I don't know if it's just my generation and older who remembered Aaliyah in the 90's before she passed, but my thought today was "OK how many of you remember the date of the anniversary of Dr Martin Luther King's Birthday or Nelson Mandela's release date from prison?" Not saying the death of Aaliyah cannot be commemorated, but do you feel where I'm coming from? If you're going to be a braniac of historical dates that are prominent in the black community on a global scale then learn a few more and pay homage on those too, and not just Aaliyah, Left Eye, Biggie & 2Pac.So I've been a lil off Twitter today. I've seen the Aaliyah tweets go by and some folks mention that the whole compare Aaliyah to another artist thing is going on and that they feel it's totally unnecessary...OK, whatever to each their own. You wanna talk about it fine, not a problem, I'll blog about it. 140 characters just aren't cutting it for me right about now.
Maybe it's just me but I'm pretty sure that Ciara would have been doing her thing in the new millennium had Aaliyah been around or not. I'm sorry I'm not about to give Aaliyah that much credit especially when looking at Ci-Ci her huge major influences are Janet and Michael Jackson. Aside from that both are/were vocally not that great, both dance/danced. Aaliyah went to a stage school her choreographed moves weren't all that free flowing [pretty much like how JLO's were] and Ciara is more street/crunk when it comes to her dance flow, which appear to be more natural and not learnt/rehearsed. Aaliyah had it going on in the looks department and they are both black women. Done!
Like I just tweeted to someone, Aaliyah was likeable, attractive and had a great production team behind her. She was pally with the likes of Missy, Timbaland, Ginuwine and DMX who at the time were VERY on top of their game, then some years later Ciara rolled with Missy and Luda.Times change, music changes. I think it's highly arrogant to assume that Aaliyah was that much of a force in the industry that had there of been no Aaliyah there would have been no Ciara and whoever else that followed. I found her music bearable...meaning, aside from the tracks that were released I had no desire to listen to the rest of her albums. Now I can understand when artists say had it weren't for the likes of Michael Jackson then they don't think they'd be where they are at in terms of their influence. But Aaliyah...no. I hear a lot of "she was an angel. She will be dearly missed" etc etc. Not somebody who set the standard and made a pathway for other young up and coming artists. **shakes head** I have never heard that.
Aaliyah was a beautiful, nice [portrayed in the media] girl, OK so her career started off a lil dramatic with the whole R.Kelly marriage drama. She showed her stomach, wore her hair covered over her eye, wore boxers, danced to a routine and sang softly with no real vocal range and power.
Sorry the only thing she influenced me with was being acceptable to be a tomboy and regain that totally feminine side at the same time. She was one of those girls who you didn't mind your teenage boyfriend liking cause you liked her too [no not in that sense], but like I said she had that nice girl quality about her. Very likeable, like the sister or friend [in your head] knowing that if you met in real life you'd be cool. And yes many years on I still "wave my hands in the air, and wave em round like I just don't care" in the club.
Like today....we have a barrage of female artists whether they are hip-hop, pop or R&B, they are all doing their thing in the industry. And I'm sure that whether Aaliyah had graced the Billboard charts or not they would still be there doing their thing today.
I'm sure Aaliyah would have gotten to a point where the popularity would have died down on the music side, before she passed it seemed as though acting was becoming more of her thing, and I'm sure as the likes of Ciara may have liked her music and respected her as a fellow female artist they would have been both been able to hold their own in the music world today.
If folks want to go there with the whole comparison thing with like for like, and I'm talking in respect to a black recording artist, beautiful, mediocre singer and badass dancer then they need to stop being blinded by Aaliyah and give it up for Janet. I'm sorry, hand on heart I'd be more inclined to say had there been no Janet Jackson then maybe Ciara wouldn't be inspired or motivated to do what she does. Shit y'all... Control, Rhythm Nation 1814 the Janet album, fair enough Miss Jackson "if you're nasty" was never a Whitney or Mariah, but when it comes to "give me a beat!" Janet is on it.
What???? When it comes to female entertainers who fit the mould past and present like Aaliyah, Ciara, Mya etc Janet is the teacher the others merely students.
So no I don't credit Aaliyah for the like of newish-bies like Ciara when it comes to doing what they do. And just because she's passed and has been for 8 years am I about to sport a dunce cap
and do a 'we are not worthy' motion in front of her statue like she was the best we ever had. I liked Aaliyah I was just not excited by her like I was by Janet growing up. Although Janet isn't doing it like she was, she's the baddest of em them all in her field...that's if you want to make comparisons......And all this "there will never be another Aaliyah.." OK as a human being, a presence on this earth yes there will never be, but as an artist, what legacy did she leave behind?
Why do we act the fool when people pass and give them much more credit than we didn't give them when they were here?
