Unfortunately, as the pressures of being one of the biggest pop stars of her generation began to mount, Houston’s marriage became mired in scandal, with the two both heavily involved in drug and alcohol abuse – much of which was broadcasted publicly in tabloids and global media.Brown was often blamed for ruining the former gospel girl’s squeaky clean image and getting her into partying, but he’s spoken up against the claims on multiple occasions, saying it was a two-way street and calling the accusations a “big misconception”.
So, what do we know about Houston’s first and only husband before her tragic death – and where is he today?
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Tragedy struck thrice
Houston and Brown had one daughter together during their turbulent 15-year marriage, Bobbi Kristina Brown, in 1993.
The “I Will Always Love You” singer filed for divorce in 2006 and it was finalised in 2007. Devastating news broke in 2012 that Houston had been found dead in a bathtub at her Beverly Hills hotel. Then tragically, in 2015, the couple’s aspiring singer-dancer daughter also died after six months in a coma – Bobbi Kristina was found unresponsive in her bathtub, echoing her mother’s death three years earlier.In 2020, Brown lost another child he shared with Kim Ward. Bobby Brown Jnr died of an accidental overdose at age 28, per EW.
He’s sober these days
These days Brown is open about his struggles with substance abuse, and says he’s been sober for 20 years from drugs and two years from alcohol. “Being an addict is really hard,” he said on A&E’s Biography: Bobby Brown. “You don’t know you are an addict until it gets worse and worse and worse.”
The 53-year-old added that he thinks he and Houston would still be together if it weren’t for drugs. “Drugs just got the best of us.”
A memoir and documentaries
He has two documentaries on A&E: the two-part Biography: Bobby Brown, and the 12-part series Bobby Brown: Every Little Step.
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In his 2016 memoir Every Little Step, some of the bombshell revelations include the rapper’s allegations against Houston for also having extramarital affairs with other men and that she wasn’t the sweet angel everyone made her out to be. “If anybody knew her, they knew Whitney was for real, straight up and to the point with anything she talked about, anything she had to say,” he said.
He said he launched these series because he wants fans to know that he’s gone through rough patches and now lives in a clean and honest way. “It helps me maintain my sobriety. It helps me with everything I want to do in the future,” he said during the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour.
He’s still rapping
Brown debuted with his band New Edition in 1981. After going solo in 1986, Brown released hits like “Don’t Be Cruel” and “Something in Common” and won numerous AMAs and a Grammy for best male R&B vocal performance in 1990.
He still actively goes on tour across the US, with his next concert in late December.
Opening up about loss
He regularly shares tributes to both Bobbi Kristina and Bobby Jnr on his Instagram page and has spoken up about his loss, while also going to therapy, he told CNN.
He told People in another interview that he often sees his late children in his dreams. “They’re always together when I dream about them,” he continued. “One doesn’t come without the other, and I just keep seeing them happy”, adding, “that makes me get through the day a little bit easier.”
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A doting dad and husband
Brown’s love life has long drawn public attention as he’s been married twice and fathered seven children with four different women.
He shares three young kids with his long-time friend and manager Alicia Etheredge-Brown (they got married in 2012) – Cassius, Bodhi and Hendrix – and has two adult kids, La’Princia and Landon.
Brown’s support system also helped him by getting him into yoga and meditation, according to an interview he did in Cassius.
What has he said about the Whitney biopic?
Ahead of the release of the Sony-produced biopic, E! News asked Brown whether he’d be watching the new film, to which he replied, “probably”. Although Houston’s family members and producer were involved in the making of the movie, Brown was not.
His character will be played by Moonlight’s Ashton Sanders. Brown seems delighted, saying “choosing such a great actor to play my trials and tribulations” was an honour and that he’s “looking forward to it”, as per E!. Houston will be played by British actress Naomi Ackie.ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tK%2FMqWWcp51kuqKzwLOgp52jZMC1xcueZpydnJqvs7XTsmaaqqSesK2xjmxpaWxjaYBww8eeqZ5lkqSvo8WMm6mor55iwbCwwLJkmqaUYsSprdNmm6ido2K1pnnToaCno12starAzZ6wZpqZpL2qr4yhnKxloKGuurHDZpisoKSku26%2FwKebnqqjYrZuw8CnpZo%3D