Black History on the PLUS Side: Whitney Houston

Deemed as “The Voice” in pop culture and regarded as a cultural icon, Whitney Elizabeth Houston was one of the most awarded artists of all time to have ever graced the microphone. Born on August 6, 1963, in Newark, New Jersey, Houston was an extreme force to be reckoned with during the 80s and 90s when she rose to fame, with her work expanding to the early 2000s. She was birthed by a Grammy-winning gospel and soul artist, Cissy Houston – who also happened to be Whitney’s musical influence – so it’s obvious who she inherited her vocal gifts from. Her powerful voice and her emotional delivery stemmed from her upbringing in the church choir, starting in New Hope Baptist Church in Newark at the age of five. She had a gospel singing style that crossed over with contemporary R&B, which made her such a unique artist during her rise to fame.

Houston’s self-titled debut album Whitney Houston (1985) spent 14 weeks on top of the Billboard 200 charts and is still considered the best-selling debut album by a solo artist in history, with over 25 million copies sold worldwide. It was also the first album by a female artist and the first debut album to have three #1 singles. Her second album Whitney made her the first woman to debut atop the US and UK charts. Fair to say, she hit the ground running when she arrived on the scene! But one of the biggest moments in her career that is still revered today was when she performed the country’s national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner”, at Super Bowl XXV. Her performance on one of the biggest stages redefined how the national anthem could be performed, turning it into a charting hit and influencing a shift in pop culture. Houston broke barriers without code-switching her voice and showed the world that Black artistry was universal. She dominated pop radio, she fully crossed over into global mainstream markets, and she claimed major awards that were historically centered for white artists. In fact, according to Guinness World Records, Whitney Houston has over 400 awards, including six Grammys, 22 American Music Awards, 16 Billboard Music Awards, and two Emmy Awards. This number accounts for both her music and acting accolades.

Houston’s contributions to the Black culture can’t be denied. She reframed Black womanhood in pop culture. In the movie Bodyguard, Houston portrayed a successful Black woman (Rachel Marron) whose story wasn’t limited to trauma or stereotype, and she expanded how Black woman could be seen in global entertainment. She gave us elegance, emotional vulnerability, and she displayed vocal authority when them lights were on, and she never shied away from it. Her biggest contribution in Black culture was proving that Black vocal tradition could redefine pop culture, without compromising what being Black truly is.

In connection to Hip Hop, Houston’s powerful ballads and soulful, emotive tracks brought more life to the culture and provided a sound that resonated with fans of the culture. Here are three of her sampled songs and where they can be found in Hip Hop music.

“You Give Good Love” (1985)

Sampled in Rapsody – Respect Due: Off of Jamla’s The Black Mamba LP (2012), iconic producer 9th Wonder does justice to this sample. He uses Houston’s vocals at the beginning of her song and loops it throughout the arrangement. It sounds very sweet and comforting as you hear it but Rapsody’s precise delivery compliments it and creates this beautiful and soulful boom bap vibe. 9th Wonder and Rapsody both pay their respects to “The Voice”, and they also earn their respect by creating such a masterful track.

Listen to it here.

“I Have Nothing” (1992)

Sampled in Drake – Tuscan Leather: Off of Drake’s album Nothing Was The Same (2013), OVO producer Noah “40” Shebib showed out by chopping Houston’s vocals and letting it play throughout the entire song in the background while Drake laid his vocals on top. This track has a soulful glow to it, like you can feel Houston’s presence all over the record. It compliments the lyrics well and gives the track this emotional dimension that Houston was known to give us. It cuts deep. Very powerful sample use.

Listen to it here.

“Exhale (Shoop Shoop)” (1995)

Sampled in Don Tolliver – GLOCK: Off of Don Tolliver’s album Hardstone Psycho (2024), producers PowR Trav and Tommy Parker begin the track with Houston’s first 8 bars and then the beat loops Houston’s “shoop shoop” hook. It’s very creative and Don Tolliver adds his melodic flow to it to create a vibe for the ladies with a soft bounce. The loop effect is a nice way to connect with the ladies who are fans of Houston’s music and it blends the 90s with the contemporary sound.

Listen to it here.

Heaven definitely has an angel. Salute to Whitney Houston’s legacy!