Aaliyah would have turned 34 last Wednesday (add that to the list "You Know You're F-ing Old When..."). While the bulk of her legacy consists of three studio albums, a handful of high-profile collaborations, and many an "Aaliyah 90s Dance Night," the young R&B singer probably never reached her full potential. Like Jeff Buckley, we revere her contributions in passing but we also can't shake that nagging voice in the back of our minds: would she still be great today?
Well, today is your lucky day, skeptical Aaliyah fan. An unreleased track just found its way to the Internet and is posted below for your listening pleasure. Produced by Knotch and Dre Sinatra, "Quit Hatin" fits well within the Aaliyah archetype. It's a slow groove that's a little bit melancholy beneath the cool club beats (sometimes she's naughty-naughty, you know?); and, as Idolator points out, would not be out of place in today's 90s-obsessed pop culture.
The Drake-produced posthumous record hasn't made much movement, but if this track is indicative of what's still to come, to quote Justin Timberlake: we're ready (we think).
Update: The leaked track is allegedly incomplete and has been taken down by the copyright owner Blackground Records. Here is their official statment:
"The track 'Quit Hatin' by Aaliyah was leaked without authorization from Blackground Records as the track is an incomplete recording from past studio sessions. We ask that music sites and bloggers remove the record and should there be any updates to the song, we will release it through a formal announcement. We appreciate the enthusiasm from devoted fans of Aaliyah and the constant celebration of her life and music that has transcended to a new generation of music lovers."