New York’s DJ Fresh Leads Touching Whitney Houston Tribute During Sold-Out Chris Brown Show

Whitney Houston’s presence can be felt in a clip that went viral from a deejay set during a recent sold-out Chris Brown show in New York City.

In the video, which has almost 900K views and counting, fans can be seen and heard singing along to a Houston tribute led by DJ Fresh in a packed Barclays Center during one of the NYC stops on Brown’s “11:11 Concert Tour.” The song they’re crooning out to in the post is Houston’s hit single “I Have Nothing.”

Released on February 20, 1993, “I Have Nothing” is the third single from “The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album,” the hit blockbuster starring Houston and Kevin Costner. The track became a worldwide sensation, following in the footsteps of singles like “I Will Always Love You” and “I’m Every Woman,” also featured in the project.

At the time of its release, “I Have Nothing” quickly rose on the charts, clinching the No. 4 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs. It climbed to No. 1 on the Billboard Contemporary Chart. It received several award nominations, including an Academy Award nom for Best Original Song as well as a proposal for the Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B Single, Female. It is currently 2x RIAA platinum, and the accompanying music video has more than 800 million views on YouTube.

Today, just over three decades since its release, “I Have Nothing” has the same impact on the culture that it had when it first debuted a little over 31 years ago. People flocked to the comments of the recent tribute to Houston during Brown’s show, noting that her influence on the world remains despite her passing in 2012.

“I’m sure most of them people are too young to even have seen Whitney perform, but they damn sure know the words,” wrote one user. Another chimed in and said, “Whitney, it’s 2024, and your music is still iconic,” followed by praising hands, dove, and three heart emojis as well as a “RIP Nippy #Chills.”

Affectionately known as “The Voice,” Houston left behind a remarkable musical legacy with many accolades to match, including being the only artist to chart seven consecutive #1 Billboard Hot 100 hits. She died on February 11, 2012, in Beverly Hills, California, from an accidental drowning.

11:11, Brown’s  11th studio album, was released in November.