Aaliyah: A Star Gone too Soon

Aaliyah Dana Haughton January 16, 1979- August 25, 2001

Aaliyah Dana Haughton (Aaliyah means Exhalted One in Arabic) was born January 16, 1979 in Brooklyn, NY. Upon her family moving to Detroit Michigan at the age of five, her mother enrolled her in voice lessons where she would perform for family functions and school productions, eventually making her way to Star Search at the age of nine singing her mother's favorite song "My Funny Valentine." She didn't win the competition but it helped her become a better performing in concert with her then aunt by marriage Gladys Knight.

At the age of 12 Aaliyah's uncle Barry Hankerson signed a distribution deal with Jive Records, forming Blackground Records, and immediately signed her to the label. Hankerson introduced her to recording artist R. Kelly her music mentor and later rumored lover; the two began working on her debut album "Age Ain't Nothin' but a Number" cracking the #18 spot on the Billboard 200 charts, spawning such hits as "Back and Forth", the title track and she struck gold with her remake of The Isley Brothers' gem "At Your Best (You are Love)". At the age of 15, she  was mysterious, even sexy with a trademark style of baggy jeans, sports bras, big jackets, sunglasses and her signature swoop bang hairstyle.

In the midst of the success of her first album vicious rumors circulated that R. Kelly and Aaliyah secretly married, where she allegedly lied and said she was 18 years old. Vibe magazine got their hands on a copy of the marriage license. This was perhaps one of the first major scandals in the world of Hip Hop and R&B, and the beginning of R. Kelly's problems with under aged girls. Out of the blue allegedly the marriage was resolved, and Aaliyah parted ways with Jive Records signing with Atlantic Records which began a chemistry like none other with the chemistry of Aaliyah, Timbaland and Missy Elliott. Her second album again peaked at #18 on the Billboard charts 200 garnered hits such as "If Your Girl Only Knew, Hot like Fire, The One I Gave My Heart To, 4 Page Letter" and the title track "One in a Million". Her work with Timbaland and Missy opened up the doors for her to become a Tommy Hilifiger model, becoming best friends with Quincy Jones' daughter Kidada Jones, have a hit single mostly recognized by its use of a baby cooing "Are You that Somebody?" from the Doctor Doolittle soundtrack and "Journey to the Past" from the Anastasia soundtrack which she performed at the 1998 Academy Awards.



Her last album self titled "Aaliyah" first debuted at #19 on the Billboard 200 charts followed by two more albums released posthumously. This album showcased a more mature side of Aaliyah, partly due to her budding relationship with then co-founder of Rockafella Records Damon Dash. Her three singles "We Need a Resolution, Rock the Boat and More than a Woman." During this time she starred in two movies "Romeo must Die and Queen of the Damned." Her last television appearance was on BET's 106 & Park, discussing her upcoming shooting in the Bahamas for the video for the aforementioned single "Rock the Boat." It was after the video was shot that a tragic turn of events ended this young lady's rise to the top. Director Hype Williams left a day before with the completed video. The crew boarding a small aircraft to return to America put the plane crashed shortly after take off. Everyone on the aircraft was killed; Aaliyah died instantly from her injuries. Reports from the tragedy included the pilot being under the influence of drugs and alcohol and he wasn't registered to fly the plane, falsifying registered hours of flight, as well as the aircraft being overloaded with too much luggage. Upon her death her third album shot from 19 to #1 on the Billboard 200 charts.

I remember hearing the news of Aaliyah's passing. I was a senior in high school, just starting my after school job at Rite Aid Pharmacy. I was deeply saddened and mourned her death as if I personally knew her. I had few young artists that I admired, but Aaliyah stood out to me the most, so much so that I named my baby sister for her. She was a trendsetter, I'll be the first to attest that I wore the swoop bangs, the sunglasses, the black nail polish, and she was the first to rock the pump/ponytail comb, a style that didn't become popular until four or five years later. When fan clubs still existed, I wrote to her fan club and received an autographed copy of her album Age Ain't Nothin' but a Number. She sang, danced, and was an actress; an all around great entertainer. a friend on twitter stated she was the girl next door and another friend stated she was the woman every man wanted and what the woman every woman wanted to be. She drew comparisons to Janet Jackson for her stage presence and dance moves but not so strong vocal ability. To this assertion I disagree, Aaliyah's best vocal performance hands down is "The One I Gave My Heart To." She sang that song with such passion and emotion and I related to her heartbreak on this song. I also disagree with comparisons to Beyonce, the two are totally different artists, in different lanes, appealing to different audiences.


No one knows just how far she could have gone if she wasn't cut off at the tender age of 22. Either way we can still jam to her music, watch her music videos and have found memories of the talented songbird which is Aaliyah Dana (Baby Girl) Haughton.

~L.G.~

(Below are some of my favorite songs/videos).