With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today .
It's Been 20 Years Since R&B Singer Aaliyah Died In A Plane Crash
Listen
• 1:56
STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
Twenty years ago today, on August 25, 2001, a small Cessna plane crashed. It burst into flames shortly after takeoff from the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: A breaking story out of the Bahamas tonight. Authorities have confirmed that R&B singer and actress Aaliyah is among eight people killed in a plane crash.
Support for LAist comes from
LEILA FADEL, HOST:
Aaliyah Dana Haughton was 22. She'd been a star since her teenage debut, an album called "Age Ain't Nothing But A Number."
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "THROW YOUR HANDS UP")
AALIYAH: (Singing) The time has finally come to save my beats with the funky hip-hop swing - the funky swing I might add - oh, check it.
INSKEEP: Her second album was "One In A Million," which was how many of her fans regarded her.
AISHA HARRIS, BYLINE: And that album and the song, the title song, have been pretty much considered at this point to be sort of a harbinger for all of the R&B sounds that we would get after that and today.
FADEL: That's Aisha Harris, the host of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour. She says Aaliyah's style can be found everywhere in today's R&B.
Support for LAist comes from
HARRIS: You can see her influence in everything from Drake to Syd to Normani. She had just this sort of effortless style, effortless cool.
INSKEEP: Aaliyah was known for her voice and her fashion and was moving into acting. The disgraced musician R. Kelly also briefly married her when she was underage. Though it was a short and eventful life, Harris says her talent endures.
HARRIS: I think there's a newfound respect for her. And I think now we're seeing a lot of people really begin to trace those influences that Aaliyah had back then onto what we're seeing now. And it's good to know that, like, even though her career and her life were cut short, it seems like people seem to appreciate her.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "4 PAGE LETTER")
AALIYAH: (Singing) I'm sending him a 4-page letter, and I enclosed it with a kiss... Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The study found recipients spent nearly all the money on basic needs like food and transportation, not drugs or alcohol. -
Kevin Lee's Tokyo Noir has become one of the top spots for craft-inspired cocktails. -
A tort claim obtained by LAist via a public records request alleges the Anaheim procurement department lacks basic contracting procedures and oversight. -
Flauta, taquito, tacos dorados? Whatever they’re called, they’re golden, crispy and delicious. -
If California redistricts, the conservative beach town that banned LGBTQ Pride flags on city property would get a gay, progressive Democrat in Congress. -
Most survivors of January's fires face a massive gap in the money they need to rebuild, and funding to help is moving too slowly or nonexistent.
Best of LAist