied my mother in court and my mom almost killed herself from the depression,” she demanded. “Ask her why my mother had a gag order put on her and can not speak on these things. Ask her why she didn’t even want my mom to be able to say she was Nina Simone’s daughter. Ask her why she wanted us to walk away with NOTHING.”...