Highlights
- Whitney Houston discussed her struggle as a Black artist to break through on MTV, which was mainly focused on rock music at the time.
- She believed that MTV should promote real talent rather than relying on established names to drive revenue.
- Whitney Houston played a significant role in diversifying MTV’s music rotation and breaking taboos, such as interracial relationships.
Whitney Houston was one of the defining stars of MTV in its early days and also the voice of a generation. Many singers today have her as an inspiration, from her incredible voice to her refreshing honesty and approach to music and the music industry. What’s more, Whitney’s biggest hits are timeless classics that fans still love to this day.
Whitney had many occasions to discuss her experience as one of the most successful early MTV stars, including one time when she actually dissed the network about how hard it made it for certain artists to break through.
The Truth Behind Whitney Houston And Michael Jackson’s Relationship
Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson were rumored to be wildly in love, but some disagree that a relationship ever happened.
Whitney Houston Threw Some Shade At MTV In A 2001 Interview With MTV
Speaking with MTV News in 2001, Whitney Houston discussed her earliest memories of the network.
“I remember that I couldn’t get on,” Whitney said. “I remember that it was a major breakthrough for African American entertainers to be on MTV because it was solely for rock artists,” she continued.
At the time, rock and disco music were dominating the airwaves, as Whitney correctly remembered.
She also talked about the other major stars of the era — Michael Jackson and Tina Turner — and how they opened up MTV to other music styles.
“I remember Michael Jackson making a great breakthrough and then, Tina Turner along with myself, and Bobby Brown, and others that were major breakthrough artists on MTV.”
However, she also remembered how difficult it had been for her to make her breakthrough.
What Happened Between Kevin Costner And Whitney Houston?
Whitney Houston was extremely nervous before her film debut with Kevin Costner in ‘The Bodyguard,’ but he helped her out in more ways than one.
“I do remember the hassle of introducing Black artists to MTV because, let’s face it, it was only for White artists at that point,” she said, referencing the fact that the network was mostly focusing on rock.
Whitney continued by saying that Jimi Hendrix, whom she considered the only great Black rock and roll artist, was dead, so rock was primarily dominated by White artists.
Then, Whitney came to her point.
She explained that she didn’t understand why talented artists like Michael Jackson had to struggle to be seen and heard on MTV. She wondered why MTV didn’t simply promote talent instead of marginalizing certain demographics outside of the very top talent like her and Michael Jackson.
She thought that MTV had a duty to promote real talent, rather than counting on already established big names to drive its revenue.
Whitney did have a point, as many of the video’s viewers agreed in the comments on the YouTube video.
Whitney Houston Had A Reputation For Being Honest
Throughout her career, Whitney made a reputation for herself for being as open about her opinions as possible. This was something fans loved about her and many praised her honesty when talking about how hard it had been for her to become a household name on MTV.
Fans also praised her demeanor and the classy and articulate way she discussed her early struggles.
Who Inherited Whitney Houston’s $20 Million Fortune?
Whitney Houston’s fortune went to her daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown, but when she also tragically passed, things got a bit more complicated.
Whitney Houston was similarly open and honest about her struggles with addiction in an emotional interview with Diane Sawyer. She admitted to having “partied her tail off” in the past and having indulged in a lifestyle that wasn’t healthy.
“I partied a lot. Trust me: I partied my tail off,” Whitney candidly admitted. “You get to a point where you know the party’s over. That was a moment in time that happened to me, that I was going through, that I’m over. I’m beyond it. It’s past. It’s done,” she concluded.
However, she claimed that those days were behind her. While that may have been true when the interview happened, in 2002, it wasn’t later in her life.
In 2012, Whitney Houston tragically passed away after drowning in her bathtub. At the time of her passing, she had several legal and illegal substances in her system.
Despite Whitney Houston’s untimely death, which some fans thought was a sacrifice, her legacy in music remains strong.
Whitney Changed MTV’s Bias Against Dance Music
When Whitney’s music first entered MTV’s rotation, the network was specializing mostly in rock and disco music. Along with Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston was crucial in “desegregating MTV.”
In the late 1980s, when Michael Jackson and Prince, who had both become household names and superstars by that time, weren’t making a lot of videos, Whitney hit the scene.
She hit it big enough that she paved the way for a lot of other artists to enter the scene and create unforgettable music regardless of their race.
Eddie Murphy Allegedly Called Whitney Houston On Her Wedding Day And Pleaded That She Didn’t Marry Bobby Brown
Eddie Murphy and Whitney Houston had a close relationship behind the scenes.
Whitney not only changed MTV’s approach to music, she also broke down other taboos.
When she starred in The Bodyguard, Whitney Houston not only won over Kevin Costner’s heart in real life but also broke the taboo of interracial relationships. Like the rest of her work, this was a brilliant move on the part of an incredibly talented human being.
Source: NewsFinale
