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tina brown denies selling whitney houston photo to kanye west

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Call it provocative. Call it poor taste. But besides Drake and his blackface and baby mother issues we can all agree that the tragic life and legacy of late singer Whitney Houston is just another pawn that’s been exploited for the sake of publicity when it comes to recent music releases of Good Music artists Pusha T and Kanye West. Fans expressed their disdain when the artwork was revealed for Pusha T’s latest album Daytona. The artwork is actually a picture that symbolizes a dark period in the late singer Whitney Houston’s life. Pusha T recently revealed that the artwork was West’s idea and the controversial rapper revealed shortly before the album’s release that he had paid $85,000 for its use.

The picture of Houston’s bathroom vanity covered in drug paraphernalia was actually first published in The National Enquirer in 2006 and Tina Brown, the sister of Houston’s ex-husband Bobby Brown revealed toT The Blast that she not only took the photo, but also sold it to the tabloid. She shares the picture was representative of a night that she and her sister-in-law at the time engaged in a drug binge of crack-cocaine, a significant low at that point of their lives:

“During the time the picture was taken, in 2006, my sister Whitney and I were at a very low and self-destructive point in our lives, it was not only her mess, it was mine as well.”

“Together, she and I decided to take the pictures in the bathroom and share with the world, the pain we were going through … it was a united cry for help.”

She insists that she did not however sell the picture to Kanye West and that the National Enquirer owns the rights to the photo:

“Kanye West did not purchase the picture from me or my son [Shayne Brown].”

Brown says that despite rumors, there was no love lost between she and Houston when the photo originally appeared in The National Enquirer and it was “not at all a betrayal of one another.” She added that she remained close with her former sister-n-law until her untimely death:

“Throughout that chaotic time and until her death, Whitney and I remained the best of friends and sisters.”

Brown shares that Kanye and Pusha T’s use of the photo is not only an insult to Houston’s memory but also wants the artists to know “the public attention and speculation, brought on by Kanye’s broadcasted purchase of that picture and usage have opened old wounds.” Brown explained she is curious as to why “why he feels the picture is significant to him, at this time.”

Bobby Brown also expressed his disgust at the photo’s use noting that Kanye West should be slapped for his thoughtless actions:

“That’s really disgusting that he would do that.”

”Something should happen to Kanye. He’s already crazy. I knew that when I first met him. Now he’s pushing the bar a little bit. He needs somebody to slap him up or something. And I’m just the person to do it.”

Unfortunately, the situation is a reminder of the exploitation and hidden agendas of people that supported Houston in one breath and took advantage of her in the next during both her life and death.

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