Rap-Up.com || Aretha Franklin Addresses Absence from Whitney Houston’s Funeral

One familiar face that was missing from Whitney Houston’s homegoing service was her godmother, Aretha Franklin. The Queen of Soul had a show last night in New York City, but pulled out of her appearance at today’s funeral in Newark, New Jersey, where she was scheduled to perform. In a message posted on Facebook, she explained that she was unable to travel due to “leg spasms” and sent her prayers to the Houston family. She still plans to perform tonight at Radio City Music Hall. Read her statement below.

Regretfully, I am so sorry that I was unable to be with you at Whitney’s service today. I had every intention of being there. But unfortunately I had terrible leg spasms and locked leg muscles until 4:00AM this morning following my concert last night, which I’ve been having for the last few days. I feel it necessary and very important to stay off my leg today as much as possible until concert time this evening. My heart goes out to my dear friend Cissy, Dionne, Bobbi Kristina and the rest of the family. May God keep them all.”

Aretha & the Franklin Family

Posted in Whitney Houston | Permalink

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28 Comments

DeeJay
February 18th, 2012 at 2:27 pm
I don’t Aretha The Queen of Soul, could take it, but we missed you, and the homegoing was great anyway.

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DeeJay Reply:
February 18th, 2012 at 2:28 pm
@DeeJay, I don’t think Aretha could take the service, without being too upset.

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MinajRules2012 Reply:
February 18th, 2012 at 3:52 pm
@DeeJay, Yet, her big fat ass, is gonna do a show tonight!!!! I sense some shade here, her big fat cow ass, is lying.

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Boy Wonder Reply:
February 19th, 2012 at 7:04 am
@MinajRules2012, What you mean “Shade”?? She has a contractual obligation to do that concert. Business first!!! She dont do the show she loses money AND gets sued. Go somewhere with that negativity and look at it from a business standpoint. She’s not a young woman anymore and has to preserve her health.

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Lee Reply:
February 21st, 2012 at 3:55 pm
@Boy Wonder, I agree with you 100%!

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Aretha Franklin Releases A Statement Adressing Her Absence From Whitney Houston’s Funeral | ThatGoodHit
February 18th, 2012 at 2:34 pm
[...] RU Share this:FacebookStumbleUponEmail Tags: Aretha Franklin, Church, Funeral, Missing, Service, Statement, Whitney Houston Related Posts [...]
Nikki
February 18th, 2012 at 2:34 pm
Wow.. “stay off of her leg until her concert this evening”.. I guess the show must go on huh Aretha? Wow it amazes me that you can sit and have a long interview “about” Whitney, but you couldn’t attend her homegoing, and you were “invited”.. Shame!!

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BitchPlease
February 18th, 2012 at 3:06 pm
Sometimes it is hard to go to a funeral of someone you love…and she does need to be concerned about her health also..Sht what ya’ll want them to bury her next..smh..you know the woman is not in complete best health..I don’t even know why she performing so much..

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Nick
February 18th, 2012 at 3:28 pm
Yet she’s keeping her concert date tonight? Oh please. She’s disgusting.

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chantals44
February 18th, 2012 at 3:34 pm
Ur absolutely right @Nikki but u don’t know how aretha feels about whitney’s passing after all she’s whitney’s godmother.

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Nikki Reply:
February 18th, 2012 at 3:58 pm
@chantals44, you’re right, I don’t know. In my opinion, if I had received an invitation, I would have gone. My question is how can you say it’s for health reasons, but proceed with plans to put on a full show? If you’re that distraught and your health is failing, cancel your show, and pay your respects to your Goddaughter..

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MinajRules2012
February 18th, 2012 at 3:53 pm
Aretha ia a Big, Fat, lying Cow!!! She knows she could have been there, but her fat ass was probably home making collard greens and pigtails, to hell with Aretha, Whitney needed you there. You fat cow.

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@iJustoriginate
February 18th, 2012 at 4:58 pm
If Aretha couldn’t make it to the home going, then she shouldn’t be well enough to do a show the same day. She need to chill out and get better

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@SLICKERTHANSLY
February 18th, 2012 at 5:31 pm
Yall, reading to much into this, at least she had the sense and manners to apologize.

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Triniti
February 18th, 2012 at 6:21 pm
Aretha, it’s okay. We know. You were hungry, sleepy and tired.

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Justice
February 18th, 2012 at 6:24 pm
I don’t know….it seems to me if I were scheduled to sing at the funeral of someone I claim to love…I would have arranged my affairs to be able to do that. I bet her voice was hourse from the night before….it’s so easy to say I’m sorry.

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Luthella
February 18th, 2012 at 8:17 pm
I know that there are three sides to any story: yours, thiers and the simple truth. With that being said, I can understand every posters’ position. If she was too ill to attend the homegoing celebration, how then was she able to perform for profit? On the other hand perhaps performing was therapeutic for her and she knew that Whitney would understand. What I do find interesting and (almost) disturbing is the fact that Dionne did not know that Aretha was not there. Things that make you go hmmmmm!

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Luthella
February 18th, 2012 at 8:25 pm
We all know that there are three sides to a story: yours, theirs and the simple truth. Aretha stated that she was experiencing leg cramps and she did have other obligations after leaving Charlotte, NC on Monday. Perhaps performing for her audience was a way to grieve she may have thought that Whitney would understood the call of duty to the public. It is interesting and (almost) disturbing that Dionne was unaware that she was not there as she called for her to speak/sing.

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Insider
February 18th, 2012 at 9:49 pm
Then why wouldn’t she call and let them know ahead if time so they wouldn’t have called her name out in front of everyone? Someone’s lying.

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Karen
February 18th, 2012 at 11:13 pm
If she was just having a problem because she felt like she couldn’t handle the funeral why didn’t she just say so? Would be much better than making excuses. I mean don’t do your other shows and not be there for this much more important occasion. Really if she thought the funeral was going to be too much for her to perform at then why didn’t she just go and grieve with the others. It’s a strange she still was able to do her shows but not attend this.

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dee
February 19th, 2012 at 3:53 am
Don’t hate Aretha, celebs do what they want to do. That is why Whitney is dead now. She did what she wanted to do. Just as we do what we want, but there is always a price to be paid for what we all say and do.

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In Flex We Trust » Aretha Franklin Address Her Absence During Whitney Houston’s Funeral
February 19th, 2012 at 9:15 am
[...] Source [...]
mary
February 19th, 2012 at 3:06 pm
I think Ms Franklin did what she knew she was able to do,maybe that is why she has survived.Seems to me,with Clive Davis touting how Whitney was scheduled to make a comeback in August,unlike Aretha,Whitney had no sense of self preservation and the people around her were profit margin driven enablers.

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pink2
February 20th, 2012 at 7:31 am
Did anyone see Aretha in an interview when she said that Whitney was not her God Child and that Whitney always addressed her as Auntie ReRe? First of all why did Aretha feel it necessary to let everyone know that. One thing is certain that Whitney loved Aretha, but I am not sure about the retuned love for Whitney. I think she could have sat her fat ass in a wheelchair and attend the funeral.

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Lee
February 21st, 2012 at 3:35 pm
It’s important to love and give respect to people when they live. You can’t do anything for them when they are dead, so all of y’all can go to hell about Aretha!

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Lee
February 21st, 2012 at 3:47 pm
Some of the same people that pretend that they are so concerned about Whitney’s funeral now, talked about her like a dog when she was on drugs.

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DEE
February 22nd, 2012 at 2:06 pm
LONG Live the QUEEN, SHE NEVER SAID ANYTHING NEGATIVE ABOUT WHITNEY GET THE FACTS RIGHT IF YOU ARE GONNA QUOTE ANYTHING….ATTENDED THE PRIVATE CERAMONY FRIDAY..WHY DON’T YOU PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THAT..ARETHA SAID NOTHING NEGATIVE ABOUT WHITNEY…SOME OF YOU ARE SO JEALOUS..YOU LIE ABOUT THINGS YOU DON’T KNOW…

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home renovation
March 24th, 2012 at 6:35 am
home renovation…

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