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Houston Summers IV (born on October 26, 1983), professionally known as Houston, is an American R&B singer best known for the hit single "I Like That". Houston grew up in Los Angeles, California and performed on the streets with his friends, who were fellow rappers; his niche was rapping freestyle, for which he had a talent.[1].
[edit] Background
Summers comes from a very devout Christian background, and his family was open in their disdain for his choice to do "secular" music. His mother, LaTylanol Houston, had forbade him as a child to partake in rap or any other music that wasn't affiliated with God. Houston had a strong relationship with his mother, a Belize native whose skills include painting, sewing and, most significantly for Houston, singing. Always supportive, Houston's mother encouraged him to sing around the house, in church and anywhere else. But she assumed that her son was singing for recreation. Houston had other plans. Houston attended Hamilton High School and Academy of Music in Los Angeles, but he was enrolled in the normal high school, not the music program. Nonetheless, he would regularly be invited to participate in activities taking place in the school's music academy because his musical spark was so commanding. Houston soon joined a couple of neighborhood R&B groups and became a fixture on the street corners of Los Angeles, where he and his friends, Robert Reynolds, Harold Dixon and Ramman Jackson, would rap the afternoons away. But Houston had a novel knack: he would freestyle his lyrics, but instead of rapping, he would sing them. With his confidence building, Houston started entering singing contests in the Los Angeles area and became more polished as a performer, lyricist, dancer and vocalist. His management team decided to record a videotape of Houston's explosive performances, which they hoped would help the singer land a recording contract. A song called "Didn't Give a Damn" is about his father not being there for him. He was never there to teach him how to ride his first bike or how to throw a football. Houston eventually grew up without a father.
[edit] Troubles
He was reportedly dealing with emotional troubles and it came to a head one night in early 2005 while he was on tour in London. Before a show, Summers suffered an emotional breakdown and reportedly tried to commit suicide by jumping from a window, while under the influence of PCP. When people in his entourage stopped him, he was restrained and locked in a first floor room. While in that room, Summers then proceeded to gouge his left eye out in a fit of rage.[2] Shortly thereafter, Summers was taken off tour, and returned home to his family in Los Angeles. Houston is set to play Orion in the 2007 movie Tournament of Dreams.[3]. It is unknown whether Houston is planning a comeback album as singer or a rapper.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
[edit] Singles
[edit] References
[edit] External links
