Shocked. Distraught. A complete nightmare. Just some of the words explained by many as they mourn the loss of arguably one of the greatest entertainers to ever live. This passing is surprising to most, as many people are still trying to take in the news, because Whitney was still performing, and she was essentially on her way back to try to shake off her demons of her past. The world we live calls for second chances. Everyone deserves one at some point. To quote Joe Budden, “Hate the sin, love the sinner,” and it’s true. We all have flaws, we all have done things that we’re not proud of, and in Whitney’s case, that’s no different. She gave the world a voice. A voice that no one has then since came even remotely close to comparison to. She was truly in a category by herself, and everyone else was running for 2nd place.

I wasn’t the biggest Whitney fan, but I grew up listening to her music, through my mom, as most of our parents (or just strictly mothers) did as well. The singer/actress didn’t necessarily set the bar, but she raised it astronomically by showing off her talents, and not only just showing them off, but did it in a fashion that made everyone else want to be like her. It’s evident today, you have singers doing music, and acting in movies, because the one who they looked up to the most during their childhoods, was Whitney, and there’s no denying that. She was a legend, and there is a massive cry of deep sorrow in the music industry, because a big piece of them has left, physically, but her music will always live on through her fans, and the people who appreciated her the most.

The saddest thing about her loss, is the fact that many people will look at what has transpired with her life over the past few years, and relate back to her interviews talking about crack, and drug & alcohol abuse as if it was the only thing that she did, which isn’t exactly fair. People always like to think the worst of people when they’re dead and gone, and why is that? Because it’s juicy? Because it’s “something to talk about?” There are always more things to talk about when celebrating a life, especially someone of this magnitude, so you would think that people would show some respect.

Look past all of the awards and her accomplishments, and look at the amount of lives that she’s influenced around the world. It’s not just the people in the music industry, but it’s the people who listened to her music to get through hard times, it’s the people who knew who she was even during the struggle areas in her life, those are the people who cared the most, and it’s those people who will keep her alive for years to come. I personally never would have thought that I’d be 22 years old talking about the passing of Whitney Houston, just like when I was 19 talking about the death of Micheal Jackson. It’s just weird, because these were the entertainers that we heard on the radio or in our parents stereos so often as kids that we were apart of it all, so this is sad, and I wish nothing but strength and peace for the entire Houston family. This is a time for mourning, but at the same time, it’s a time to reflect on our own lives and the people we care the most about around us, because life can really just change at any moment, so appreciate what you have and be grateful for it.

Full Whitney Houston Discography

RIP Whitney Houston

That’s My Word & It STiXX