BeatSession 02|21|12 (Whitney Houston Tribute)

The Original Sample:

Love is Holding on by Cissy Houston / Whitney Houston

They say it comes in threes. First Etta James, then Don Cornelius, and now Whitney. We’ve done a lot of tributes here at WBS, but choosing a sample for this week was just tough. I mean, as many hits as Whitney Houston has had (and there are many), they aren’t the type of songs we’d normally sample. Regardless, I knew we had to pay tribute to the most awarded female artist of all time.

I knew if I went back far enough, I’d find something.  One thing was certain — we weren’t going to sample “I Will Always Love You”. Here are the samples that were given consideration:

• Memories by Whitney Houston (1985) – First Lead Vocal ever by Whitney Houston
• Look Into Your Heart by Arethra Franklin (1976) – later performed by Whitney for a curtis mayfield tribute
• Hold Me by Teddy Pendergrass feat. Whitney Houston
• Nothings Gonna Stop Me by Cissy Houston
• Empty Place by Cissy Houston
• Love is Holding On by Cissy Houston/Whitney Houston (Mother/Daughter Duet)
• Life is a Party by Michael Zager Band – Whitney’s first vocal recording at 15 years old

I ended up going with the Mother/Daughter duet which was released on Cissy Houston’s 1978 album release, Think it Over. Whitney started performing at New Hope Baptist Church at the early age of 9, following in the footsteps of her mom, Cissy Houston. She started recording at age 14 and did back up vocals a year later for Chaka Khan’s I’m Every Woman.  With Dionne Warwick as her cousin and Aretha Franklin as her aunt, you know she was immersed in music at a young age. She lives on through the music she left us — a catalog of albums that have sold 170 Million worldwide.

Quick Update:
► New Video + Free Maxi Single – Lookin’ Up by Prometheus Brown and Bambu –  The Maxi Single features a Generation ILL remix courtesy of illa and PMBeatz.

peace, @illa0804 /@generationill

Featured Beats and Producers:

Nothing Left by Hydroponikz (Queens, NY)

Whitney Raps by Low Profile of Beat Boys Club (Queens, NY)

WEH JOINT (For Whitney) by Mr. Klimatic (Toledo, OH)

Echoes in the Dark by Blackph03nix (London, England)

The Sorry by Blackph03nix (London, England)

Neckbrace by Thyro of Flipmusic (San Juan, Philippines)

After All by Agent Smith 78 (Chicago, IL)

The Quickie / 1st Stand Up by Sideways (Portland, OR)

Nothing Left Inside by Sadik The BEAsTMASTER (Houston, TX)

Say Goodbye C. Bran (Charlotte, NC)

My Desire by DJ Magic Of Beast Coast (Ft. Lauderdale, FL)

Love is by Ambishuz (Houston, TX)

Nothing Left by Gee (Toronto, Canada)

Horse by Chrizo (Las Piñas, Philippines)