REMEMBERING AALIYAH: BRIAN’S FAVORITE TRACKS

REMEMBERING AALIYAH: BRIAN’S FAVORITE TRACKS:
Aaliyah Dana Haughton (January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001), who performed under the mononym Aaliyah (play /əˈliːə/), was an American R&B recording artist, actress and model. She was born in Brooklyn, New York, and was raised in Detroit, Michigan. At the age of 10, she appeared on the television show Star Search and performed in concert alongside Gladys Knight. At age 12, Aaliyah signed with Jive Records and her uncle Barry Hankerson's Blackground Records.
FAVORITE TRACKS LIST:
Admittedly, back in the day, I was one of the biggest Aaliyah fans. You can ask anyone that knew me. I had posters on my wall, owned all of her albums– I was just a huge fan of hers. Partially, because I had an older sister (who was a teenager when I was just a kid) who introduced me to her music back in the ’90′s. I have fond memories of riding around in my sister’s old car with the Age Ain’t Nothin’ But A Number cassette tape.In any event, I can gather a specific memory from each of Aaliyah’s albums. She was truly one of my favorites. So, I insisted to post some of my favorite tracks from Aaliyah’s albums. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed all of her music. But these are some of the favorites that just had a great impact on me.
Aaliyah – I Can Be :
This was the Aaliyah I loved. This song was edgy and dark and as a complete music head, I appreciated the interpolation of the what sounds like Michael Jackson’s “Dirty Diana” towards the end of the song. I felt like this was one of the most underrated tracks on her last studio album, Aaliyah, which dropped back in 2001. The track was written by singer/songwriter Tank and produced by Bud’da.
Aaliyah – Everything’s Gonna Be Alright:
This song just made me feel like jamming back in 1996. Although most of this album, Aaliyah worked with Timbaland, this was a track produced by the famed Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins. My favorite part, specifically is at the end of the second verse, where she sings, “You can do this baby/With the L-I-Y-A-H…
Aaliyah – Young Nation:
Young Nation” just reminds me of trying to kick with my sister and her friends, knowing I wasn’t grown enough to be chilling with them. Although Aaliyah’s first album was my least favorite of the three (I still love it though), it still makes me feel like summertime with jeeps.
Aaliyah feat. Static – Loose Rap:
Static and Aaliyah collaborated frequently on 2001′s Aaliyah. He had a hand in penning the bulk of the album, which came to no surprise, considering that he worked very closely with Timbaland. “Loose Rap” was a testament to Aaliyah’s musical styling being ahead of it’s. She cooes, “But we got somethin’ for all the fools/It ain’t just rhythm and blues…
Aaliyah – 4 Page Letter :
This has got to be, actually, one of my favorite songs ever. My love for the music video just amplifies my love for the song. Since I’m a hopeless romantic, I honestly still listen to this song. I was always a fan of Timbaland’s production and his innovative drum kits. I honestly thought that 1996′s One In A Million was ahead of it’s time.
Dame Dash Remembers Aaliyah 10 Years After Her Death:
Aaliyah's death 10 years ago stunned the nation, but no more than her boyfriend at the time, Dame Dash. The couple's magnetic relationship was apparent to anyone blessed enough to see them together, and Dame recently sat down with The Juice to dish on the time they shared together.She was intelligent and she caught me," Dash tells The Juice. "I'm the kind of guy who says things sometimes just to make myself laugh, but she would just catch me making jokes for me. I couldn't get anything past her. She had a very quick mind and a very kind heart."Both artists were on top of their game at the time of Aaliyah's death, so they didn't have a lot of physical time together during their relationship, but Dame cherished every moment of it."The energy we created together for people to observe was kind of crazy. We'd be in a room full of people talking to each other and it felt like everyone was listening but it would be just us. It would be like we were the only ones in the room," Dash says. "It was like something was going down in history every time I was with her. Every time I was around her I felt it was the place to be. Our time together meant so much that when we got more time, we felt like that [engagement] would be next. She was one of the best people I ever met. Even with the pain I felt, I would do it all over again.
Damon Dash Talks Losing Aaliyah: 'Nothing Prepares You for That':
To those who were dear and close to 22 yr. old baby girl, her passing was unbelievably heartbreaking. One of those close was her boyfriend, music mogul, Damon Dash. "My heart was broken. Nothing prepares you for that," Dash tells Billboard.com's The Juice.Dame and Aaliyah's relationship grew from a friendship that had sprung when they met through his accountant close to 2000. Soon thereafter the couple was inseparable, smooching in snapshopts and roaming from movie premieres, softball games to the Hamptons.Dame Dash To Celebrate Life Of Ex: The Late Aaliyah."She was intelligent and she caught me," Dash tells The Juice. "I'm the kind of guy who says things sometimes just to make myself laugh, but she would just catch me making jokes for me. I couldn't get anything past her. She had a very quick mind and a very kind heart."During most of their relationship, Dame and Aaliyah were working on individual projects. Quickly after wrapping up her first film "Romeo Must Die," which she also executive produced the soundtrack to, Aaliyah began working on her second film, "Queen of the Damned."
She was always working and shooting movies. She was always gone for like four months at a time, then come back and be gone for another month. She had to rehearse and I was doing my own thing, so it was really hard for us to get long stretches of time together. When you're with someone like that you buy into a life of being separate, but again, I couldn't help my feelings," Dame says.Despite their busy schedules the couple cherished every moment they did spend together. "The energy we created together for people to observe was kind of crazy. We'd be in a room full of people talking to each other and it felt like everyone was listening but it would be just us.  It would be like we were the only ones in the room," Dash recalls. "It was like something was going down in history every time I was with her. Every time I was around her I felt it was the place to be."Our time together meant so much that when we got more time, we felt like that [engagement] would be next," Dame says. "She was one of the best people I ever met. Even with the pain I felt, I would do it all over again."