throwback

Celebrate Aaliyah’s Heavenly 44th Birthday With “Are You That Somebody”

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Each and every August, fans of the late Aaliyah mourn her untimely death, but when her birthday comes around in January, it marks the perfect occasion to celebrate the Princess of R&B’s life. This year, we’re specifically streaming “Are You That Somebody” in her honour.

Released in May of 1998, the song has chiefly gone on to reach critical acclaim and influence artists long after the vocalists’ tragic passing. As The Rolling Stone Album Guide previously put it, Timbaland’s production acts as a springboard for Aaliyah’s voice. R. Kelly’s, on the other hand, was more of a “cradle.”

Singer Aaliyah (1979 – 2001) attends the premiere of ‘Planet of the Apes’ at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York, 2001. (Photo by Steve Eichner/Getty Images)

As Genius notes, the song was surprisingly first recorded for the Dr. Dolittle soundtrack, and even earned a Grammy nomination. In the past the late 22-year-old was known for singing ballads, but this introduced the world to a new side of Aaliyah.

“Is it my go, is it your go? / Sometimes I’m goody-goody / Right now I’m naughty-naughty,” she flirtatiously sings on the catchy chorus. “Say yes or say no, ’cause I really need somebody / Tell me are you that somebody.”

The accompanying visual sees Aaliyah showing off her keen sense of style and expert dance skills.

In his usual fashion, Timbaland got creative with sampling for “Are You That Somebody.” He used a baby’s coo from Prince’s “Delirious” which remains talked about in music history to this day.

Stream Aaliyah’s “Are You That Somebody” on Spotify or Apple Music. Afterward, find this week’s new music recommendations on our R&B Season playlist here.

RIP.

Quotable Lyrics:

But if I, if I let you know
You can’t tell nobody, I’m talkin’ ’bout nobody
Are you responsible?
Boy, I gotta watch my back, ’cause I’m not just anybody

A$AP Rocky Marks 10 Years Of “LONG.LIVE.A$AP” With “Angels” Alternate Video

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It’s been nearly five years since A$AP Rocky delivered his Testing album, and while fans are undeniably eager for new music from the father of one, the hiatus has given us plenty of time to celebrate the rest of his discography.

Today (January 15), the New Yorker’s debut project, LONG.LIVE.A$AP marks its 10-year anniversary. Complete with hit songs like “F**kin’ Problems” with Drake, 2 Chainz, and Kendrick Lamar and “Hell” featuring Santigold, the effort has been in streaming rotation since its initial debut.

A$AP Rocky attends the Amazon Music Live Concert Series on December 08, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jerritt Clark/Getty Images for Amazon Music)

Another fan favourite from the tracklist is “Angels,” which arrived later on the deluxe cut. At the time it came with a music video, but to celebrate a decade of success, Rocky dropped off an alternate visual for audiences on Sunday afternoon.

As HipHopNMore reports, the clip finds the 33-year-old linking up with friends in NYC. The late A$AP Yams is prominently featured in some never-before-seen footage.

Of course, the new release takes inspiration from the original, though this version is shorter. In his usual fashion, Rakim Mayers made a few noteworthy changes to keep things fresh to help his audience celebrate.

Throughout “Angels,” Rocky chiefly raps about his violent and drug-filled childhood before his inevitable rise to fame. He gets vulnerable about selling marijuana and crack cocaine at a young age and recruiting other children to aid him in his illegal endeavours.

His new visual has been sitting well with fans, with many of them singing its praises in the comment section. “10 years later and still fresh,” one person wrote. “Rocky a real trendsetter.”

Others added, “This song is so timeless,” and “Give this man a Lifetime Achievement Award for visuals while he’s alive please!”

Check out the alternate “Angels” video on YouTube above, and check back later for more hip-hop news updates.

[Via]

Beyoncé & Blue Ivy Look Like Twins In Throwback Snapshot

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Beyoncé has made a tradition of wishing her fellow celebrities a happy birthday by sharing their childhood photos on social media. In the past, stars like Lizzo have been left amazed by celebratory greetings from the Lemonade hitmaker. Somehow, she surprisingly seems to mysteriously conjure up the snapshots out of thin air.

It’s not her birthday, but now Queen B is going viral for some throwback pictures of her own. Earlier this week a 1990s capture that finds the mother of three getting her hair braided began circulating. The main topic of conversation surrounding the image is how the vocalist’s oldest daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, undeniably resembles her.

Jay Z, Blue Ivy Carter, Beyoncé Knowles attend the 66th NBA All-Star Game at Smoothie King Center on February 19, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

“Nah that’s Blue Ivy with a ’90s filter,” one person joked.

Additionally, others quickly noticed that the hairdresser resembles another famous face who has close ties to Beyoncé – Chloe Bailey. Though there’s an obvious age difference between the two, it’s hard to argue with the undeniably similar features they share.

“Blue Ivy getting her hair braided by Chloe Bailey in Houston, Texas (2022),” one Twitter user wrote, mimicking the original caption. Another asked, “This isn’t Chloe Bailey doing Blue Ivy’s hair?”

The comments may be comparing her to her mother now, but in the past, the 10-year-old has made headlines for her resemblance to her father, Jay-Z, as well.

In January, the young fashionista made waves with the rap mogul at a Rams Game. At the time, Hov was in full dad mode as he took photos of his daughter and Rihanna.

The very next month, the pair hit up the Super Bowl together, with Jay-Z acting as cameraman once again. Read more about that here, and check back in with HNHH later for more pop culture news updates.

[Via]