When is aaliyahs death anniversary

She is not here to tell her own story, to decide whether or what to share. One thing is clear, however, according to recent testimony: Aaliyah came of age in a music industry that failed to protect her. Kelly fashioned himself her mentor from the age of 13; some believe he was also her predator. What does it say about the time that Aaliyah grew up in, and we along with her? During her life, Aaliyah eschewed questions about Kelly with professionalism, unwilling to reveal intimate details about her personal autonomy, instead focusing on her remarkable career in such a brief time.

She captured the hearts of Americans but was snubbed from the competition. Now, audiences are rediscovering the songs that made Aaliyah such an icon plus years ago. In the streaming age, she still sounds like the future.

Yes, she had flawless vocals and smooth dance moves, but she also had an air about her that was bubbly, affectionate, and kind. Aaliyah never acted like she was above her fans, which is why we loved her like she was our friend. This is the Aaliyah we want to remember today.

We want to remember this Aaliyah amidst a week of headlines that put her next to her abuser, R. Among other things, Aaliyah is and forever will be, my swoop bang princess. Yes, she gave us iconic bops, videos that had us ready for TRL, and a short-lived crush on Jet Li — but the bayang, that was the real gift. That bang was iconic, and well, one in a million — not just because it was perfectly laid and went with every single one of her fire outfits it did , not because of those rumors that it strategically hid an imperfection it didn't , and not because I tried to recreate it with a pressing comb and a pink foam curler only to end up with half my burnt bayang on the floor I, unfortunately, did.

It was iconic because she managed to make it look so damn EASY. It was the way her hair moved in perfect step with her body, the half-smile knowing look she gave from under it in the ' Are You That Somebody' video — while holding a whole-ass hawk. At a time when my own hair and body felt out of place, inconvenient, and just an awkward pre-teen mess, Aaliyah was doing it for all of us who needed a little more time to figure it out. Watching that video now, like all things with Aaliyah, is bittersweet.

But most of all, it's a reminder that THAT bang still bangs today, just like her energy does. And look, I'm not going full Drake and tattooing her on my person, but that bang? Now what's left is her music, a seeming battle over her legacy within her family and rehashing of her relationship with the singer R.

Kelly during his trial on federal charges of racketeering and violating the Mann Act, an anti-sex trafficking law. Kelly has pleaded not guilty to all charges. According to trial testimony, the pair married when she was 15 using fraudulent ID for the teen. The Chicago-Sun Times reported that the marriage was annulled the following year when Aaliyah's family learned of it. But for those who admire Aaliyah, Wednesday is about celebrating the woman known to friends, family and her audience as "Baby Girl.

Her tragic death, coming hours after she completed filming the music video for her single "Rock the Boat" in which she floats in the ocean like an ethereal angel, left fans grief-stricken. That sorrow still lingers for some.