MOSCOW – DECEMBER 9: Singer Whitney Houston performs on stage at Olympisky Sports Complex on December 9, 2009 in Moscow, Russia. Moscow is the first city in her world-wide 2009-2010 tour. (Photo by Epsilon/Getty Images)
Whitney Houston’s Close Relative Livid Over Pusha T’s Album Cover Photo From Whitney’s Drug Ridden Bathroom
Whitney Houston’s family is “disgusted” by Pusha T’s cover art featuring the late singer’s drug-strewn bathroom for his new album “Daytona.”
Pusha revealed earlier this week that producer Kanye paid $85,000 to license the 2006 image, where drug paraphernalia and booze litter the bathroom counter of Houston’s Atlanta home. Pusha said that Kanye decided to go with the image at the last minute, and the move has enraged the Houston family.
“Nobody in their right mind would do this, and to promote an album?” Whitney’s first cousin Damon Elliott told us. “Is this what the music business has come to?”
Elliott accused West and Pusha of exploiting their family tragedy and forcing them to relive traumatic memories.
“I can’t describe how disgusted I am,” he said.
Elliott, a music producer, singer and the son of Dionne Warwick, said his family was blindsided by West’s decision to use the photo, which he said was from a deeply personal time in the family’s life. He said it was his own young daughter who alerted him to the picture.
“He doesn’t realize what he’s doing to the babies – to the family – that’s the only reason I got really upset,” Elliott said.
LONDON, ENGLAND – JUNE 09: Singer Dionne Warwick (C) poses with her sons David Elliott (L) and Damon Elliott perform live at The Arts Club on June 9, 2014 in London, England. (Photo by David M. Benett/Getty Images)
The Grammy Award-winning producer who has worked with Destiny’s Child, Pink, and Bone Thugs In Harmony during his more than 20-year career in the music biz, said he’s known Kanye for years and helped him land one of his first feature spots on Keyshia Cole’s album.
The relative questioned Kanye’s own health and wellbeing after Kanye himself revealed he had a mental health breakdown during his last tour and became addicted to opiates after a liposuction procedure.
“I think Kanye needs to get checked in somewhere,” Elliott said. “Addiction and mental illness are real, and you’re witnessing it at the highest point. And I’m not here to bash him, I’m just speaking truth. I can’t imagine that he would just do this for the publicity.”
Elliott said the artists’ use of the photo is exploitative, and he can’t understand why Kanye and Pusha T decided that the picture – of all images – was the right one to promote Pusha T’s new music.
“I said it and I mean it, I want him to change the artwork,” Elliott said. “First of all, it’s none of his business. I know that it was a photo that was licensed, but who would do that?! It’s sick.”
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