Video After The Jump

Whitney Houston died tragically on February 11, 2012, but her memory lives on through her music, friends and family.

Today would have been the singers 49th birthday. She is being remembered and honored by those who were closest to her. R. Kelly and Monica spoke to MTV about what they remembered most about Whitney.

"Whitney was a ball of fun," Kelly said. "She reminded me of my sister whom I used to argue with all the time over music. We challenged each other a lot in the studio from the first moment we laid eyes on each other, but it was a lot of fun."

Whitney was a great friend and inspiration to Monica.

"Losing somebody that you idolize is one thing, but losing a friend is another thing," Monica told MTV News "I look back over many, many years of my life, and Whitney wasn't the type of person that would call and ask if I was OK — she would actually fly to me. She would come looking for me, she would sit with me. I really appreciate the fact that for almost three decades she gave us music that will last. My grandchildren will know exactly who she is; my great-grandchildren will know exactly who Whitney Houston is."

Whitney's daughter, Bobbi Kristina and her adopted brother-turned-boyfriend Nick Gordon visited Inksomnia Tattoo in Alpharetta, Ga., Wednesday night to get matching dove tattoos on their wrists.

Bobbi Kristina and Nick Gordon's matching tattoos

"The doves have a spiritual connotation, flying free I suppose,” Inksomnia owner Mike Cummings told the New York Daily News. "They were happy at times, and sad at others. When you would talk about their mom, they got sad, but we tried to keep their spirits up."


The couple sent out tweets marking the occasion.

Whitney's final movie Sparkle opens on August 17th.

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