Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Aaliyah - Enough Said (Solo Version) Album Cover Art
All Album Cover Art by Prinza. Click the image to see the full size.
Missy Elliott Says She Has "No Clue" About A New Aaliyah Album
Aaliyah's cousin and son of Barry Hankerson, Jomo Hankerson, confirmed in an exclusive interview with Billboard Biz that long time friends of Aaliyah, Timbaland and Missy Elliott, are on board with the new album, but according to Missy Elliott she has "no clue" about a new Aaliyah album.
Today, a fan tweeted Missy Elliott congratulating her on being involved on Aaliyah's new album, but then Missy hit everyone with a doozy- no one told her about an Aaliyah album.
Stirring, posthumous Aaliyah single 'Enough Said' stirs controversy
Twenty seconds into "Enough Said," the posthumous Aaliyah single that
Drake released Sunday, it's impossible not to feel an eerie chill.
When the low-end sounds of Drizzy's longtime producer Noah "40" Shebib open up to reveal a hypnotic percussion, Aaliyah's silky falsetto breathes a haunting life into the track.
"I can tell it's somethin' up with you, tell me do you wanna talk about, talk about ... I hate to see you feel this way," she coos effortlessly over the beat.
More than 10 years after the Detroit-raised singer's death, her voice — by way of vocal tracks left recorded but previously unheard — is finally being heard outside an all-too-abbreviated discography.
After countless rumors about posthumous releases, the idea of getting a new album of vaulted works seemed unrealistic. Drake and 40 now offer hope in a little under four minutes, but the effort is not without controversy.
For the past few weeks, the blogosphere has reignited with talk that a project is in the works — with Drake at the helm as executive producer. Obviously, the news struck discord with Aaliyah fans, as the singer's name (and music) have long been most closely associated with collaborators and friends Missy Elliott and Timbaland.
They didn't put this track together, which instantly polarized Aaliyah's fans, particularly on Twitter, where the song became a trending topic and sparked a range of emotions.
Some found it seemingly blasphemous that the first taste of an official project lacked the two heavyweights who helped Aaliyah both define and reinvent the sound of '90s urban music; others were just grateful to hear something new from the singer who died in a plane crash in the Bahamas in 2001.
"Anything Aaliyah-related needs to have Timbaland and MissyElliott covering it. They actually knew her," blogger KidFury tweeted after the release. Another fan, iAmKessa24, wrote "ive not waited this long just to diss it. hope the haughton fam gave it greenlight."
Drake's presence — he offers a verse with his usual struggling-with-fame-pathos — was equally as divisive for fans hoping for a completely solo track.
But to be fair, this is just one track. After Aaliyah's death, executives at her label, Blackground Records, told the Los Angeles Times that she had "recorded enough material for at least one more album." A year after her death, Blackground issued "I Care 4 U," a posthumous greatest hits package featuring six unreleased songs from sessions with Timbaland, Teddy Bishop and another longtime collaborator, Static Major, who died in 2008.
Although future involvement of Missy and Timbaland and further details of the release remain unknown (the label doesn't have an official website, though it uploaded the song on Soundcloud), Drake deserves to be applauded for the track.
His love of Baby Girl is no secret, and that passion is evident in "Enough Said," and no doubt whatever else he is able to contribute to the project.
Sure, he's made himself an easy target for bloggers, with tribute tattoos and open letters to the singer he never met, but rarely do artists get the chance to revive their inspirations, certainly not as deftly as he's done with the track.
There aren't many acts out right now with the ability to channel the breathy falsetto and innovative, genre-blending beats that made Aaliyah groundbreaking for her time. The song feels current, but could also fit nicely on her final self-titled 2001 album, which still manages to brim with urgency.
With "Enough Said," Drizzy and 40 managed to bring Aaliyah back — even if it's only for four minutes.
When the low-end sounds of Drizzy's longtime producer Noah "40" Shebib open up to reveal a hypnotic percussion, Aaliyah's silky falsetto breathes a haunting life into the track.
"I can tell it's somethin' up with you, tell me do you wanna talk about, talk about ... I hate to see you feel this way," she coos effortlessly over the beat.
More than 10 years after the Detroit-raised singer's death, her voice — by way of vocal tracks left recorded but previously unheard — is finally being heard outside an all-too-abbreviated discography.
After countless rumors about posthumous releases, the idea of getting a new album of vaulted works seemed unrealistic. Drake and 40 now offer hope in a little under four minutes, but the effort is not without controversy.
For the past few weeks, the blogosphere has reignited with talk that a project is in the works — with Drake at the helm as executive producer. Obviously, the news struck discord with Aaliyah fans, as the singer's name (and music) have long been most closely associated with collaborators and friends Missy Elliott and Timbaland.
They didn't put this track together, which instantly polarized Aaliyah's fans, particularly on Twitter, where the song became a trending topic and sparked a range of emotions.
Some found it seemingly blasphemous that the first taste of an official project lacked the two heavyweights who helped Aaliyah both define and reinvent the sound of '90s urban music; others were just grateful to hear something new from the singer who died in a plane crash in the Bahamas in 2001.
"Anything Aaliyah-related needs to have Timbaland and MissyElliott covering it. They actually knew her," blogger KidFury tweeted after the release. Another fan, iAmKessa24, wrote "ive not waited this long just to diss it. hope the haughton fam gave it greenlight."
Drake's presence — he offers a verse with his usual struggling-with-fame-pathos — was equally as divisive for fans hoping for a completely solo track.
But to be fair, this is just one track. After Aaliyah's death, executives at her label, Blackground Records, told the Los Angeles Times that she had "recorded enough material for at least one more album." A year after her death, Blackground issued "I Care 4 U," a posthumous greatest hits package featuring six unreleased songs from sessions with Timbaland, Teddy Bishop and another longtime collaborator, Static Major, who died in 2008.
Although future involvement of Missy and Timbaland and further details of the release remain unknown (the label doesn't have an official website, though it uploaded the song on Soundcloud), Drake deserves to be applauded for the track.
His love of Baby Girl is no secret, and that passion is evident in "Enough Said," and no doubt whatever else he is able to contribute to the project.
Sure, he's made himself an easy target for bloggers, with tribute tattoos and open letters to the singer he never met, but rarely do artists get the chance to revive their inspirations, certainly not as deftly as he's done with the track.
There aren't many acts out right now with the ability to channel the breathy falsetto and innovative, genre-blending beats that made Aaliyah groundbreaking for her time. The song feels current, but could also fit nicely on her final self-titled 2001 album, which still manages to brim with urgency.
With "Enough Said," Drizzy and 40 managed to bring Aaliyah back — even if it's only for four minutes.
Drake Promises "New Aaliyah Album This Year"
Aubrey first dropped hints about a posthumous album from the singer in March during a radio interview, telling fans he had some "great Aaliyah news coming soon." A month later, Timbaland was questioned about Drake's involvement in the project and he was firm in stating that both he and Missy Elliott should be involved in any Aaliyah music being produced on the horizon.
Things went quiet for a while, until last week when word began to spread that Drake might premiere a new single featuring Aaliyah at his annual OVO Fest in Toronto on Sunday (August 5). While he didn't actually debut the song onstage, "Enough Said" (correctly billed as Aaliyah featuring Drake) hit the Web, causing quite the stir. Some fans were happy to hear unreleased music from the singer 11 years after her death, but plenty were up in arms over Drake reportedly cutting Timb out of the equation.
Next came rumors that Aaliyah's family wasn't supporting the project, but during an interview with MuchMusic, Drake finally explained the real deal. "People should be really excited. People thought it was my single; it's not my single. It's all off of an Aaliyah project that me and 40 are commanding and 40's just doing some incredible, some incredible music right now," Drake shared backstage at OVO Fest.
"To get 13, 14 new Aaliyah songs, everybody should be excited. It's not about me. It's not about 40. It's about her and her fans and us just getting the opportunity to give you something that we feel is great. And the people around her, everybody from her family to her old management and label, were like, 'If there's anyone out that can do it right now, it's [you] and 40.' And that was an honor and we're going to pull in some classic people, anybody who used to work with Aaliyah that was essential in her career we definitely hope to have them involved. So it's great. You get a new Aaliyah album this year on top of everything."
There has been no official statement from Aaliyah's family but the stamp of Blackground Records, which is run by her uncle Barry Hankerson, appears on the cover art for "Enough Said" alongside Drake's own OVO symbol
Timbaland and Missy Elliott Will Be Involved in Aaliyah Album
Timbaland and Missy Elliott helped craft Aaliyah’s trademark sound,
and now fans will be able to hear them make magic once again on a
posthumous album.
In an interview with Billboard.biz, Aaliyah’s cousin Jomo Hankerson, who runs Blackground Records with his father Barry Hankerson, confirmed the hitmakers’ participation.
“I can tell you that Timbaland will definitely be involved, Missy will definitely be involved,” said Hankerson, who added, “One of the records that we had that was never released was a Missy record that we obviously are going to be refreshing.”
Just days ago, Drake said that he and producer Noah “40” Shebib would be “commanding the new Aaliyah album,” but Hankerson denies the claim. Instead, he says that he and his father will executive produce the project, which they hope to release by the end of the year. They are pulling from 16 unreleased Aaliyah recordings and calling on “contemporary artists.”
He did reveal, however, that Drake will appear on “more of the records” in addition to the single “Enough Said,” and that 40 is “heavily involved.”
“We really felt like it was time,” explained Hankerson. “There’s a real new generation that doesn’t know her necessarily, and we wanted to continue her musical legacy with this new generation. That’s one of the reasons why we wanted to do very contemporary music. We didn’t want to make it a nostalgic project; we already did that with the I Care 4 U album.”
While his exact role remains unclear, Drake can’t wait for Aaliyah’s fans to hear new material from the late singer, who died 11 years ago. “40’s just doing some incredible, incredible music right now,” he told MuchMusic. “To get 13, 14 new Aaliyah songs, everybody should be excited. It’s not about me, it’s not about 40. It’s really about her and her fans and us just getting the opportunity to give you something that we feel is great.”
UPDATE: Blackground Records has now confirmed to Billboard.biz that Drake and Noah “40” Shebib will indeed co-executive produce the Aaliyah album alongside Blackground Records.
In an interview with Billboard.biz, Aaliyah’s cousin Jomo Hankerson, who runs Blackground Records with his father Barry Hankerson, confirmed the hitmakers’ participation.
“I can tell you that Timbaland will definitely be involved, Missy will definitely be involved,” said Hankerson, who added, “One of the records that we had that was never released was a Missy record that we obviously are going to be refreshing.”
Just days ago, Drake said that he and producer Noah “40” Shebib would be “commanding the new Aaliyah album,” but Hankerson denies the claim. Instead, he says that he and his father will executive produce the project, which they hope to release by the end of the year. They are pulling from 16 unreleased Aaliyah recordings and calling on “contemporary artists.”
He did reveal, however, that Drake will appear on “more of the records” in addition to the single “Enough Said,” and that 40 is “heavily involved.”
“We really felt like it was time,” explained Hankerson. “There’s a real new generation that doesn’t know her necessarily, and we wanted to continue her musical legacy with this new generation. That’s one of the reasons why we wanted to do very contemporary music. We didn’t want to make it a nostalgic project; we already did that with the I Care 4 U album.”
While his exact role remains unclear, Drake can’t wait for Aaliyah’s fans to hear new material from the late singer, who died 11 years ago. “40’s just doing some incredible, incredible music right now,” he told MuchMusic. “To get 13, 14 new Aaliyah songs, everybody should be excited. It’s not about me, it’s not about 40. It’s really about her and her fans and us just getting the opportunity to give you something that we feel is great.”
UPDATE: Blackground Records has now confirmed to Billboard.biz that Drake and Noah “40” Shebib will indeed co-executive produce the Aaliyah album alongside Blackground Records.
Drake talks Aaliyah album
Drake feels good about moving forward with plans to produce a posthumous project.The music world has been missing Aaliyah for years, but Drake recently brought her back with a new single titled "Enough Said."
The musical resurrection was welcomed by many fans, but not everyone is feeling the first release from the upcoming album that he is mixing alongside his producer Noah ’40′ Shebib. Drake is amped about the opportunity to kind of work with one of his idols, and he told MuchMusic that he wishes more people felt the same.
"People should be excited [about the new single]. It’s all off of an Aaliyah project that me and 40 are commanding and 40 is just doing some incredible, incredible music right now," he said. "To get 13-14 new Aaliyah songs …. everybody should be excited."
He added, "It’s not about me, and it’s not about 40. It’s really about her and her fans…and us just getting an opportunity to give you something that we feel is great."
Drake shared that he's definitely getting a vote of confidence from her inner circle, and he wants to make sure that all of her closest collaborators get a chance to have their voice heard on the album. That's great news for Timbaland, who recently told the hosts of the "The Breakfast Club" radio show that he thinks an Aaliyah album wouldn't be right without him and Missy Elliot making some kind of contribution. Drake seems to welcome their input.
"You know, the people around her, everybody from her family to her old management and label, were just like, ‘If there’s anybody out who can do it right now, it’s you and 40,'" Drake said. "And it was an honor to pull in some classic people, like anybody who used to work with Aaliyah that was essential in her career, we hope to have them involved."
Watch Video Here >> http://youtu.be/CgMqkdCg-F8
Friday, August 10, 2012
Tank Talks Singing Background For Aaliyah
Tank Talks Singing Background For Aaliyah, TGT Supergroup: “It’s Gonna Be Major” [EXCLUSIVE]
R&B singer Tank is in town and stopped by Majic 107.5 / 97.5 to speak with Carol Blackmon. In addition to reminiscing about singing background for Ginuwine and Aaliyah, Tank also explained how the TGT super group came about, which includes Tank, Ginuwine and Tyrese.
YKIGS: I want to ask you about a personal favorite artist of mine that you worked with years ago and that’s Static Major. What was your relationship like with him and what was it like working with him?
Tank: That was my guy, it was family so it was easy to make magic with Static, that’s what he knew how to do. I came up listening to songs that Static…my first tour, I was singing songs that Static wrote, big hits that he wrote for Ginuwine and he wrote for Aaliyah. So it was an honor and then it turned into family and from there it’s just what it was at that point. He’s sorely missed, great writer, great entertainer, great everything.
YKIGS: On your second album “One Man” he was credited in the writing credits for “Unpredictable” and “So Many Times” and I was just wondering, because they sound like more of your style than his, did we co-write those with you? How did that go down?
Tank: No he wrote those himself! I produced “Unpredictable” but he wrote it, and he wrote “So Many Times.” That’s all Static and that was probably maybe Static maybe coming into my world. We had an appreciation for each other’s craft so it worked perfect going into the studio with him. I didn’t second guess anything he wrote or anything he told me to sing, I just did it.
YKIGS: I also want to know what you remember about working with Aaliyah on the songs “I Can Be” and “What If” from her “Aaliyah” album. What do you remember most about those sessions?
Tank: Well unfortunately with those sessions, she was shooting “Queen of the Damned” over in Australia, and that was just when I was getting ready to start a promo, so I didn’t get to make the trip. But she told me specifically what kind of records she wanted, and she kinda wanted a little dangerous, a little sexy, that type of thing. I got to go in the studio and tailor make something for her, that was amazing that she called me from way overseas like “Tank, I need these kinds of records, I know you can write them for me.” And I was happy that I was able to deliver, that they were records that she actually loved them when she recorded them, she did her thing.
R&B singer Tank is in town and stopped by Majic 107.5 / 97.5 to speak with Carol Blackmon. In addition to reminiscing about singing background for Ginuwine and Aaliyah, Tank also explained how the TGT super group came about, which includes Tank, Ginuwine and Tyrese.
Interview Below:
YKIGS: I want to ask you about a personal favorite artist of mine that you worked with years ago and that’s Static Major. What was your relationship like with him and what was it like working with him?
Tank: That was my guy, it was family so it was easy to make magic with Static, that’s what he knew how to do. I came up listening to songs that Static…my first tour, I was singing songs that Static wrote, big hits that he wrote for Ginuwine and he wrote for Aaliyah. So it was an honor and then it turned into family and from there it’s just what it was at that point. He’s sorely missed, great writer, great entertainer, great everything.
YKIGS: On your second album “One Man” he was credited in the writing credits for “Unpredictable” and “So Many Times” and I was just wondering, because they sound like more of your style than his, did we co-write those with you? How did that go down?
Tank: No he wrote those himself! I produced “Unpredictable” but he wrote it, and he wrote “So Many Times.” That’s all Static and that was probably maybe Static maybe coming into my world. We had an appreciation for each other’s craft so it worked perfect going into the studio with him. I didn’t second guess anything he wrote or anything he told me to sing, I just did it.
YKIGS: I also want to know what you remember about working with Aaliyah on the songs “I Can Be” and “What If” from her “Aaliyah” album. What do you remember most about those sessions?
Tank: Well unfortunately with those sessions, she was shooting “Queen of the Damned” over in Australia, and that was just when I was getting ready to start a promo, so I didn’t get to make the trip. But she told me specifically what kind of records she wanted, and she kinda wanted a little dangerous, a little sexy, that type of thing. I got to go in the studio and tailor make something for her, that was amazing that she called me from way overseas like “Tank, I need these kinds of records, I know you can write them for me.” And I was happy that I was able to deliver, that they were records that she actually loved them when she recorded them, she did her thing.
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