The singer Aaliyah would have been 34 on Wednesday. (Jim Cooper / Associated Press)
By Randall Roberts
You know the songs, tragically frozen in time after R&B singer Aaliyah's untimely death: "Try Again," "Are You That Somebody" and "We Need a Resolution." We've heard them, sung them aloud while cruising the city, romanced to them, danced to them. And we've also adapted them. By reworking those Timbaland-produced jams, their sheen and joy pops in new ways. The singer would have been 34 on Wednesday.
Below are a few inspired Aaliyah reworkings that have popped up on YouTube, which, combined, not only push the singer's work in new directions but also confirm her influence on the generation of singers who followed.
Kendrick Lamar versus Aaliyah: Lamar's killer "Swimming Pools (Drank)" combined with Aaliyah's "We Need a Resolution." Writes mashup artist Raheem D: "These two tracks were similar BPM's and had similar themes to do with drink so I decided to make it seem as if Aaliyah was fed up with Kendrick's alcohol intake during his party going which leads her to ask 'Where you were last night' and 'Where'd you go instead?'
Aaliyah's "Rock the Boat" mixed with Rihanna's "Rude Boy," all mashed with the killer Enur rhythm for "Calabria."
Rihanna is an Aaliyah inheritor, as evidenced by this killer combo of RiRi's "Umbrella" with the rhythm and a cappella of Aaliyah's "More Than a Woman."
Drake's "Marvin's Room" versus Aaliyah's "If Your Girl Only Knew." Aaliyah's tough track tempers Drake's boasts, killer combo ensues. (Note, because of Drake's potty mouth, we can't embed this -- and it's not safe for jamming at work. But click to listen.)
Frank Ocean "Thinkin' Bout You" versus Aaliyah's "Are You That Somebody."
Miguel's "Sure Thing" versus Aaliyah's "One in a Million."
Yes, Aaliyah can rock too. This would be the Disturbed backing Aaliyah.
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