!A.ALIYAH: Gone But Not Forgotten:

Ir:..

by Geri Lynn Utter A&E editor

Aaliyah said, "If I were to go, I would want to be remembered as an entertainer that can do it all." The unforgettable words of the multi-talented Aaliyah Haughton linger in the heads and hearts of her loyal fans and family after her tragic death, in a plane crash on Aug. 25. Aaliyah was in the process of shooting footage for her next video in the Bahamas, when the crash caused her sudden death. No one was prepared for the unexpected death of such a young-beautiful artist that seemed to hold the world in the palm of her hands.

The reason for the crash still remains unclear. One report claims that there was an argument between the pilot and the passengers before take off, regarding the weight of the equipment being loading into the small plane, according to the New York Post.

The pilot felt the plane would not be able to support the weight of the equipment and nine additional passengers. The pilot warned the travelers that in order to have a safe flight into Miami from the Bahamas the weight of the equipment had to be limited. However, the passengers ignored the pilot's various requests not to overload the plane.

Seconds after the two-engine Cessna 402 took off seven passengers were killed instantly including 22-year-old R &B singer and actress Aaliyah. The two remaining travelers died latet in hospitals.

Another report claims that the Cessna 402 could have experienced engine failure. It is rumored that the pilot was having diffi- culty starting one of the engines; however, the only people that know for sure are all gone, including the Grammy-nominated Aaliyah.

Aaliyah was not only a promising young singer and actress, but also, the R&B world's "baby girl" who was adored by her fans. A short time ago Aaliyah was asked, "What would you like the world to remember you for?" Aaliyah said, "I would like to be remembered as an entertainer." Even though at the young age of 22-yearsold Aaliyah is no longer with us she accomplished her ultimate goal of being known to the world as an entertainer.

Background

We all knew her as just plain Aaliyah, but her full-name was Aaliyah Haughton. She was born in Brooklyn, NY., on January 16th, 1979; however, at age five she moved to Detroit.

Aaliyah strived to pursue her dream as a singer fm; the majority of her short life. At 11-years old, Aaliyah managed to land a gig in Las Vegas with the Glady's Knight troupe. Her aunt is the legendary Gladius Knight. So it is apparent that the soul of rhythum and blues was introduced to Aaliyah at an extremely young age By the time Aaliyah was 15-years-old she came out with her firsi solo-album, "Age Ain't Nothing But a Number." Her album sold a million copies in 1994 and '"Try Again," a popular track from the album, was nominated for a Grammy. This past July, her self- titled album "Aaliyah" sold a half-million copies.

Aside from her booming singing career, Aaliayh also had her mind set on pursuing a career in the acting field. She co-starred with Jet Li, in the blockbuster hit "Romeo Must Die," and she just finished shooting "The Queen of the Damned". Aaliyah was also preparing to appear in the sequel to "The Matrix."

F U N E R A L

On Friday, Aug 31 funeral services were held for Aaliyah at Saint Ignatius Loyola Church in New York City. Her body was carried in a white- horse drawn carriage and her mother, Diane, released 22 white doves representing each year of her daughter's short life.

More than 3,000 people attended Aaliyah's memorial service at restaurant Cipriani's to mourn the death of the beloved Aaliyah.