Remember that posthumous Aaliyah album, well it may never see the light of day, at least without the blessing
![aaliyah-schoneseelen]( "aaliyah-schoneseelen")
of the songstress' family/involvement of Timbaland and Missy.
Back in 2012, Drake and his right-hand producer Noah “40″ Shebib were set to release a posthumous album for late singer Aaliyah. Now, 40 is explaining why the project got dropped after the first single "Enough Said."
This week 40 explained to VIBE that the backlash from fans as well as Timbaland, Aaliyah’s longtime friend and producer, put the brakes on the project. “The world reacting to Drake’s involvement so negatively, I just wanted nothing to do with it. That was a very sad experience for me,” he said. “I was naive to the politics surrounding Aaliyah’s legacy and a bit ignorant to Timbaland’s relationship and everybody else involved and how they’d feel.”
According to 40, Timbaland initially gave him his blessing. “Tim said to me ‘Don’t stop, make the album.’ I think that was Tim taking the position of, ‘I’m not going to stop you. If you’re not going to do it, that’s your decision.’”
40 said that Aaliyah’s uncle and record label initially asked him to jump aboard the project but ultimate disapproval from the late singer’s family persuaded him to discontinue. “But ultimately, I wasn’t comfortable and didn’t like the stigma… [Aaliyah’s] mother saying ‘I don’t want this out’ was enough for me. I walked away very quickly,” he said.
During aninterview with Elliott Wilson for his CRWN series this past September, Drake was also asked about the project’s status and why he was no longer involved.
“I don’t know. I think the press got out of hand and they maybe had a different vision for it or something,” he said. “It was sounding great to me. Whatever they end up doing with it, I wish them the best of luck.”
However, in August of 2012, shortly after the release of "Enough Said," Drake was singing an entirely different tune in regards to the album, once said to house 13-14 new tracks. "It's...an Aaliyah project that me and 40 are commanding. 40's just doing some incredible, incredible music right now."
Shortly thereafter, the YMCMB frontman found himself in midst of criticism, feeling as though everyone should have been in anticipation of the posthumous LP. "...everybody should be excited. It's not about me, it's not about 40. It's really about her and her fans and us just getting the opportunity to give you something that we feel is great."
"We’re gonna pull in some classic people, like anybody who used to work with Aaliyah or that was essential in her career, we definitely hope to have them involved," but according to long-time friends and collaborators of Aaliyah, Missy and Timbaland, neither one of them knew about the album.
Back in 2012, Drake and his right-hand producer Noah “40″ Shebib were set to release a posthumous album for late singer Aaliyah. Now, 40 is explaining why the project got dropped after the first single "Enough Said."
This week 40 explained to VIBE that the backlash from fans as well as Timbaland, Aaliyah’s longtime friend and producer, put the brakes on the project. “The world reacting to Drake’s involvement so negatively, I just wanted nothing to do with it. That was a very sad experience for me,” he said. “I was naive to the politics surrounding Aaliyah’s legacy and a bit ignorant to Timbaland’s relationship and everybody else involved and how they’d feel.”
According to 40, Timbaland initially gave him his blessing. “Tim said to me ‘Don’t stop, make the album.’ I think that was Tim taking the position of, ‘I’m not going to stop you. If you’re not going to do it, that’s your decision.’”
40 said that Aaliyah’s uncle and record label initially asked him to jump aboard the project but ultimate disapproval from the late singer’s family persuaded him to discontinue. “But ultimately, I wasn’t comfortable and didn’t like the stigma… [Aaliyah’s] mother saying ‘I don’t want this out’ was enough for me. I walked away very quickly,” he said.
During aninterview with Elliott Wilson for his CRWN series this past September, Drake was also asked about the project’s status and why he was no longer involved.
“I don’t know. I think the press got out of hand and they maybe had a different vision for it or something,” he said. “It was sounding great to me. Whatever they end up doing with it, I wish them the best of luck.”
However, in August of 2012, shortly after the release of "Enough Said," Drake was singing an entirely different tune in regards to the album, once said to house 13-14 new tracks. "It's...an Aaliyah project that me and 40 are commanding. 40's just doing some incredible, incredible music right now."
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| Noah "40″ Shebib explained why he was no longer involved with the posthumous Aaliyah LP |
Shortly thereafter, the YMCMB frontman found himself in midst of criticism, feeling as though everyone should have been in anticipation of the posthumous LP. "...everybody should be excited. It's not about me, it's not about 40. It's really about her and her fans and us just getting the opportunity to give you something that we feel is great."
"We’re gonna pull in some classic people, like anybody who used to work with Aaliyah or that was essential in her career, we definitely hope to have them involved," but according to long-time friends and collaborators of Aaliyah, Missy and Timbaland, neither one of them knew about the album.
This past fall, Timbaland called in to Power 105.1 to address the rumors of the new album, and his feelings about Drake lending his talents towards it. "The proper way for him to do that would be for me, him, and Missy to be all on the record."
Missy also released a statement through her manager Mona Scott-Young, "Although Missy and Timbaland always strive to keep the memory of their close friend alive, we have not been contacted about the project nor are there any plans at this time to participate. We've seen the reports surfacing that they have been confirmed to participate but that is not the case. Both Missy and Timbaland are very sensitive to the loss still being felt by the family so we wanted to clear up any misinformation being circulated."
In addition to their statements, In August of 2012 Aaliyah's brother Rashad posted via the late singer's official Facebook Fanpage, "There is no official album being released and supported by the Haughton family."
In September of 2012, Aaliyah's record label Blackground Records, head by the "Are You That Somebody" singer's uncle, Barry Hankerson, released an alleged cover of the posthumous project--further fueling the rumors of a new album.
With all parties besides the shady Blackground Records, having distanced themselves from the project, I highly doubt that it will be released without due process. Meaning the Haughton's family blessing, as well as the involvement of Timbaland and Missy. Aaliyah's family may not have the rights to the singers recordings, but as proven, an album without their support will not be well received by fans.
With Timbaland having produced one of 2013's best-selling albums, Justin Timberlake's The 20/20 Experience, it's clear that he hasn't lost his touch and it'd be amazing to see what he would do with the unreleased recordings of the late singer.
If Drake wants to honor, collaborate and be apart of the Aaliyah legacy, he should do what Chris Brown did on his single "Don't Think They Know," and feature some of the late singer's unreleased vocals on a track for his next album.