Dear Aaliyah Fans/Stans:

It's been almost a decade before Aaliyah tragic death. Being that I was a teen(actually older she would be if she is alive) when she first debuted, I can honestly speak on her music and the impact of her music within Contemporary R&B/Urban Top 40. I remember the first time I saw the Back and Forth video. I loved her voice and her artistic style. I think One in A Million is one of the Classic Contemporary R&B albums of all time. So this is letter is coming from a sincere place and I hope that Aaliyah stans take what I say with that in mind though I have a feeling that the "hardcore" stans won't.

First of all, I am tired of seeing bloggers exploiting you and Aaliyah's death by whipping you into a frenzy whenever they ask questions like, "If Aaliyah was alive, would be Beyoncé be a big superstar?" You all fall for it: Hook, line and sinker. NONE of you even think,"Why is the point of having this question, a decade after her death? Wouldn't it be better to celebrate her music and legacy and appreciating that? Rather than debating what would haves and could have." I would agree with you. Especially being a fan myself. But I know it's not intelligent Aaliyah fans thinking this way. It's pressed Aaliyah "fans" some of them probably not even real fans. Only because fans after her death or even worse using Aaliyah to bash Beyoncé.

I could get into the fact that Bey, as being part of DC, was much more mainstream than Aaliyah ever could be. I also could get into the fact, for all of those silly misguided ones who said the only reason Bey was a success as a solo artist is because people were looking for someone to fill the void that Aaliyah left, that when Bey blew up as a solo artist, she wasn't even a solo artist. Nope, she was still apart of DC when that happen and all of them went "solo". It wasn't about Bey becoming a big solo artist. It was about the Destiny's Child brand and Bey blew up bigger than anyone would have imagined her to.

It wasn't until DC disbanded was when Bey "officially" became a "true" solo artist. Why do you think Michelle did Gospel, Kelly did the Urban/Alternative and Bey had the more commercial sound out of the other 3 when they were still apart of DC? Everything they did was about the success and the expansion of the group. Aaliyah, dead or alive, would have had nothing to do with what happened for Bey during the DIL era because Bey was Destined(yes, pun intended) to be the star that she is.

And any Aaliyah stan who wants to debate how Liyah's music is much more "substantial" in that Bey is...is going to look stupid. Lyrical Depth is not exactly Aaliyah's strength when it comes to her music. And I am a fan of her music saying that.


I mean, I said more than I really wanted on this to while not getting deep into why delving into why Beyoncé would have the career that she has if Aaliyah is alive. But I could drop all of these facts and it would not mean nothing to some of you because it masks a bigger problem. To me, it is seems that you're jealous of Bey's success and for no reason. I have seen some of you, while foaming at the mouth like you're possessed by a demon, wished Beyoncé was on the plane that crash rather than Aaliyah. Sick!!!! Really sick!!!! Not liking someone's music is one thing. Wishing death on them, is very extreme and a horrible thing to do. Surely, you can't be that passionate over Aaliyah to wish death on Bey because you wish that Aaliyah had the same mainstream success that Bey has now. Come on, now!!!


And don't blame the Beyhive(the Bey Stan Base) for your behavior. I know for a fact that the Liyah stan base go at it with Brandy and Monica stans and I have never seen any member of your stan base wish that it was Brandy or Monica on the plane rather than Liyah. There is no excuse. Absolutely, none. No matter how much I don't like an artist's music, going that far is way too extreme. I love music but it's not that serious. And normally, I wouldn't even bother addressing this kind of behavior but...it's sad that whenever the anniversary of Aaliyah comes around, these are the topics that bloggers use to pull you Aaliyah stans in because you can't let it go.

Aaliyah is dead, as sad as it is, she's dead. It wasn't meant for her to have the kind of success that some of you covet for her. And it's stupid to hate on Bey because of it. Let it go!!! Celebrate her music, her memory and appreciate what she was about as an artist and I say as an artist because most people don't know what she was about as a person. We didn't know her personally, but the art could and should be appreciated. I think that where Aaliyah is...I don't think she would care less about fame and music legacy and status. Thank you to all who have read this.

Uptempo vs Ballads: What Defines Classic or Great Music?

Hello, everyone. I am a little tired because I have been sitting in front of the computer watching Bey performances on YouTube all day, but I feel like posting an entry while on the PC. The argument that always happens when it comes to Bey's music is her " lyrical depth" and part of it is...due to the fact that she does up-tempos and club-bangers. A lot.

Now I don't know about you...but as I have said many times, I love all kinds of music. Ballads, Mid and Up-tempos from a huge variety of genres. It's not serious that a song has to be the deepest lyrically to be a great or classic song. Musical Production>>>>>>Lyrical Content. If the music production is bad, it makes the lyrical content seem worse. If it is bad. And the worst lyrics can be "hidden" with great melodies and production. They are songs, not theses and State of the Union speeches.

Now keep in mind that if we go through Bey's catalogue, she actually have more ballads than even uptempos. That's a big stereotype with Bey's music. That she's all catchy anthems. Forgetting that she has gone into the top 5 with Ballads, Mids and Uptempos. But yes, it is a stereotype of hers.

I mean, look at now. Bey has already attracted producers of genres for the next album and even though you have the familiar producers, you have producers like The Script and Kevin Barnes from Of Montreal wanting to work with her. So who knows what Bey will do next album with her sound? We can guess and speculate but unless we aren't in the studio, no one knows.

But I think we should give the Queen of Pop & Soul the benefit of the doubt. I don't think she has anything to prove. She's a staple in her craft, nothing will take away from that. I want the best album Bey has to offer, but not to make her legacy bigger. But because she has the talent to do nothing less. I mean, with what's out there in Radio Land, do we have any choice but to give Bey the benefit of the doubt?