Whitney Houston by Kimberly Tubbs

Whitney Houston, was a very talented and well-known eighties rhythm and blues (R&B), Pop, Soul, and Gospel singer from Newark, New Jersey. Her death was shocking and very heartbreaking for all her loved ones and biggest fans. Ms. Houston’s death was claimed to be a self-inflicted suicide, but still until this day there are theories that say otherwise. Could she have taken her own life (suicide), or was she truly murder? No one knows, but let’s see if we can find out?

Ms. Houston, born on August 9, 1963, in Newark, New Jersey, knew she was born to be a singer. Her mother Cissy Houston, cousin Dionne Warwick, and godmother Aretha Franklin were her early role models and well-known legends. She and everyone around her knew she was bound to become an entertainer sooner or later. Whitney was always a lively and humorous person at an early age. She began singing in the New Hope Baptist Church, that her mother ministered. She found her personality and home on stage.

            Whitney Houston was a very humorous person and tried to find joy and fun in everything she did. Whitney felt women could do anything women put their mind to she helped express that by saying “I like being woman, even in a man’s world. After all men can’t wear dresses, but we women can wear the pants.” (Brainy) She was always in the spotlight from an early age and knew woman had so much power just by being exactly what she said a woman. Whitney enjoyed and love making people laugh and feel loved.

Not only is Whitney Houston one of the greatest singers in the world still to this day. Her success came from her not only being very talented singer, model, and actress, but the intelligence she had. Ms. Houston always felt everyone should speak their mind and never let anyone stop you from being who you are. “I decided long ago never to walk in anyone’s shadow; if I fail, or if I succeed at least I did as I believe.” (Houston) One thing no one can argue, Whitney always stood for what she believed in and no matter if it was bad or good she was going to be heard one way or another and that includes music, interviews, and loud outburst. If it was meant to be said she was going to be the one to say it even if that meant for her to be the most hated person around.

We knew Whitney was a very humorous and intelligent person, but what about the mysterious side of her that everyone tried to figure out but could never quite understand her. “You can fool people. You can fool anybody anytime of the day, but you can’t fool yourself. At night, when you go home, you’ve got to be straight up with you.” (Brainy) Everyone put so much pressure on Whitney to be this perfect person on and off camera. All of pain she felt inside she could never express herself truly. She could put on a mask in public eye, but she knew when she was behind closed doors she had to face reality. Reality, hurt, and pain is the reason Whitney turned to drugs.

Could Whitney Houston have taken her own life (suicide)? No one knows, but let’s paint the scene. The 48 years old legend was found on February 11, 2012, in Los Angeles at a Beverly Hilton hotel, room number 434. “Her body was pulled from bathtub after she was found face down with drugs nearby” (Vane). Houston was seen out days before her death, including the Pre-Grammy Parties looking happy as ever. “According to a report released by Los Angeles County coroner’s office on March 22, 2012, the official cause of her death was accidental drowning. The effect of heart disease, cocaine, marijuana, Xanax, and a relaxant found in her system were contributing factors as well” (Vane). Reading this anyone would think she committed suicide, but let’s look further into the day of her death. Whitney was being honored at the Grammy’s the next day. Why would she take her life the day before that very important night? Let me tell you why. “In early 2012, Houston was rumored to be experiencing financial trouble, but she denied this claim.” (Biography) Her financials problems was probably too much for the singer and could no longer handle the stress. “She had been spotted drinking vodka in Hollywood nightclubs to celebrate the 31st birthday of her alleged boyfriend, the singer-actor Willie “Ray J” Norwood, who was famous for being Kim Kardashian’s partner on an explicit 2007 sex tape. She had made a spectacle of herself in the hotel, complaining about watered-down drinks in the lobby bar. She had done handstands by the pool and erupted in the gift shop over a headline in the National Enquirer: WHITNEY COLLAPSES! STRUNG OUT & BROKE, IT’S WORSE THAN ANYONE THOUGHT.” (Brady) Whitney always had a way to deal with media and “haters”, whether it was simply ignoring them or kill them with kindness. All the ignoring and kindness did not work. Her cause of death is still undetermined.

            If you were a friend, family member, or true fan of Whitney Houston, you would know there is no possible way she could intentionally kill herself. There are so many fingers point to Bobbi Brown for the cause of her drug use and death, but how is that possible? No one can make her do anything she doesn’t want to do:

Whitney Houston was America’s sweetheart until Bobby Brown corrupted her — a tragedy that ended in her drug-intoxicated drowning in 2012.

But in “Whitney: Can I Be Me,” the Showtime documentary film directed by Nick Broomfield and Rudi Dolezal which airs on Friday, that narrative is exposed as a construct put together by her record label and very much maintained by her protective family.

“It’s a fairy tale,” Dolezal told The Post. “The idea that Whitney was a great girl until Bobby came along is simply not true. Whitney took drugs and smoked weed a long time before she could even spell ‘Bobby Brown.” (Phull)

Other fingers were strongly pointed to Patt Houston (Whitney’s brother Gary wife) even though they never liked each other. It’s kind of hard for her to get away with hiring someone or trying to do it herself being married to her brother, but could she have been something more that her family and friends doesn’t know about?

Over the holidays, Whitney Houston’s nephew, Johnathan Houston, wrote a scathing open letter about his stepmother, Pat Houston, on his Facebook page.

In a post he titled, “The Grinch Who Stole Krissi (Bobbi Kristina Brown); Obsession, Jealousy and Greed, An Open Letter to The Houston Family,” Jonathan goes on an epic rant against Pat Houston that reveals shocking claims.

“Pat Houston has single handedly convinced me that she is a Sociopathic Master-Superfan Manipulator who was willing to demolish anyone in her path to gain control of the proverbial throne and fortune of my Aunt Whitney E. Houston, thus my cousin, Bobbi Kristina Brown. She should be investigated. Pat, please step down and relieve yourself of all duties pertaining to The Estate of Whitney E. Houston,” Jonathan says as the opening of the letter.

An excerpt from the note read as follows:

“I’ve been mulling years now. Asking myself “Why? Am I tripping… over thinking perhaps?,” I decided to move on, until Christmas Day 2017. I, with clarity heard my Step-Mother, Pat Houston speaking of herself in such an astronomically unparalleled (based on worldly fact) egotistical regard, on my lovely 20-year old sister Rayah’s Instagram live Christmas Day feed. As I continued to listen to the conversation that Pat was having with her cousin, I became shocked to hear the negative tone in which she was speaking of my transitioned Aunt Whitney (Tia) and cousin, Krissi; of who's fortune and name she continues to enjoy, boast and profit from.”

In the note, Jonathan also claims that Pat Houston regularly defame Whitney’s character and work ethic. “She continued to note how, ‘Whitney is lazy and thinks the world owes her something’ with disgust,” Jonathan said. “I don’t believe Pat loved Krissi enough to fight to keep her alive or even attempt to keep her healthy.” “I am sorry for Tia, this isn’t the love she sang about or represented,” Jonathan continued. “Again, Bobbi Kristina Brown never hurt anyone, ever. I am sorry for my Grandmother Cissy, who is aging and has been manipulated. And [I am sorry] to the Brown Family, who tried to tell the world about this lady.” (Whitney)

A lot has happened between the two: Hatred, jealousy, and most importantly disrespect. There still is not enough evidence to prove she took part in anything other than her strong dislike in Whitney and her family.

In the conclusion, of Whitney Houston’s death until this day no one actually knew what happened to her that day. The 48 years old, death created two big conspiracy theories.

1. Was Whitney Houston’s death accidental (suicide)?

2. Was she truly murdered?

Although we still will never know what happened evidence points toward her having an accidental overdose.

Work Cited

Biography. “Whitney Houston.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 5 July 2018, www.biography.com/people/whitney-houston-9344818.

Brady, Tara. “The Sad, Secret Life of Whitney Houston.” The Irish Times, The Irish Times, 12 June 2017, www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/the-sad-secret-life-of-whitney-houston-1.3105861.

Brainy. “Whitney Houston Quotes.” BrainyQuote, Xplore, 2011, www.brainyquote.com/authors/whitney_houston.

Houston, Whitney. “Whitney Houston – Greatest Love of All.” Genius, Genius Media Group Inc., 18 Mar. 1986, genius.com/Whitney-houston-greatest-love-of-all-lyrics.

Phull, Hardeep. “The Truth behind Whitney Houston's 'Fairy Tale' Life.” Page Six, Page Six, 19 Aug. 2017, pagesix.com/2017/08/19/why-whitneys-downfall-was-imminent-even-before-she-met-bobby/.

Seal, Mark. “A Whitney Houston Investigation: The Long, Sad Road to Her Beverly Hilton Death.” The Hive, Vanity Fair, 6 Sept. 2017, www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2012/06/whitney-houston-death-bathtub-drugs-rehab.

 Vare, Rosie. “What's Happened to the Hotel Room Where Whitney Houston Died?” What Happened to the Hotel Room Where Whitney Houston Died? , AOL, 13 Feb. 2017, www.aol.co.uk/2017/02/13/whitney-houston-dead-hotel-room-revamp/.

 “Whitney Houston's Nephew Claims That Pat Houston Is the Ultimate Evil Stepmother.” St. Louis American, 4 Jan. 2018, www.stlamerican.com/entertainment/hot_sheet/whitney-houston-s-nephew-claims-that-pat-houston-is-the/article_9c929f14-f110-11e7-9ac8-93243c7cd602.html.