“Fallen Angel” Aaliyah Would Have Been 30

The late R&B singer would have been 30 years old today had she not been killed in a 2001 plane crash. Friends and fans of Aaliyah are marking a bittersweet birthday today. The R&B singer, who would have been 30 years old today, was killed when a plane, carrying her and several others back from a video shoot in the Bahamas, crashed after takeoff, on Aug. 25 2001.

The slim songstress, real name Aaliyah Dana Haughton, was only 22 at the time of her death, but had already built up a well-respected body of work. She was first introduced to audiences by R&B crooner R. Kelly, at the young age of 15. Her debut album, Age Ain’t Nothing but a Number, was a hit and featured several singles that charted high on the R&B/Hip-Hop charts at the time.
On her sophomore album, One in a Million, Aaliyah worked with then-unknown producers Missy Elliot and Timbaland. The release is widely credited with introducing the avant-guard songwriters’ unique production styles to the world as well as massively influencing an entire generation of hip-hop producers and female singers.

The album also turned Aaliyah into a full-fledged celebrity and allowed her to expand her professional interests, from acting in movies like Romeo Must Die to modeling in campaigns for fashion-designer Tommy Hilfiger.

Aaliyah’s self-titled third album was also a big hit, but tragically, the singer was not around to enjoy most of its success. She was killed soon after its release after filming a video for the album’s single, “Rock the Boat,” in the Bahamas. The twin engine Cessna 402B that was chartered to return her and her entourage to the United States crashed soon after takeoff, killing all on board.

Later investigations revealed that the small plane had been extremely overburdened by the multiple passengers and their heavy cargo. The pilot was also found to have faked several of his flying qualifications and may possibly have been under the influence of various different drugs while operating the vehicle.

Aaliyah’s untimely death led to an outpouring of grief from fans and the music community. Many of her collaborators, most notably Missy Elliot, have made a point of mentioning or displaying her name and image in their songs and music videos, even to the present day. She has also become a popular subject for street artists and clothing prints, often being included in group portraits along with other fallen hip-hop icons, such as Jam-Master-Jay and Tupac Shakur.