My Love is Your Dub: When Whitney Met Wyclef

Words by Jesse Serwer—

The Whitney we remember is R&B’s golden girl, the singer whose gospel-powered voice and pop hits soundtracked our youth. But we also can’t forget the moment when Whitney went all bad (meaning good) gyal on us. Wyclef Jean and his right-hand man Jerry “Wonda” Duplessis were brought on to write and produce the title track for her 1998 My Love is Your Love album, and the result was a Bob Marley-influenced masterpiece that is one of my favorites in her catalog. “My Love is Your Love” was one of the deepest love songs of its era and, with its apocalyptic overtones, feels even more appropriate for these times.

But that wasn’t all. ‘Clef later reworked “My Love is Your Life,” giving it some hip-hop x dancehall flavor with his “Wyclef Remix” included on the 12″ single. Unlike most R&B singers of her era, Whitney kept her distance from hip-hop: this is possibly the most street-oriented track she ever released.

And two years later Whitney would return the favor by recording a “My Love is Your Love” dubplate for ‘Clef, which appeared on his The Ecleftic: 2 Sides II a Book album as “Whitney Houston Dub Plate.” If you don’t know this one, you might not believe your ears when Whitney’s voice comes in: Yo, this is Whitney Houston…Yes massive, this is the original vocalist. I’d like to say rest in peace to Dennis Brown…Wow. Check it here…and Whitney, give our regards to Dennis up there. We miss you both.