2009-10-06 18:27:02 -

CHAKA KHAN's friendship with WHITNEY HOUSTON fell apart after the younger soul star refused her pal's help in beating a drug addiction.
Khan helped Houston kickstart her career by recruiting the then-teenager to sing background vocals on her 1980 album Naughty

and the pair became close friends.
The I'm Every Woman hitmaker finally kicked her own substance abuse problems in the 1990s and offered to help Houston overcome her crack cocaine addiction - but the star turned her down.
Khan tells Britain's OK! magazine, "I love her very much, but we're not close any more. I reached out, but she doesn't want my help. Maybe she thinks I'm going to confront her, but after what I've been though, c'mon..."