Aaliyah: Highborn, Exalted, Sublime

Happy heavenly birthday, Aaliyah Dana Haughton. You would be 45 years of age if you were still alive today. Born January 16, 1979 to Diane and Michael Haughton, Aaliyah grew up to be the princess of R&B and the most iconic Hip Hop and R&B act that rose to prominence in the 90’s and the early 2000’s.

When you think about the charismatic fusion of Hip Hop and R&B that flows together so well, no one embodied the union of their joint creativity like Aaliyah. She wasn’t just a singer with an angelic voice, but also a dancer that made the iconic Jackson family lift their eyebrows. Aaliyah came from a family of music. Her uncle was married to the legendary Gladys Knight, whom Aaliyah was given the privilege to perform with as a little girl. By the time she was 15 years old her debut album Age Ain’t Nothin but a Number was released in 1993.

The album was a hit which introduced Aaliyah’s smooth voice and street personality to fans of Hip Hop and R&B across the nation with songs like the title track, as well as the songs “At Your Best (You Are Love)”, “Throw Your Hands Up”, and “Back and Forth”.

On her sophomore album, famously titled One in a Million Aaliyah joins forces with super producer Timbaland and a then rising female Hip Hop juggernaut known as Missy Elliot and recorded a gem of an album that elevated not only Aaliyah, but the genre of Hip Hop and R&B as a whole with songs like “Hot Like Fire”, “If Your Girl Only Knew”, “4 Page Letter” and “One In A Million”. The album also changed the landscape of production as Timbaland became one of the biggest producers in the music industry. With the formation of this album Aaliyah would become a member of the Hip Hop and R&B ensemble known as the “Super Friends” made up of Timbaland, Magoo, Missy Elliot, male R&B sensation Ginuwine and Aaliyah herself among others.

Along with fellow 90’s R&B hit maker Brandy, Aaliyah has always been one of my top two favorite females of R&B. When I think about Aaliyah or hear her music I recall the greatest memories of my life going back to when I was just three years old. I remember visiting my family on the weekends and hearing her music from her first two albums being played at our family cookouts and get togethers. I could feel it just as I think about it.

When I was five years old I specifically remember my favorite song being “Are You That Somebody?” By Aaliyah featuring Timbaland from the soundtrack of what was one of my favorite movies at the time Doctor Doolittle (1998). Aaliyah and Timbaland perfectly balanced each other out on that song and it still holds up to this day.

Aaliyah continued to amaze us all when she branched out into the film world with her first starring role in the 2000 Williams Shakespeare inspired action-drama film Romeo Must Die opposite action star Jet Li and rapper DMX. The film was a mega hit that kicked Aaliyah’s acting career into gear with so many other opportunities knocking at her door. Of course it went without saying that Aaliyah also contributed to the film’s soundtrack which was a big hit thanks to her songs on the album including: “I Don’t Wanna”, “Come Back In One Piece (ft. DMX) and of course the smash crossover pop hit “Try Again”.

While Aaliyah was on top of the world with her third self titled album climbing the charts and her promising film career taking off, Aaliyah died tragically in a place crash in the Bahamas on August 25, 2001 while coming back from shooting the music video to her song “Rock The Boat”. I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when I heard the news. Just like her countless other fans I was heartbroken and brought to tears. Losing Aaliyah was the loss of not only one of my heroes of music who I looked up to and was inspired by, but also losing someone who I felt a personal connection with who was a friend to my heart. I think all of us who love her felt like this when she passed away because we all felt a special connection with her.

23 years after her departure from this world, Aaliyah is still one of the most iconic voices and performers in music history. She continues to inspire us everyday. When I talk about her I always speak of her in the present tense because her spirit still lives in those of us who love and admire her. She was and will always be my hero of R&B and a big part of the soundtrack to my life all the way up to this very moment. So on this day that would have been her 45th birthday I want to say thank you to Aaliyah for the joy and great memories you brought the world, myself included. You will always be a positive, motivating force within our lives and truly one in a million.

~~For Aaliyah.