Tonight (June 14), ABC will air “Superstar: Aaliyah,” a one-hour special promising to highlight the late singer’s life and impact on the entertainment industry. The program will explore her teenage years, marriage to R. Kelly, and feature exclusive interviews with industry insiders such as music executive Damon Dash.
Born Aaliyah Dana Haughton, the “One in a Million” talent went by her first name as a performer. She was known to many as an icon, symbolizing the epitome of ‘90s and early 2000s R&B. From cropped tops and baggy jeans to sleek jet-black hair covering one eye, the Brooklyn-born solo artist was a star. Unfortunately, on Aug. 25, 2001, she died in The Bahamas when her crew’s plane crashed. The group was in the islands to film a music video for her single “Rock The Boat.” She was 22 years old.
According to ABC’s website, Justine Skye, Sevyn Streeter, and will.i.am will appear on “Superstar: Aaliyah” and share how her artistry shaped who they are today. Legendary fashion designer Karl Kani will also discuss what it was like to style the “Are You That Somebody” songstress. Last week, the streetwear stylist shared a couple of throwback photos with her as well as a sneak peek of some of his conversation for the upcoming special. “No other person was able to establish baggy and sexy and make it cool. Even to this day, anytime you see a girl with a baggy bottom and a crop top, that’s the Aaliyah look. They should just patent that,” Kani said with a smile.
Missy Elliott, Timbaland, and Ginuwine also played a heavy hand in producing hits for the “4 Page Letter” vocalist. However, ABC did not say if they would make cameos in the production. In addition to her successful career as a singer, before her death, she starred in the martial arts take on Shakespeare’s famous tragedy, Romeo Must Die. The 2000 film saw Jet Li and DMX as her co-stars. In 2002, Aaliyah’s horror flick following the underworld of vampires, Queen of the Damned, was released posthumously.
“Superstar: Aaliyah” airs on ABC at 10 p.m. ET and will be available to stream the following day (June 15) on Hulu.