She tore up "At Your Best" at 15 years old. Case closed.

bettybop said:

there it is.

I liked her a lot as a teen and my cousin and I loved how she dressed and parted her hair on the side and would imitate it. Though I loved her music, I listened to Brandy way more than her, but she was a better dancer and gorgeous. I wasn't crazy about the aaliyah CD upon first listen, but it grew on me and I think it's her best album. It definitely features some of her most creative work.

I wish I appreciated Aaliyah more when she was alive. She wasnt the strongest singer but she had a great tune, and a great stage presence, etc.

Musicslave said:

I completely agree. No, she wasn't a big powerhouse vocalist but she could hold her own. I still love her.




[Edited 12/5/09 22:53pm]

Dross.

Musicslave said:

Well said. I agree.

AlexdeParis said:

True. I actually prefer Aaliyah's version of "At Your Best" over the original by The Isley's .

Maybe it's because that's the version I heard first and grew up listening to, but I always thought she gave a really stellar vocal performance on that song. Her version just touches me more and it always has.
[Edited 12/5/09 23:56pm]

Well, Aaliyah was no Aretha, obviously, and it was inevitable that she would be overrated in death, but she was my favorite female R&B singer of the 90s and early 00s. I'll take Aaliyah's pleasant, subdued voice over her caterwauling contemporaries any day. She was just a couple years older than me and hers was the first musical artist death that really hit me, so I'll always have an affection for her.
[Edited 12/6/09 2:19am]

When i saw the title of the thread, all I could say is FINALLY someone feels and understands what I've thought for YEARS!!!! I've listen time after time, especially after she died about how great she was. Really?? Compared to Chaka or Whitney in their primes?? Sade?? Antia Baker?? To me, she isn't even on Alicia Keys' level. Take away Tim's beats and she is SO average.

Thanks to the O.P. for starting this thread.

I don't think she was overrated. & she definitely sang better than Janet

Not overrated at all.

Aaliyah wasn't the greatest singer, but she could definitely hold a tune. She was a great dancer with star quality. She worked with the right people and put out really good albums.

Of course, I probably feel this way because I grew up in the 90s listening to her music...

Cinnamon234 said:

CalhounSq said:

Uh oh...you are cruising for a bruising! lmao

bettybop said:

I just left that alone.

i was so shocked when i heard that she died she had so much going for her career too bad she wasn't given a chance to further it but I guess when it's time to go it's time to go RIP Aaliyah

lastdecember said:

I beg to differ. The album sold over 250,000 copies in its first week and you are claiming that after four weeks of release it was "around 300,000"? Absolutely not. The album never dropped below #27, and was actually on the rise before her death because of increased R&B airplay. The album was #19 and sold 62,000 the week before her death. Furthermore, it was not certified gold "upon release"; it was certified gold a month after release (August 14, before her death), by which time it had most certainly sold 500,000 copies.

The album was her highest debut ever (2001 was still a very competitive market), had strong reviews, and was doing very well without a hit single. They were proceeding with other singles and the album would have had a substantial life.
[Edited 12/7/09 0:00am]

CalhounSq said:

Absolutely; there is no question about that. Aaliyah had a more impressive range. Her tone was similarly smooth to Janet's, and I REALLY am upset that they did not have the chance to collaborate as they had been discussing before her death. Janet really respected Aaliyah and vice versa. Aaliyah was a huge Janet fan and had compared the artistic emancipation she found on her last album to Control.
[Edited 12/7/09 0:02am]

Overrated by whom? She surely experienced an increased profile after her death as all artists who die do, but I think it merely brought the level of attention directed her way up to where it belonged. I don't find many people calling her a "legend", or a superstar, but merely a talented, classy R & B singer with a mixture of street style and grace. That's exactly what she was, and her void has not been filled.

phunkdaddy said:

I banana dance on both of your opinions

Everyone knows she would've been the biggest star today if she were still here. The hype was only just kicking in when she was killed, so I fail to see how someone who barely got to reach their peak can be overrated.

I'd rather overrate someone like her than some of the bland, soulless autotuned "singers" trying to pass for "R&B" these days.

Oh, and JT totally jacked her Timbaland sound.

csharp57 said:

You're comparing her to powerhouse vocalists, no wonder you're not impressed.

...but her first album sold with R Kelly beats and her last album sold with Static Major beats, so that she only sold with Timbaland shit don't fly.

and I'm still wondering in what alternate reality Janet sings better than Aaliyah in and I stan for Janet, but I can't lie, Aaliyah was all over Ms Janet's triple threat crown. Even Janet spoke it!

But you know what is never overrated about Aaliyah? Her personality, charm, and class.....She's still a premier role model for young ladies to this day! She always sounded educated and presented herself well. And she was gorgeous.

even with the whole R Kelly fiasco. She didn't get pissed on or taped, she got wifed!

BklynBabe said:

as a singer I'd say she's average but she did carry alot of charm and class. I think she was probably about to really break through into the acting and singing at the time of her death

BklynBabe said:

She was just starting 2 get "rated' when she died. Overrated? Don't think so.
She was not fully formed yet.

CalhounSq said:

Uh oh!!! I smell a can of worms being opened...(all of Janet's fans coming out of woodwork slowly, smelling blood)

mistatee said:

TOTALLY agree. It was tragic that a young girl died needlessly. But she wasn't some force in music that we'll never see again. Rihanna, and all these other little girls who are posing as seriously singers or musicians. It works to her advantage that she did die earlier, because she'll be remembered for THAT...going too soon. However, I don't wish her dead, or am glad she's gone. There's just others who have already taken her place. Her death is the only thing that separates her at this point.

who took her place?

Rihanna?....can't dance (and Fatima tried with Pon De Replay)
Ciara?....singing ability is not as good, not a great actor
Beyonce?....can't act, dancing ability is not as highly rated
Alicia Keys?....definitely can't dance
Britney? Hilary Duff? Miley Cyrus? Lindsay Lohan? *hysterical laughter*

...who's that triple threat Aaliyah was?

in fact what do many say? They look at they wannabes and yearn for Aaliyah! They try to fashion themselves to be the next Aaliyah. Before Aaliyah who was rocking the style game for young Black women. Monica and Brandy were the powerhouse singers, but Aaliyah was the all around package.

The fact that she's still relevant 8 years after her death says a whole lot to her credit. Because I can think of many many people that passed away and didn't become instantly famous or as you say "overrated" in death. Not even Static and he wrote most of her material! People didn't jump on the TLC bandwagon after Lisa died. I don't see Slum Village CDs flying off the shelf because Baatin and J Dilla died.

Fact is she was a very talented and hard working individual. She earned her fame, she earned her accolades, and she earned the right to be respected for her talent even after her passing. And if people still want to be sad or angry or talk about Aaliyah, well, it was a shocking and horrible loss. Not too many people that you don't even know can affect you that way.

Shit some of y'all hoping somebody even show up for a plate at your funeral and know your name.....

BklynBabe said:

Talk about over exaggeration!

Aaliyah was a pretty girl but completely manufactured but she made it seem natural. If anything, she was just the Rihanna of her time.

trueiopian said:

Exactly. She was no triple threat. Everyone is going to question some chick's dancing, acting, singing, or whatever they try to do. Some will hail it as great, some will pan it as horrible. But Aaliyah was no X-factor girl.