Aaliyah Dana Haughton died in a plane crash on August 25, 2001 at the age of 21. The “Princess of R&B” managed to secure a long-lasting legacy before her tragic death in the Bahamas.
ABC News will explore the late entertainer’s life in an upcoming one-hour special titled Superstar: Aaliyah. The program will air on June 14 at 10 pm ET on ABC and be available for streaming the next day on Hulu.
Superstar: Aaliyah examines Aaliyah’s rise from a teenage up-and-comer to a chart-topping singer. In addition, the special will examine the circumstances surrounding her underage marriage to convicted sex offender R. Kelly.
David Sloan served as senior executive producer for Superstar: Aaliyah. Muriel Pearson is an executive producer and Gabriel Noble is a producer. Several notable people will appear in interview segments, including Aaliyah’s then-boyfriend, Roc-A-Fella Records co-founder Damon “Dame” Dash. Barry Hankerson, her manager/uncle, provided an exclusive interview as well.
Superstar: Aaliyah also features appearances by recording artists Justine Skye, Sevyn Streeter and will.i.am. Plus, fashion designers Karl Kani and Aleali May will discuss Aaliyah’s signature style.
Prior to her death, Aaliyah released three studio albums: 1994’s Age Ain’t Nothing but a Number, 1996’s One in a Million and 2001’s self-titled LP. Aaliyah topped the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart with “Try Again” in 2000.
The posthumous I Care 4 U compilation arrived a year after the fatal accident. Hankerson’s Blackground Records 2.0 finally released the majority of Aaliyah’s discography on streaming services two years ago.
