Whitney Houston: The Voice, the Legend, and... Nippy?
Hold the phone! You know Whitney Houston, the powerhouse vocalist, the Grammy-sweeping superstar we all belt along to in the car. But did you know she also had a nickname that sounds more like a particularly energetic hamster than the Queen of Pop herself?
Prepare to be amazed (or possibly snort with laughter). Whitney Houston's nickname, bestowed upon her by her own father, was none other than... Nippy.
Yes, you read that right. Nippy. Like a tiny dog with an attitude.
So, what's the story behind this unexpected moniker? Apparently, young Whitney was a bit of a firecracker as a baby. Always kicking off her blankets, keeping her parents on their toes (and presumably a little chilly), her dad, Cissy Houston (herself a legendary gospel singer), started calling her "Nippy."
Think about it: Here's this soulful voice that would redefine pop music, and her nickname is something you'd expect to hear at a Chihuahua convention. The irony is pure gold.
But Nippy wasn't the only nickname Whitney had up her sleeve. Apparently, according to friends and family, she was also sometimes called "Illegal." Not because she was, you know, breaking any laws (we hope!), but because, as Pastor Marvin Winans once said, "She would just do stuff!"
So there you have it. The Voice had a side known only to her loved ones: a mischievous, spirited young woman with a penchant for keeping things interesting. Maybe next time you hear "I Wanna Dance With Somebody," you'll also hear a little echo of "Nippy, get back under those covers!" in the background.
