Singer Ray J (aka Willie Norwood Jr., aka Brandy’s brother) is setting the record straight about his relationship with the late singer-actress Whitney Houston and speculation of his involvement in her untimely death. On the July 25 episode of Cam Newton’s “Funky Friday” podcast, the former NFL quarterback sat down with the “Wait a Minute” singer, who wanted to address what he called “hurtful” accusations that he is responsible for her passing.
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“If you look on all my comments, every time I go live, ‘You killed Whitney.’ That happens in spam,” Ray J said in the interview.
Although he admitted that the two were involved in a romantic relationship, Ray J told Newton that he was nowhere near the Beverly Hilton hotel on February 11, 2012, the night Houston was found unresponsive in her suite’s bathtub, saying he was in San Diego doing a show at the time.
Ray J confirmed a 2012 ABC News report that he was initially denied access to Houston’s hotel room when he rushed to the scene after getting the news about her death. He told Newton that her bodyguard, who is also named Ray, is the one who found her– a fact he says likely played a role in the public’s confusion about the timeline of events. He said the news of Houston’s death shocked him, as they were planning to go public with their relationship before she passed away.
“I loved Whitney. I was with Whitney every f**king day. She was one of the most important people to me,” Ray J said in the interview.
Newton went on to press Ray J about rumors of Houston’s drug use. A toxicology report found substances, including marijuana, cocaine and Xanax in her system at the time. But while Ray J admitted that he tried hard drugs while dealing with the pain of Houston’s passing, he said the two never got high together.
“I’ve never done one drug with Whitney. And when n****s ask me, ‘Did Whitney do drugs?’ there’s certain things you can ask me, and I’ll tell you about me,” Ray J told Newton. “But, you don’t gotta ask me the other question, because you already f***ing know. It’s Whitney. Everybody knows her answers.”
The interview didn’t do much to change the minds of people who suspect Ray J was a bad influence on the Grammy Award-winning star.
“I never did one drug with Whitney” is a liar’s way of saying he didn’t do ONE, he did MANY,” wrote someone on YouTube.
But others maintained that no one else should be held responsible for reported Houston’s drug use.
“There was a 17-year age difference between the two of them. I loved Whitney Houston; still, no one forced her to do drugs but herself,” wrote someone else on YouTube. “Bobby and Ray J get blamed for her drug usage alot, but many never blamed her brothers or Whitney herself.”
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