//Happy 30th Aaliyah!

//Staying home sick was a blessing in disguise. Much needed rest and a chance to go through some records for this Saturday's Z&D Midnight Mix in honor of AALIYAH, whose 30th birthday would be tomorrow! From Berkeley to Chicago to Tokyo, whenever I see an Aaliyah record I buy it everytime. Looking at the R&B singers of today, not a single one of 'em has filled the void Aaliyah left when she perished suddenly 7 years ago. My middle school students, 5 years old when she passed, know her music well. She is kinda to R&B what 2Pac is to hip hop.

At the same time, I believe that through and with Aaliyah, producer Timbaland created his best, genre/radio-defying work (Nelly Furtado & Justin Timberlake? Sike). Their concoctions were far ahead of their time, off-kilter and spacey and beautiful at the same time. She didn't have the greatest vocal range or voice like Alicia Keys, and wasn't as strong a dancer as Beyonce, but she still surpasses them all somehow.

Thank you for your music, Aaliyah. We dedicate this Saturday's Midnite Mix to all those we lost in the past year: Alton Ellis, Bo Diddly, Miriam Makeba, Eartha Kitt, Isaac Hayes, Freddie Hubbard, Oscar Grant, the 1000+ in Gaza, my moms, Romeo's Uncle Mangi and any others you wanna light a candle for. Your love is a one in a million/it goes on and on and on...1neLuv.

Digital Black f/Aaliyah - "Don't Think They Know"


Aaliyah - "If Your Girl Only Knew (Siik Remix)"