Listen to aaliyah one in a million
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Aaliyah, life and legacy: Remembering Detroit’s ‘Babygirl’ 20 years after death
DETROIT – It’s been 20 years since Detroit and the world lost Aaliyah, but her legacy is not forgotten.
Aaliyah, also known as “Babygirl,” or the “Princess of R&B,” was one of the biggest stars in music and entertainment at the time of her tragic, untimely death in 2001.
Aaliyah, who grew up in Detroit, left a lasting impact on those who worked with her, and those who supported her.
Local 4′s Karen Drew has spent months interviewing some of the people who were closest to Aaliyah. Watch the extended cut of our special on Aaliyah in the video player above.
What to know about Aaliyah’s story
At the time of her death in 2001, Aaliyah was just 22 years old. But she had already made a huge impact on the music industry, film industry, and even in business.
Early life
Aaliyah Dana Haughton was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1979. She was five years old when her family packed up and moved to Detroit.
Aaliyah started in music early on, performing in choirs and churches, and taking voice lessons.
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Aaliyah Week: How ‘One In A Million’ Pushed The Envelope Of R&B
Even though Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number was Aaliyah‘s debut album, it wasn’t my first introduction to the teenaged artist. Her sophomore effort, One in a Million, was my first musical taste of her sound, and eventually led me back two years prior to her debut. But her 1996 follow-up solidified the musical trajectory that Aaliyah began to trail blaze.
Partly helmed by the beats of Timbaland to the lyrical content penned by Missy Elliott on standout tracks like “4 Page Letter” to “Heartbroken,” a timeless sound was created that still rings loudly today in other artist’s music. The title track alone has been sampled time and time again. Although Tim and Missy took the reigns sound-wise, the album was stacked with top-notch writing/producing credits including Diane Warren, Jermaine Dupri, Rodney Jerkins, Craig King, Carl-So-Lowe and Daryl Simmons.
In celebration of the soundscape’s 20th anniversary (Aug. 27), a few creatives behind the a
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