
The album was the first time Aaliyah would link up with her frequent collaborators, Timbaland and Missy Elliott, who helped transform her sound into something once futuristic and grounded in ’90s R&B. In spite of it all, Aaliyah became a household name of her own, releasing 1996’s One in a Million. (Adding insult to injury, because of a separate arrangement with Jive Records, Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number had been the only Aaliyah album available on streaming platforms until now.) Kelly remained a household name with a thriving R&B career while Aaliyah continued on with her career.

But the story never reached the level of outrage it deserved. When the marriage certificate surfaced some months later – which incorrectly had Aaliyah’s age as 18 – it was tabloid fodder. Kelly would parade the predatory “relationship” on talk shows, where they were evasive about the nature of their friendship while wearing matching outfits. The two would be married three months later. Kelly, 27 at the time, who had written the songs and contributed vocals. The album cover features 15-year-old Aaliyah in the foreground, a skullcap over her hair and shades covering her eyes. But it carries a dark legacy and a reminder of what should have been avoided. Kelly story makes us realize that no one cares about black womenĪaliyah’s debut album, 1994’s Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number, spent 37 weeks on the Billboard Top 200 and marked an introduction to an R&B powerhouse.
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Instead, the releases have been shrouded in controversy, misinformation and the shadow of R. The occasion should have been a celebration of the singer and actress’ impact on R&B and pop culture throughout the ’90s and a way for future generations to get introduced to her music.

20, Aaliyah’s second album, One in a Million, hit streaming services for the first time, ending a gridlock that kept most of her music unavailable 20 years after her untimely death in a plane crash.
