Superstar Aaliyah would have turned 39 today. The icon of style, sound, and attitude died tragically in a plane crash in 2001, but since then her closest friends and loyal fans haven’t forgotten about their baby girl. Missy Elliott went on Instagram to share a touching tribute to her late friend and collaborator. “We MISS YOU so much! but I know you are surrounded by ANGELS and yall dancing,” the artist wrote.
Missy Elliott met Aaliyah at the beginning of her career and became one of the singer’s closest collaborators and friends alongside producer Timbaland. Together the two put out a number of songs including Missy’s track “Best Friends” on her Supa Dupa Fly album. Missy famously wrote Aaliyah's song "One in a Million" and helped produce her second album of the same name.
With three LPs by the time of her death, Aaliyah continues to be a cornerstones of R&B music, sampled by artists like Drake and Chris Brown. “There’s still not a day that goes by that you aren’t inspiring new artists with your timeless music and style,” Missy wrote of Aaliyah last year.
Aaliyah's signature style of baggy pants and dark makeup continues to stir up modern fashion trends. Last fall, MAC Cosmetics announced it was officially working on an Aaliyah-inspired collection coming in summer 2018.
Happy birthday baby girl. You are missed.
