Remembering Aaliyah: 11 Years After Her Death

On August 25, 2001, I was a young, carefree nine year old kid. I recall when I was told that Aaliyah had died in a plane crash in the Bahamas. I was young and I wasn't able to fully understand the loss of a person who meant more to people than just a musician. She was a best friend, a lover, a daughter, and a sister. I remember when I was younger, my cousins and I tried to match and get the steps to Aaliyah's Are You That Somebody video with Timbo & Missy in front of the television. We still do this whenever we get together.

Eleven years later, I have better handle on death and Aaliyah's impact on the music that I listen to today. Four Page Letter, Age Ain't Nothing But A Number, Rock The Boat, Are You That Somebody, and more has helped not only me, but others during hard times. Aaliyah had a personality and a style that cannot be duplicated and it's something to upheld. Even today, we are know that there is no one that can "be" her. She was comfortable being herself and fame didn't change that. There isn't a lot of people that can claim that today. Today isn't for tears or comparisons, it's to celebrate a person, whose life was taken from us way too soon.

So here are few joints to remember her by after the jump.