On the 25thth August 2001, I was an eight year old girl glued to the tv screen when reporters announced the death of my idol- Aaliyah Dana Haughton. Although the concept of death is still somewhat foreign to me, I nonetheless understand that the artist whom I have imitated and imitated my whole life with my friends has left and won’t ever return.
From her famous “swoop over the eye” hairstyle, (even though my mom swears it is because she has lazy eyes) to her dynamic fashion sense, Aaliyah has discovered a style that no woman in the music industry has ever seen before. that point. She is one of your house girls. Not the kind who borrows your clothes and never returns them, but the kind who all the time has something nice to say. Everyone loves him so much that you would look questionable to even find fault with it.
Monday marks the 14thth anniversary of the R&B superstar’s untimely death. Known to some as “the baby girl,” the sultry singer managed to leave a mark on the lives of fans and peers alike. In the first five years after Aaliyah’s death, it is safe to say I became a bit obsessed with her memory. As if my bedroom shrine crammed with every photo she’s ever taken wasn’t a dead giveaway, it is possibly the new albums and books I love that send a really clear message to everybody who knows me-“I’m Aaliyah’s number 1 fan and that I dare you to challenge her. “
While looking back on my obsession with an artist at such a young age is somewhat amusing, I never exceeded my admiration for Aaliyah as an entertainer and social figure.
However, in the last four or five years, I’ve seen a sudden, virtually fad-like fascination with Aaliyah in modern rap culture. Artists such as Drake and Chris Brown revived the fallen singer’s legacy by releasing songs featuring unreleased songs from his musical catalog. And how can we forget the horrific Lifetime Aaliyah biopic?
Since then, I can not seem to look away without seeing pictures of the late singer plastered across the internet accompanied by sayings like, “We miss you honey,or my favourite, “There would be no Beyoncé if she were alive. “ Both made me roll my eyes and suck my teeth uncontrollably.
While I still discover Aaliyah’s timeless music, I’ve come to the conclusion that the recent infatuation with her is nothing more than a superficial fad. This altered idolization has introduced the singer’s work to a new generation whose only songs Aaliyah can remember are “One in a Million” and “Letter 4 Pages”. Hence, people fell in love with his image and not his music.
Another part of this craze that bothers me, is that the very first thing people seem to mention about Aaliyah is the indisputable fact that she is lovely. I’m not disputing the indisputable fact that she’s a pretty woman, but that virtually leads to the belief that unless you are what the public considers “absolutely beautiful” you will not be remembered. Sounds ridiculous right?
Finally, I would like to point out the collective bandwagon theory as it relates to deceased musical artists. While you are alive, people may or may not like you. But once you die, you become larger than life. Much like Tupac and Biggie, Aaliyah has established herself into the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) category in hip hop culture. With this status comes “fans” who chant her name but fail to grasp her significance in music, and the maddening questions about Aaliyah would have been if she had been alive.
Ya sure Aaliyah could be another Beyonce or Rihanna. But he could even have been another artist from the 90s. Maybe he will reach his musical peak? Or will humans find a problem with that too? We live in a world where Azealia Banks can insult Erykah Badu via Twitter for God’s sake. It’s safe to say that this generation will not have a third of the “appreciation” they claim to have for it now. With the rise of social media and today’s accessibility to celebrity, people will find parts of their lives to dissect and exploit. He would also fall prey to numerous internet trolls and Media Takeout posts. If not the looks, maybe because of his personal life. We also live in a world where nobody really cares about you until you are not around anymore. As painful as it’s, one has to acknowledge the indisputable fact that sometimes people are put in here for a moment and it would not be right any other way.
