Aaliyah

[Ninja Bunny]

I can't listen to any of her songs without thinking about R Kelly and then I get totally grossed out.

[SluttyMary]

I'm sorry to say but I think this girl is seriously overrated. I laughed so much of Queen of the Damned.

[Deleted]

Here's an odd bit of trivia.

Aaliyah was due in ADR for Queen of the Damned after she was supposed to fly back to L.A. They ended up using her brother, because his voice sounded enough like hers to pass.

[hobbes]

Ah! I'm not hearing slags against Aaliyah! She was so much better than people who try to imitate her today (Ciara and Rihanna, I'm looking at you). Her music was fresh and her dancing was phenomenal. And while her acting could have been better, did it really matter? Her dancing! Her beats! Her abs! I mean, seriously.

I loved her, totally and unequivocably. Back before she was acting, sometime around the release of One in a Million, I just fell for her. I miss her dearly.

[Deleted]

hobbes said:

Ah! I'm not hearing slags against Aaliyah! She was so much better than people who try to imitate her today (Ciara and Rihanna, I'm looking at you). Her music was fresh and her dancing was phenomenal. And while her acting could have been better, did it really matter? Her dancing! Her beats! Her abs! I mean, seriously.

I loved her, totally and unequivocably. Back before she was acting, sometime around the release of One in a Million, I just fell for her. I miss her dearly.

I am so with you Hobbes . None of the girls referenced can even hold a candle to her IMO. She is so missed.

[gloworm]

I'll go a bit further and say that if Aaliyah was still with us -- there wouldn't be a Rihanna, (definitely) Ciara, or any of those others. They may still be in music -- but they wouldn't be the big names they are.

I don't think Beyonce would be as hyped with Aaliyah around.

I just thought she was so effortlessly awesome.

I'm biased, I guess.

[Coffeecakes]

I agree that Ciara and Ashanti, Rhianna and much less Casey(or whatever her name is) would not be around. I don't know about Beyonce though since they are completely different and besides, Destiny's Child was already huge when Aaliyah died. And Beyonce was front and center already.

I still cannot believe that it has been 5 yrs. I remember hearing about her death in the middle of the night when I decided to listen to the radio and people were calling to give their condolenses. I was pretty shocked and had to see it on CNN to believe it.

[ang]

You really think there wouldnt be any African American female solo artists who sing and dance, if it wasnt for Aaliyah?

...Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey (even though they both dance like unccordinated clowns), TLC, Brandy, Salt n Pepa, En Vogue, Janet Jackson... all came before Aaliyah, and had more success.

Sorry to argue, but as other posters have mentioned, death does make people seem 'greater' than they actually were. If Aaliyah hadnt died, I'd have her on the same level as Brandy, to be honest.

[hobbes]

I guess what I'm saying is that, to me, she was big before she died. And most of those acts that you mention? Have talent. Rihanna/Ciara don't.

Bey would be around, but I think she's talented. I don't think we'd see the wannabes trying to take over for Aaliyah when they don't hold a candle to her.

[joya123]

Her looks are overrated as well as her talent. I owned Aaliyah albums, and found all of her tracks that weren't released as singles quite boring. The only good songs were the ones released as singles.

Her dancing is hyped as well. I think Ciara is a far better dancer than Aaliyah. And if she hadn't of died, I still think that there would have been more talented performers amongst her

Beyonce and Ike & Tina Knowles would have been out to get her, that's for sure. Aaliyah, was thinner than Beyonce. She was lighter AND....all that hair was hers!! Oh, hell no. Bey would have been hating her these days.

What? Because she was perceived as lighter and thinner that makes her more beautiful??