It’s been a long time, indeed.
But all the dope beats that Aaliyah left us to step to — after she died in a plane crash 20 years ago on Aug. 25, 2001 — will finally be available to stream soon.
For years, Blackground Records — Aaliyah’s former label, which was founded by her uncle, Barry Hankerson, and owns her masters — has been battling with the singer’s estate, which is controlled by her mother, Diane Haughton, over the digital release of her music.
So aside from her debut album, 1994’s “Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number,” none of Aaliyah’s other music — including hits such as “One in a Million,” “Try Again” and “Are You That Somebody?” — has previously been available to stream or download.
With the 20th anniversary of Aaliyah’s death approaching, that will all change when her second album, 1996’s “One in a Million,” hits streaming services on Aug. 20.
Then, on Sept. 3, the soundtrack to the 2000 movie “Romeo Must Die” — in which Aaliyah co-starred with Jet Li and DMX — will let us finally hear her No. 1 smash “Try Again” on repeat.
And, finally, Aaliyah’s self-titled 2001 album — released the month before her death and featuring hits such as “More Than a Woman” and “Rock the Boat” — will hit streaming platforms on Sept. 10, followed by her greatest-hits set, “I Care 4 U,” on Oct. 8.
It’s a shame it took 20 years, but Babygirl’s music deserves to be heard.
