NEED TO KNOW
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Ray J revealed the details of how he found out about Whitney Houston’s untimely death and denied rumors that he played any role in it on the Funky Friday podcast on July 25
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He confirmed they had been in a relationship at the time, but he wasn’t with the famed vocalist when she died, as he had a show in San Diego
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The musician noted that after her death, he was the target of online abuse from people who accused him of killing her
Ray J is opening up about Whitney Houston’s untimely death.
The 44-year-old singer and songwriter (born William Ray Norwood, Jr.) revealed the details of how he found out about Houston’s death and denied rumors that he played any role in it while on Cam Newton’s Funky Friday podcast on Friday, July 25.
Houston died by accidental drowning on Feb. 11, 2012, the day before the Grammy Awards, in her hotel room, according to an autopsy report. Heart disease and cocaine use were listed as contributing factors in her death.
The “One Wish” singer — who confirmed that he was dating Houston around the time of her death — denied rumors that he had been there with her “in the room when she died,” saying, “That’s the biggest cap I’ve ever heard. I’ve heard it since the beginning.”
Thaddaeus McAdams/Getty
Ray J attends the Ocean Drive Magazine Art Basel cover party at The Ritz Carlton, South Beach on December 2, 2021 in Miami Beach, Florida.
He shared that had been “in San Diego doing a show” and planned to attend a “Clive Davis event” with her “the next day” where they were going to publicly announce their relationship. However, he said things took a turn for the worse when he got to her hotel.
“When I [pulled] up I got my shoes. I’m ready to go to the event. I just talked to her on the phone,” he recalled. “[But] she’s not there no more. It’s over, and Ray, who is her bodyguard, he found her, and he called me.”
“They did not let me [go up to her hotel room] at first until everything was cleared and it was just the family,” he continued. “That’s when I was able to go upstairs and see the family. This is you talking like late, late at night.”
He noted that initial reports confused Houston’s bodyguard with him due to their similar names, and claims that since then, he has been accused online of killing the “I Will Always Love You” singer. But he said that could not be further from the truth.
“I was nowhere to be found, and I hate talking about it because I have so much love for her. I’ve never seen her in that state,” he continued later on in the interview. “So to make me that person when I wasn’t even there and then to put murderer on top of that… it’s f—– up.”
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During the interview, Ray J also dodged a question from Newton about whether he saw the “I Have Nothing” singer take drugs, but cleared the air on whether he had done drugs with her.
Charley Gallay/AMA2009/Getty
Singer Whitney Houston poses with the Winner of International – Favorite Artist Award backstage at the 2009 American Music Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on November 22, 2009 in Los Angeles, California.
“I’ve never done one drug with Whitney, and when people asked me, ‘Did Whitney do drugs?’… everybody knows certain answers,” he said.
“I can tell you about me. I was so f—— up after that s— happened, I tried hard drugs for the first time after that s— happened because I was just like I don’t know what was going on, bro. I was totally in awe of it.”
However, the musician noted that “it was nothing but good times” with Houston, whom he met through his sister Brandy, 46. He said when he first met her they “just started bonding” and were “locked in for a long time.”
“I love Whitney. I was with Whitney every f—— day. She was one of the most important people to me,” Ray J shared.
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