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Tony Yayo has revealed the tracklist for his brand new mixtape El Chapo 2. The project is hosted by Superstar Jay and features guest appearances from Danny Brown, P-Reala, Mike Knox and French Montana.

The project drops at 3 P.M. Eastern. 

Peep the full tracklist below.

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We may finally see Cassie's sophomore cd soon. The Bad Boy Records artist hasn't released an album since 2006, but she's back with a brand new single "King of Hearts."

Nicki Minaj releases a new record that is scheduled to appear on her sophomore album Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, which is due out April 3rd.

The track is produced by RedOne

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Kate Upton has been named the cover girl for Sports Illustrated's 2012 Swimsuit Issue. The pic leaked earlier today from a Michigan gas station that got a few early copies according to TMZ.

While we wait for the full photo shoot to come out let's take a look at some of the 19-year old super model's hottest pics.

Enjoy fellas.

*UPDATE*

Kate's full photo shoot is out as is the Swimsuit Edition. Check out some of it below, plus Kate's reaction video to getting the cover

Kate Upton reacts to getting S.I. Swimsuit cover

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New leak off of Maino's upcoming cd The Day After Tomorrow dropping February 28.

You can pre-order it now on iTunes

In what seems like the plot to a Hollywood movie two Americans are still being held in Angola 45 days after being prevented from leaving following a failed New Year's Eve concert appearance by Nas.

As we previously reported, 51-year old Patrick Allocco, CEO of AllGood Concerts and his 22-year old son, also named Patrick have not been allowed to leave Angola until local promoter Henrique "Riquhino" Miguel is paid back the $315,000 he fronted for the failed concert plus an additional $75,000 in expenses.

Nas and Atlanta rapper Jemiah Jai were paid to perform on New Year's Eve in Angola's capital city of Luanda, but neither boarded a plane to the event.

The Allocco's were apprehended by Miguel's goon's when they tried to take a cab to the airport once they realized Nas, who was paid $300,000 wasn't coming. 

Instead of taking them to the airport the taxi driver took them to a supermarket and told them he had someone to meet. Sensing something was wrong the younger Allocco told his dad they should leave according to a new story in the New York Post.

“Dad, this isn’t good,” the son whispered. “Let’s get out of here.”

By the time they hopped out of the cab and tried to get their luggage out of the trunk they were surrounded by 20 of Miguel's men armed with AK-47's.

One of the gunmen reportedly grabbed the younger Allocco and slammed his head on an SUV before shoving both men in the back of a vehicle being driven by Miguel.

“We are going to die,” Allocco’s son said.

The two were taken to a police station and interrogated in Portuguese, which neither of them speak.

“That they’re being held for something that somebody else did is preposterous,” said worried wife and mother Abby Allocco.

Nas has finally returned all of the $300,000 he was advanced, but Jemiah Jai refuses to repay the $15,000 she received.

In the meantime, the Allocco's passports are being held and their money is running out fast. They had $100,000, but $40,000 has been spent on phone calls to the U.S. and other money is being spent simply trying to survive. A hamburger costs $45.

At one point the son was taken by locals to celebrate his pending release, but instead they tied his arms and dragged him through the streets, asking if his dad would pay $10,000 for his release.

He was warned to never leave the hotel again by an employee because he was a target.

The father and son applied for refuge with the U.S. Embassy January 23, but were denied because they were not deemed to be in serious harm.

“We did not find, in this case, that Mr. Allocco met the criteria for refuge. However, we did bring [the son] into the Embassy temporarily,” State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said. “My understanding is we gave him some clothes and some medicine, but we didn’t take him in for refuge."

The Angolan government has also refused to help, leaving these guys in a real bad space.

Alloco told the New York Post his beef is with Nas.

“He put us in real harm, in real possible danger,” Allocco said. “This is the closest thing we came to someone up and running with the money.”

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This track has been floating around for about a year now and Gucci Mane is finally getting ready to drop a video for it. Check out the behind the scenes footage featuring Y.G. Hootie and Frenchie 1017.

Directed by M Vision Films

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Via MTV

Wale's sophomore LP, Ambition, debuted at #2 on the albums chart in November, and the title couldn't have been more appropriate.

The Washington D.C. rapper reinvented himself in 2011, claiming a new space in the hip-hop stratosphere after a sound, but commercially disappointing, debut two years earlier. Wale's tireless work ethic, along with a deal from Rick Ross' Maybach Music Group, were the keys to his success and his #10 slot on MTV News' Hottest MCs in the Game VII list.

After releasing Attention Deficit in 2009, Wale parted ways with Interscope Records and decided to continue on his mixtape grind. In August 2010, he dropped More About Nothing, the second installation of his "Seinfeld"-themed series. And if Wale was putting out feelers for his fanbase, it worked. The mixtape became a worldwide trending topic on Twitter, and pulled in 100,000 downloads in a matter of hours. Fans weren't the only ones paying attention though. Rick Ross, in the midst of constructing his MM Group empire, also took notice.

By February 2011, Wale was officially signed to MMG under the Warner Bros. umbrella. With the release of Maybach Music's Self Made Vol. 1 compilation last summer, Wale demonstrated his ability to deliver bangers on hits like "600 Benz," and from there his star only continued to rise.

"Wale really touched on a broad scale, when it comes to an audience, it's hard to dispute that," said Yomi Desalu, MTV's senior director of music and talent programming strategy.

The criteria to be considered a Hottest MC are based on a combination of impact, buzz, sales, lyrics, swag and the intangibles. Mr. Folarin pretty much touched on them all. He performed with the Maybach crew on shows like "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" finally getting his mainstream shine. With the right support system behind him, Wale began to prep his sophomore album, but he teased it with another excellent mixtape, The Eleven One Theory, in August 2011. In addition to proving that he was still a very talented lyricist, singles like "Bait" reinforced the fact that he'd finally found a sound that would appeal to a wider audience.

By the time November 1 rolled around, Wale had built plenty of anticipation for his second album. Thanks in part to Rick Ross — who demonstrated his uncanny talent for branding in 2011 — #Ambition took on a life of its own in the world of social media, with its inspirational undertones. Lead single "Lotus Flower Bomb," plus the Kid Cudi-assisted "Focused", "Slight Work" (featuring Big Sean) and, of course, the title track "Ambition" (featuring Meek Mill and Ross) struck just the right balance between Wale's sometimes-dense rhymes and radio-friendly numbers.

"Lotus Flower Bomb is a #1 record and Wale's album was very balanced and diverse," MTV Jams' Tuma Basa noted. In the post-release madness, Wale appeared alongside Rick Ross on the cover of Billboard, dropped verses on the Bawse's Rich Forever mixtape and even recruited Chris Brown to direct the visuals for "Slight Work." After shaking off the disappointment of his debut album and surviving the dreaded sophomore slump, things are only looking up for Wale.

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Nicki Minaj is getting a lot of negative attention recently. Her latest video for "Stupid H*e" has nearly 30 million views on youtube but the dislike to like ratio is more than double. The clip has also been banned from BET.

Last night her performance on the Grammys did nothing to quiet her growing number of critics. She showed up at the awards in a scarlet red outfit channeling her "Roman Zolanski" alter ego. She was accompanied by a man dressed up to resembled the pope. That was mild compared to her performance of "Roman Holiday" off of her upcoming album.

The Young Money rapper's performance resembled an exorcism. It started with a confession to a priest, before a short film "The Exorcism Of Roman" was shown. In the clip a mother tells a priest she didn't know where else to turn before he is shown to Roman's room. A possessed Roman retreats to an upper corner of the room and screams his name when asked what it is by the priest before the live performance begins again.

A performance that shows Nicki strapped to a table while dancers in robes gyrate beneath her. After freeing herself from the straps Nicki descends down a flight of stairs before things really go over the top. The exorcism begins complete with levitations and fire.

Catholic League President Bill Donohue issued a statement condemning the performance and Minaj.

Minaj’s performance began on stage with a mock confessional skit. This was followed by a taped video depicting a mock exorcism. With stained glass in the background, she appeared on stage again with choir boys and monks dancing.

Perhaps the most vulgar part was the sexual statement that showed a scantily clad female dancer stretching backwards while an altar boy knelt between her legs in prayer. Finally, “Come All Ye Faithful” was sung while a man posing as a bishop walked on stage; Minaj was shown levitating.

None of this was by accident, and all of it was approved by The Recording Academy, which puts on the Grammys. Whether Minaj is possessed is surely an open question, but what is not in doubt is the irresponsibility of The Recording Academy. Never would they allow an artist to insult Judaism or Islam.

The Hollywood Reporter accused the rapper of being a Lady Gaga rip off.

No Lady Gaga performance at the 2012 Grammys? Bummer. But wanna-be controversial rapper Nicki Minaj was happy do her best Gaga imitation.

 

First she arrived dressed in a Gaga-esque Versace red cloak-cape outfit accompanied by some strange old dude dressed like the Pope but without the necessary papal headgear and ornaments. He was more likely emulating a lower level bishop or something.

Then Nicki went on stage with that same poor guy, who seriously looked like he came from Central Casting, and began “fessing” the lyrics to her new single “Roman Holiday."

It got even more annoying when the show cut to a a pre-taped segment with the same dude doing his best Exorcist routine. (Think vintage SNL: "Your Mother Eats Kitty Litter, Your Mother Sews Socks That Smell"). All the while, Minaj applied more lipstick and sang the lyrics to “I Feel Pretty." Seriously, not making this up.

In case you fell asleep at this point, the show quickly flashed back to the Staples Center stage, adorned with enough stained glass to put Notre Dame and Chartres Cathedral to shame as Minaj was strapped to -- but eventually miraculously escaped -- some kind of of Hammer Studios Bride of Frankenstein table.

There was a lot  of pyrotechniques, popes, choir boys, stained glass and even Minaj elevating. What no speaking in tongues? Wait, maybe that was the rap lyrics. 

 

All of Minaj's sacrilegeous button-pushing is bound to annoy the Christian Right, the moral majority and make a few fleeting headlines. Was that the point?

Ouch! Tell us what you think of Nicki's performance in the comment section below.

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Lloyd Banks performed at the System Dance Club in Long Island, New York Friday February 10th and by all accounts shut it down. One look at his Twitter timeline and you can tell fans left the event happy.

HipHop-N-More was in the building and captured footage of the PLK performing "Shock The World" x "Beamer, Benz or Bentley" and "Start It Up."

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While not yet definitive, a clearer picture of what might have caused singer Whitney Houston's death has emerged. The New York Daily News is reporting that the singer was found submerged under water in her hotel bathtub after falling unconscious during a drug and alcohol induced stupor.

A pharmacy's worth of sedatives and anti-anxiety medications were found in the room, including Valium, Xanax, Lorazepam and another sleeping pill according to the report.

An autopsy was performed on the singer Sunday, but results of toxicology tests won't be known for weeks.

"At this time, her cause of death is deferred pending toxicology and further testing," said Los Angeles County Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter. "I know there are reports that she drowned or overdosed. We won't make the final determination until all the tests are in."

TMZ initially reported that Houston had water in her lungs at the time of death adding to speculation she accidentally drowned. But according to their latest report Houston may have died before slipping beneath the water.

Houston's family has reportedly been told by L.A. County Coroner officials that she died from a mixture of alcohol and prescription drugs.

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It was a huge night at the Grammys yesterday (February 12) for Adele. The British singer took home a total of six awards including Best Album for 21, Song of the Year “Rolling in the Deep,” Record of the Year “Rolling in the Deep,” Best Pop Solo Performance “Someone Like You,”, Best Pop Vocal Album for 21 and Best Short Form Music Video “Rolling in the Deep.”

Close behind Adele were the Foo Fighters who took home five awards and Kanye West with four including Best Rap Album for My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.

Bon Iver won in the categories of Best Alternative Album and Best New Artist, beating out J. Cole, Skrillex, Nicki Minaj and The Band Perry.

Chris Brown also had a big night Sunday. The singer won his first Grammy Award for Best R&B Album. But Cee Lo Green and Melanie Fiona managed to steal some of his thunder with wins for their collaboration "Fool For You." The song earned them both Best R&B Song and Best Traditional R&B Performance.

Corinne Bailey Rae took home an award for Best R&B Performance "Is This Love."

Check out the list of winners in the main categories and red carpet pictures below via MTV. For a complete list of winners go to The Grammys website

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Kanye West has already won three trophies on the Pre-Telecast Grammy ceremony. The Louis Vuitton Don won for Best Rap Album for My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and Best Rap Collaboration and Best Rap Song for that album's single "All of the Lights."

Fantasy beat out Lil Wayne's Tha Carter IV, Nicki Minaj's Pink Friday, Lupe Fiasco's Lasers and even managed to beat himself, besting The Thrones Watch The Throne disc.

My only question is why isn't this award shown on the main telecast?

We'll keep you updated as more winners are announced.

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Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown's 18-year old daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown was rushed to the hospital today according to several sources.

Bobbi arrived by ambulance at Los Angeles' Cedars-Sinai Medical Center shortly after 10 a.m. reports the L.A. Times.

Bobbi was rushed to the hospital from the same hotel where her mom passed away a day earlier.

“She was transported to the hospital for a medical issue” around 11 am," Police Sgt. Donald Chase told the New York Daily News.

She was also rushed to the hospital last night. According to TMZ she was "hysterical, exhausted and inconsolable."

Watch Bobbie singing Adele's "Someone Like You" below in an undated video.

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Bobby Brown is reportedly taking the loss of his ex wife, Whitney Houston, very hard. The singer was married to Houston for 15 years. Some have blamed their often tumultuous relationship as the beginning of Houston's downward spiral into drugs and alcohol.

“When you love, you love. I mean, do you stop loving somebody because you have different images? You know, Bobby and I basically come from the same place,” Houston told Rolling Stone in 1993. “I am not always in a sequined gown. I am nobody’s angel. I can get down and dirty. I can get raunchy."

Brown has reportedly been having crying fits since learning of Houston's death according to TMZ.  At a concert last night (February 11) in Southaven, Missippi with New Edition he declared his love for her.

"First of all, I want to tell you that I love you all," he told fans at the venue in northern Mississippi. "Second, I would like to say, 'I love you, Whitney.' The hardest thing for me to do is to come on this stage."

Brown also released a statement today via People.com.

"I am deeply saddened at the passing of my ex-wife, Whitney Houston," read the statement. "At this time, we ask for privacy, especially for my daughter, Bobbi Kristina. I appreciate all of the condolences that have been directed towards my family and I at this most difficult time." 

Check out the concert footage below.

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Jon Connor is on the come up fast. The Michigan rapper is one rap fans should be checking for in 2012 and beyond.

He hit up the Shade 45 studios recently to chop it up with the Drama King, DJ Kay Slay and performed the track "Epic."

Filmed by Street Heat TV.

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Jim Jones is about to hit the road for a few dates in support of his latest mixtape and clothing line. Capo will be bringing protege' Nyemiah Supreme along with him as the opening act.

The seven-city trek kicks off February 28 in Cambridge, MA and will end March 14 in Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Peep the full set of dates below.

February 28 – Cambridge, MA – Middle East
February 29 – New York, NY – Gramercy Theatre
March 1 – Philadelphia, PA – TLA
March 3 – Richmond, VA – The Kingdom
March 4 – Baltimore, MD – Sonar
March 5 – Washington, DC – U Street Music Hall
March 14 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Green Room

Via HipHopDX

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Lil Wayne was in the mood to celebrate late night at a pre-Grammy Awards concert. The Young Money boss was surrounded by Birdman, Mack Maine, Drake, Busta Rhymes and Lil Twist as he brought out multi-platinum plaques for Tha Carter IV.

He also introduced Christina Milian as the newest member of the Young Money team.

"I got the beautiful Christina Milian with me tonight," he told the crowd. "Young Money Christina Milian."

Before he left the stage he took a shot at The Throne (Jay-Z and Kanye West) at the 3:50 mark of the video below.

"I met a bad red bone, I took the b*tch home, I asked her what she want to watch, she said 'surely not The Throne,'” he rhymed.

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(CNN) -- The sudden death of singer Whitney Houston at age 48 shocked fans and musicians all over the world. The outpouring of grief was immediate, with one common refrain: The world had lost one of its greatest singers.
Nearly all of the trends on Twitter worldwide were shortly associated with the singer's death: R.I.P Whitney Houston, #DearWhitney, #IWillAlwaysLoveYou, The Bodyguard, Bobby Brown and Wanna Dance With Somebody.
"The first full hour after the news broke saw 2,481,652 tweets and retweets, peaking at 61,227 tweets at 5:23 p.m. (all times are PST)," according to Topsy.com, which indexes and ranks results based on the most influential conversations on social media.
"That is over a thousand tweets a second, not quite as much as during the Superbowl but still a lot."

Russell Simmons:

"My thoughts and prayers are with her beautiful child and her entire family. This is a tough time for the entire music community, as we all loved Whitney. May she rest in peace and may we all dance with somebody tonight."

Barry Manilow:

"My heart goes out to her family, to Clive (Davis, Houston's mentor), and to everyone who knew and loved this amazingly talented and beautiful artist. I will always love her."

Christina Aguilera:

"Whitney's voice was so special to me. Her notes soared to places most singers dream of reaching. She will be missed."

Kelly Rowland:

"I am beyond heartbroken. Whitney Houston was undoubtedly one of the greatest singers and performers of all time and such a huge influence on me."

Mariah Carey:

"Heartbroken and in tears ... My heartfelt condolences to Whitney's family and to all her millions of fans throughout the world. She will never be forgotten as one of the greatest voices to ever grace the earth."

Smokey Robinson:

"I've known Whitney since she was a little girl and I loved her. She was like family to me. I will miss her."

Gloria Estefan:

"Sending prayers of peace and solace to her family, friends & fans! Such a loss! Whitney was always so sweet to me! Was rooting for her through her struggles! Such a shame ... I'm truly saddened by this news!"

Aretha Franklin:

"I just can't talk about it now. It's so stunning and unbelievable. I couldn't believe what I was reading coming across the TV screen."

Simon Cowell:

"You're going to remember where you were when you heard the news. It's that significant. She was undoubtedly one of the greatest superstars of all time. One of the greatest voices in our lifetime we're likely ever to hear. And to hear this news, it really, really, really upset me. It really has."

Quincy Jones:

"I am absolutely heartbroken at the news of Whitney's passing. Ashford & Simpson first made me aware of Whitney when she was just 16, and I always regretted not having had the opportunity to work with her. She was a true original and a talent beyond compare. I will miss her terribly."

Paul Shaffer:

"What a voice. What a beauty. What an actress. She had everything and she made us all feel so good when we heard her."

Britney Spears:

"I was the biggest fan of hers. She influenced me so much. She sent so much love out to the world and she was an inspiration for so many people, and we're there with her."

Michelle Williams, of Destiny's Child:

"Whitney was my musical hero ... the reason why I wanted to sing. I will never forget the voice."

Bruno Mars:

"This is terrible news. I'm sick to my stomach. Nobody sang like Whitney. I hate this feeling."

Jessica Simpson:

"I found my voice singing Whitney Houston's music. Today I lost my idol."

Berry Gordy, founder of Motown Records:

"Whitney Houston was not only an amazing artist but also a beautiful person. She was so smart and her knowledge and appreciation for the musical art form was remarkable. Every time we would see each other, we always had wonderful conversations about life and the business."

Cee-Lo Green:

"R.I.P. Sister WHITNEY HOUSTON!!!!! We will always love you."

Ricky Martin:

"RIP Whitney Houston. Sending my love and deepest condolences to her family and friends. Fly Whitney Fly."

Nicki Minaj:

"Jesus Christ, not Whitney Houston. Greatest of all time."

Dolly Parton:

"Mine is only one of the millions of hearts broken over the death of Whitney Houston. I will always be grateful and in awe of the wonderful performance she did on my song and I can truly say from the bottom of my heart, 'Whitney, I will always love you. You will be missed.'"

Kenny Lattimore, R&B singer:

"Whitney Houston, the singers' singer and voice that inspired the world. Many emulated, but there is only one Whitney."

Marc Anthony:

"I can't believe it ...Rest in Peace Whitney. Descanses."

Deborah Cox:

"I am deeply saddened and touched to the core of this news of my musical mentor Whitney Houston. I'll always love you. xo"

Star Jones:

"I can't watch any more news. It's too painful when a sister-friend passes; don't want analysis ... want reflection. RIP #Whitney."

Magic Johnson:

"R.I.P. Whitney Houston. Our prayers go out to Bobbi Kristina and her family."

Nick Lachey:

"How tragic to hear about Whitney Houston's passing. Such a shame. She had one of the most iconic voices of my lifetime."

Clay Aiken:

"RIP Whitney Houston. The soundtrack of so many lives. I'm sure heaven reverberates (to)nite with the sound of (your) voice. It always was angelic."

T.D. Jakes, producer of "Sparkle," Houston's yet-to-be-released last movie:

"We are deeply saddened by the tragic and untimely passing of Whitney Houston, whom we were blessed to have just completed work with on the remake of the film "Sparkle." ... At the apex of her career, Whitney had no peer, with a voice that shaped a generation."

Gov. Chris Christie:

"Whitney Houston was a true New Jersey treasure. Her terribly premature death is an awful loss for her family and the incredible New Jersey musical family. Her soaring talent put her in the pantheon of great New Jersey musical talents like Frank Sinatra, Count Basie and Bruce Springsteen."

Source: CNN

Whitney Houston remembered

Simon Cowell speaks on Whitney Houston

Grammys planning Whitney Houston tribute

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Lionel Ritchie says being an icon is a struggle

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Whitney Houston, who reigned as pop music's queen until her majestic voice and regal image were ravaged by drug use, erratic behavior and a tumultuous marriage to singer Bobby Brown, has died. She was 48.

Publicist Kristen Foster said Saturday that the singer had died, but the cause and the location of her death were unknown.

At her peak, Houston was the golden girl of the music industry. From the middle 1980s to the late 1990s, she was one of the world's best-selling artists. She wowed audiences with effortless, powerful, and peerless vocals that were rooted in the black church but made palatable to the masses with a pop sheen.

Her success carried her beyond music to movies, where she starred in hits like "The Bodyguard" and "Waiting to Exhale."

She had the perfect voice and the perfect image: a gorgeous singer who had sex appeal but was never overtly sexual, who maintained perfect poise.

She influenced a generation of younger singers, from Christina Aguilera to Mariah Carey, who when she first came out sounded so much like Houston that many thought it was Houston.

But by the end of her career, Houston became a stunning cautionary tale of the toll of drug use. Her album sales plummeted and the hits stopped coming; her once serene image was shattered by a wild demeanor and bizarre public appearances. She confessed to abusing cocaine, marijuana and pills, and her once pristine voice became raspy and hoarse, unable to hit the high notes as she had during her prime.

"The biggest devil is me. I'm either my best friend or my worst enemy," Houston told ABC's Diane Sawyer in an infamous 2002 interview with then-husband Brown by her side.

It was a tragic fall for a superstar who was one of the top-selling artists in pop music history, with more than 55 million records sold in the United States alone.

She seemed to be born into greatness. She was the daughter of gospel singer Cissy Houston, the cousin of 1960s pop diva Dionne Warwick and the goddaughter of Aretha Franklin.

Houston first started singing in the church as a child. In her teens, she sang backup for Chaka Khan, Jermaine Jackson and others, in addition to modeling. It was around that time when music mogul Clive Davis first heard Houston perform.

"The time that I first saw her singing in her mother's act in a club ... it was such a stunning impact," Davis told "Good Morning America."

"To hear this young girl breathe such fire into this song. I mean, it really sent the proverbial tingles up my spine," he added.

Before long, the rest of the country would feel it, too. Houston made her album debut in 1985 with "Whitney Houston," which sold millions and spawned hit after hit. "Saving All My Love for You" brought her her first Grammy, for best female pop vocal. "How Will I Know," ''You Give Good Love" and "The Greatest Love of All" also became hit singles.

Another multiplatinum album, "Whitney," came out in 1987 and included hits like "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" and "I Wanna Dance With Somebody."

The New York Times wrote that Houston "possesses one of her generation's most powerful gospel-trained voices, but she eschews many of the churchier mannerisms of her forerunners. She uses ornamental gospel phrasing only sparingly, and instead of projecting an earthy, tearful vulnerability, communicates cool self-assurance and strength, building pop ballads to majestic, sustained peaks of intensity."

Her decision not to follow the more soulful inflections of singers like Franklin drew criticism by some who saw her as playing down her black roots to go pop and reach white audiences. The criticism would become a constant refrain through much of her career. She was even booed during the "Soul Train Awards" in 1989.

"Sometimes it gets down to that, you know?" she told Katie Couric in 1996. "You're not black enough for them. I don't know. You're not R&B enough. You're very pop. The white audience has taken you away from them."

Some saw her 1992 marriage to former New Edition member and soul crooner Bobby Brown as an attempt to refute those critics. It seemed to be an odd union; she was seen as pop's pure princess while he had a bad-boy image, and already had children of his own. (The couple had a daughter, Bobbi Kristina, in 1993.) Over the years, he would be arrested several times, on charges ranging from DUI to failure to pay child support.

But Houston said their true personalities were not as far apart as people may have believed.

"When you love, you love. I mean, do you stop loving somebody because you have different images? You know, Bobby and I basically come from the same place," she told Rolling Stone in 1993. "You see somebody, and you deal with their image, that's their image. It's part of them, it's not the whole picture. I am not always in a sequined gown. I am nobody's angel. I can get down and dirty. I can get raunchy."

It would take several years, however, for the public to see that side of Houston. Her moving 1991 rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" at the Super Bowl, amid the first Gulf War, set a new standard and once again reaffirmed her as America's sweetheart.

In 1992, she became a star in the acting world with "The Bodyguard." Despite mixed reviews, the story of a singer (Houston) guarded by a former Secret Service agent (Kevin Costner) was an international success.

It also gave her perhaps her most memorable hit: a searing, stunning rendition of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You," which sat atop the charts for weeks. It was Grammy's record of the year and best female pop vocal, and the "Bodyguard" soundtrack was named album of the year.

She returned to the big screen in 1995-96 with "Waiting to Exhale" and "The Preacher's Wife." Both spawned soundtrack albums, and another hit studio album, "My Love Is Your Love," in 1998, brought her a Grammy for best female R&B vocal for the cut "It's Not Right But It's Okay."

But during these career and personal highs, Houston was using drugs. In an interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2010, she said by the time "The Preacher's Wife" was released, "(doing drugs) was an everyday thing. ... I would do my work, but after I did my work, for a whole year or two, it was every day. ... I wasn't happy by that point in time. I was losing myself."

In the interview, Houston blamed her rocky marriage to Brown, which included a charge of domestic abuse against Brown in 1993. They divorced in 2007.

Houston would go to rehab twice before she would declare herself drug-free to Winfrey in 2010. But in the interim, there were missed concert dates, a stop at an airport due to drugs, and public meltdowns.

She was so startlingly thin during a 2001 Michael Jackson tribute concert that rumors spread she had died the next day. Her crude behavior and jittery appearance on Brown's reality show, "Being Bobby Brown," was an example of her sad decline. Her Sawyer interview, where she declared "crack is whack," was often parodied. She dropped out of the spotlight for a few years.

Houston staged what seemed to be a successful comeback with the 2009 album "I Look To You." The album debuted on the top of the charts, and would eventually go platinum.

Things soon fell apart. A concert to promote the album on "Good Morning America" went awry as Houston's voice sounded ragged and off-key. She blamed an interview with Winfrey for straining her voice.

A world tour launched overseas, however, only confirmed suspicions that Houston had lost her treasured gift, as she failed to hit notes and left many fans unimpressed; some walked out. Canceled concert dates raised speculation that she may have been abusing drugs, but she denied those claims and said she was in great shape, blaming illness for cancellations.

Source: Associated Press

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