Why Aaliyah Was So Important to the Development of Modern R&B
Remembering Aaliyah's impact on pop culture and how she helped shape the sound of modern R&B.
Aaliyah in a promotional Tommy Hilfiger photoshoot from 1997. The image was taken by Alex Berliner and is property of Shutterstock.
Aaliyah Dana Haughton took the music industry by storm in 1994 with her questionably titled first album ‘Age Ain't Nothing but a Number’. Aaliyah’s goal from childhood was to be an entertainer; act, sing and dance - she fully accomplished her dreams.
At age 12 she had a perfect 4.0 GPA before venturing into showbiz. Aaliyah was mentored by her illegally-wed husband R. Kelly. He helped craft and produce her debut album which went on to sell 6 million records worldwide.
After severing ties with Kelly, Aaliyah went on to work with Missy Elliott and Timbaland, who would become lifelong friends of Aaliyah. Aaliyah's second LP 'One in a Million' was released in 1996.
She adopted Missy and Timbaland's funky retro-futuristic R&B sound as they handled a bulk of the album's production. This style can be seen in songs like 'Hot Like Fire' and 'If Your Girl Only Knew'.
Aaliyah's self-titled third and final album dropped in July 2001. The album climbed the charts, further cementing Aaliyah’s superstar status. Songs like 'More Than a Woman' and 'Try Again' were all over the radio.
Aaliyah was also an accomplished actress. She starred alongside Jet Li and DMX in the 2000 action movie ‘Romeo must Die’. She also took the lead role in the posthumously released 2002 horror movie ‘Queen of The Dammed’ in which she played the movie’s seductive villain.
Aaliyah was also set to have a role in the Matrix sequels and even shot some footage before she passed.
Musically, was the core of 2000s throwback R&B, she has inspired countless musicians following in her footsteps including Adele, Frank Ocean, Drake, Jhené Aiko and Rhianna.
Aaliyah’s influence wasn’t just musical, she was mysterious, often pictured in dark shades and dressed in everything from rugged tomboy sportswear to high fashion.
Aaliyah on the set of Lil Kim's 'Crush on You' music video from 1996.
Sadly, two-thirds of Aaliyah’s discography are unavailable for streaming as of 2020, being tied up in ownership with her uncle Barry Hankerson.
If you ever wanted to check out her post-R. Kelly music it’s readily available on YouTube. Listen to One in a Million and her self-titled album here.
Tragically, Aaliyah died on August 25, 2001, at the tender age of 22 in a plane crash over the Bahamas after filming the music video to ‘Rock the Boat’ from her third album.
An investigation found the plane was overweight and legally shouldn’t have flown. To make matters worse, Aaliyah even had a fear of flying. The pilot also had traces of cocaine and alcohol in his system.
Despite this, Aaliyah’s legacy is unparalleled and will live on through her music.
