The 1996 Interview

J: How much did you get to write on this album? Did you get a chance to write at all?

A: No, I didn't write. I did some arranging. I arranged the Marvin Gaye remake. My brother and I did one song that we couldn't get done on time for the album, so we're going to put it on the B-side of one of the singles.

J: You all wrote the song?

A: He wrote the song and I did the melody and I arranged it.

J: What does that mean when you arrange?

A: Harmonies, different notes, structure.

J: Did you do all the harmonies on the album?

A: All the backgrounds? Yes. On the duet with Treach, Renee from Zhane is on one part with me in the background. She wrote my part on that song. And Missy does some background with me.

J: Who's Missy?

A: Missy works with Ten Point.

J: And she's on which song?

A: "A girl like you." that's on the first side.

J: You were working with my baby, Treach?

A: Yes. Treach is the best.

J: Who was the coolest to work with? Because you've worked with Jermaine Dupri too.

A: Well, I'm not going to pick who's best because I loved working with all of them. It was wonderful. I did make a lot of friends. I knew Jermaine before I went into the studio with him, so he was really cool. I got real cool with Vincent Herbert. He's a sweetheart. You cannot get mad at Vincent, and if you do, you won't stay mad at him. He came to Detroit.

J: What songs did he do?

A: He did "Never Giving up", "Choosey Lover," and "Got to give it up." I got real close with him. He came to Detroit for 2 months and we recorded. I got really close with Tim and Missy because they did half of the album. They did like 7 songs on the album. Darryl Simmons was wonderful. I mean I liked everybody. Jamie, I'm telling you the album took almost a year to do. So between my junior year and the album, that's all I was doing. I got a chance to hang out with my friends and I went to homecoming last year. I was going to go to the prom. A senior had asked me. But I couldn't go because I had to do the TV commercial-the one coming out of the ground! [Laughing] Vincent gave us the idea of coming up like out of an elevator, out of the ground. Then Blackgrond said, "Why don't you just come out of the ground like an earthquake?" It took all day to do that commercial and its hilarious because every time I watch it I say, "We were out there for eight hours for a thirty second commercial." We did it in Brooklyn Heights and it was fun. I was really amazed at how they made the ground look so real. I don't know how they made the ground, but they had a platform where they had the fake cement on top. I was on a dolly beneath and they pushed me up. They took a whole bunch of takes of that. There were plenty of times when I tripped and got caught. [Laughing] But it was fun.

J: What's it like when you're on the road?

A: Most of the time when I travel I really don't go to too many places because either I'm working or I'm interviewing. And when I go back to the hotel, I go to sleep. Recently, I did a show in Chicago and there was an after party in the hotel and my mom was like, "You go ahead and go." Me and Rashad, Tim, Missy, my dancer and friend Demetrius, and Tim's brother G and Marcus all went. So my parents let me go out and have fun as long as security's with me and I'm with a group.

J: Can you drive?

A: Jamie, I'll be 18 in January [1997]. I promised myself that by that time I will get my license. I don't have it yet because I really haven't had the time to go get it. I'm not even going to say that I can drive really well, yet. I can do a little something. I used to think when I was younger that by the time I was 16 I was going to have my car, my license, and everything. But when I hit 16, I was like, "No, because I'm working a lot and I want to be ready because a lot of kids get into accidents because they're not ready." So I promised that by the time I turn 18, I'm gonna have my license.

J: Do you intend to go to college?

A: I'm going to college too. I haven't decided where yet. I'm still thinking about it. If I don't go to my brother's school, I might try Manhattan School of Music, Vassar, Sarah Lawrence or Spelman. But I'm going to visit campuses and see. I still have my 4.0 average, but it's hard. I have a tutor. It's stressful, but it's important to me. That's why I want to go to college. I've always been on top of everything so I think I cause my own stress by being that way. I've always been very detailed, so fortunately I have a very supportive family. They tell me not to worry about things. The biggest pressure that I have is that I want to put my all into my career and I want to put my all into school. During the school year that's what's hard. That's the biggest pressure on me. Everything else is cool.

J: Boys done sweat you?

A: Boys? [Laughing] Jomo do you think boys sweat me?

Jo: I think so.

J: I think so too.

A: I have some people that, you know, come up to me or whatever. It's cool. I don't have a boyfriend or anything.

J: You don't have anybody that you like yet?

A: I have a lot of friends but I don't have a boyfriend. I don't go with anybody.

J: So dad being on the road with you is no different than anything else.

A: It's nice. He knows me better than anyone. Yeah, he's good to have as my manager because he's my dad, so he knows I'm not a morning person. So if he can, he'll be like, "Can we get stuff set up in the afternoon cause Aaliyah does not like getting up in the morning." You know he works me, but he's also lenient because I'm his baby girl, so it's good. He's cool to have as my manager.

J: Are you on any kind of exercise program or is this just the youth machine?

A: Well, I do exercise, but they're going to get me a trainer. I need the motivation cause there are times when I slack off. But most of the time I do my sit-ups, do my leg-ups. I've got to run. I really have to start doing that for the tour. I have to have my wind. But I'm about to get a trainer because I need the extra motivation. I need someone who's going to really get on me.

J: Who are you going to choose to go out on tour with, because I mean, some of these tours are really dangerous. You know what I'm sayin? You can't just put her out with anybody.

Jo: It'll be a real thorough process which we haven't even thought about yet.

J: You were talking about K-Ci the last time- that you like K-Ci. Have you seen his porno video? I hope not.

A: No. [Laughing]

J: You haven't seen it? With Tupac and Heather Hunter? [Laughing]

A: No. No, haven't heard about or seen that.

J: Well it's in porno stores. And you know How Do You Want It is really done with a porno director. It's Tupacs video, but K-Ci's in it with all these women.

A: No, I haven't heard about that.

J: Do you think you and Brandy will ever work together on a project?

A: That'll be interesting.

J: I think it would be cute.

A: That would be really really interesting.

J: Okay, so we got the first album and it was 24/7 no boyfriends. Do you sneak out at night?

A: No, I do not. [Laughing]

J: What would you be if you weren't singing? Would you manage Jomo? Cause you know he needs a manager.

A: [Laughing] Manage Jomo? I would stay in the entertainment on some level. If not acting, directing. Maybe writing music. Still have something to do with entertainment because I love it.

J: You're 17 now. You'll be 18 in January. When will you wear a dress?

A: [Laughing] You are so funny, Jaime. See, now you know me. You know me very well. When will I wear a dress? I don't know. I'ma surprise you one day.

J: What do your legs look like?

A: I have nice legs, don't you think so Jomo?

Jo: You have very nice legs. It's a family trait.

A: I just got some Nike tennis dresses. Very cute. I wore one in Atlanta when I went to a club there. I did radio, so a couple of people saw me with my little Nike dress and my little biking shorts. You know I still had on some shorts, but as far as wearing a skirt or anything, I don't think I'm going to do that anytime soon, honestly. That's not me.

J: You won't wear a cute little tight, fitted dress? So that it doesn't take you out of your dark mode.

A: No, not anytime soon. I'm telling you, I'm not going to do it.

J: You don't show your legs?

A: I wear skirts. I do it when it's like absolutely necessary. Like if I'm going somewhere and you can't wear pants.

J: Is it cause you don't like pantyhose? Pantyhose can be a strain.

A: Pantyhose are the absolute worst. I'm sorry. I can't stand 'em.

J: Do you ever wear heels?

A: Yeah, I've worn heels. Actually, I like heels.

J: We need to work on her and show that body. But its kind of cute that you don't. I think your daddy would kick your butt. We kind of know why that is. MH right? [Aaliyahs dads name is Michael Haughton.] Do you need normalcy in your life?

A: I think I have normalcy in my life by the simple fact that when I'm at home, I go to school. I mean, I don't go to classes. I go from 12 to 4, but I'm in the environment, so I see my friends when I have time. My friend, Valerie, will travel with me when she can. So I think I have some normalcy in my life.

J: You go to school?

A: I go into the school and I go into the office and my own room and work with my tutor, but during the breaks I can go into the cafeteria and chill with my friends. I'll see them, so I have some normalcy in my life.

J: How did your friends act when the rumors about you and R. Kelly started? Were they nice to you? How were they?

A: Oh, they didn't care. They were with me.

J: Were they like, "We know you"?

A: Yeah, they were like, "Aaliyah, we love you." I got a lot of support, even from fans. The letters I got were beautiful, which inspired me to put my all into this album. But they were like, "We don't care about what's going on. We love you. When are you coming out with your new album?

J: So do you read your fan mail?

A: Uh huh. I got a lot of it kind of late. The box didn't get sent to me and some letters were like from '94, '95, but I answered as many of the letters as I could.

J: Aaliyah, you have a lot of courage. That you would even come back and you never hid your face. You always gave the interviews. And your daddy deals with that a lot. I don't know if you remember that interview, but your father was just spectacular.

A: Yes, he was. I remember. We were sitting in the den.

J: What do you attribute your courage to?

A: Well, I'm young. There're too many things that I want to do in my life and I can't let anything knock me down. I love singing. I've been singing since I was six, this is what I want. You have to be strong in your convictions and what you want. And I'm a survivor. I think that's in my family. My grandfather's a survivor. He survived World War 2, the illness of my grandma and the death of my aunt. So it's in me and I was like I want this more than anything and I got a lot of support from my peers in the industry and all of that, so it was like, "I'm coming back just like my song says."

J: What do you mean, your grandfather survived World War 2?

A: He fought.

J: Was he hurt?

A: Back injury. Nothing major, though.

J: He got a backache from carrying all them weapons?

A: He came back all good. That's my grandfather.

J: Is he still alive?

A: Yes. Yes he is.

J: Aaliyah what would you tell young people about the realities of this business and the pitfalls? What are some of the things you think about? Do you have nightmares. Are you afraid?

A: As far as this business is concerned?

J: Yes

A: Naw, I don't wanna say that. I think there are negatives and positives in any career choice. If you choose to get in this business, you gotta be a strong person and I think it's important to have family around you and people that love you 'cause there are a lot of evils out there. People may try to control you, purposely bring you down and those are things you have to look out for. So those are some of the negatives, then there are the positives, especially if you love it.

J: But when kids are growing up its like, "Oh, Mom. you're making me wear this dress to school. Oh, it's the worst thing and I'll never have a friend again." They don't understand that you will grow up and probably never see those kids again. For someone to talk like you're talking, you have to realize that there is a future. That things come and go. How is it that you have that inside of you? Is that instilled from your mother?

A: That's family. I keep saying that. I can talk to her about anything. So when I would get upset I would talk to my parents. I would talk to my brother. And I've learned a lot in my years.

J: So did you get upset about not winning [when you were on "Star search"?]

A: It was a learning experience for me when I did not win. I was hurt, but I said, "You know. I was on 'Star Search' and that was something in itself," because the auditions to get on that show are tremendous. It was a great learning experience for me, but having my mom there to talk to me about it, you know, she was like, "It doesn't stop here." Not everything in life is going to be what you want. Even though I didn't win, that doesn't mean I'm not a good singer. That doesn't mean I'm not a good performer. That doesn't mean I don't have any talent.

J: What kind of person are you?

A: I'm a loyal personal. A loyal friend. I'm generous, down to earth, kind and very creative.

J: What do you mean your creative?

A: I'm always thinking about what I can do. Like with the second single, we don't know what the second single is yet, but I listen to the songs thinking, "What could be potential singles? What could I do in a video or in my stage show? What clothes would I wear," things like that.

J: What about things that make you upset?

A: As far as the business?? [Laughing]

J: Go ahead.

A: When things are set up...like my mom's really organized and she's gotten me really into that. And so, if something is set up on a schedule and someone adds something at the last minute, it gets me really mad. I'm like,"Jomo, you told me this was going on at one o'clock. What's going on?"

J: How does Jomo handle that?

A: Jomo's good. He knows how to deal with me. I'm not really bad and he knows that.

Jo: I just fix it.

A: He's Mr. Fix-it. He knows how to fix everything up.

J: You said something about the video" If your girl only knew?"

A: You know, I ride up with my girls on these motorcycles and..

J: You know how to ride a motorcycle?

Jo: Chauffeur driven.

A: Yeah, chauffer driven. You haven't seen the video? I'm mad that you haven't seen my video.

J: The reason I haven't seen your video is because when music and videos come in, the magazine's music people take the music. That's what happens.

A: But we only had four motorcycles when I got there and we were supposed to have six. We had told everybody like weeks ahead that we needed six motorcycles, so you know we got a little miffed. But it got fixed.

J: Can you cook?

A: Can I cook? Well I can make a couple of things. I ain't gonna say I can "throw down!" But you know I can make me some spaghetti. Make me a hamburger, cook breakfast...that's no biggy. But as far as big meals, I can't cook any steak or nothing like that. I could get by, if I had to.

J: If you were to get married, what kind of person is the guy getting?

A: Oh, he's gonna get the best. He'll get the best, but we'll have to get a maid and a cook. [Laughing]

J: You want children?

A: I would like to have kids. Or, I'd like to have a child; two at most.

J: You told me before that you believe in abstinence. Is this still true?

A: Heck yep!! When I get married.

J: So that must have really hurt you when people said that you were pregnant.

A: Oh gosh.

J: Then I heard the other day that you were pregnant twice.

A: I was pregnant twice?? That's special, isn't it? When you just hear stuff all the time? I heard that I always wore sunglasses because I had a lazy eye. I heard a whole bunch of reasons why I wore sunglasses.

J: Really? Tell me some more things that you hear.

A: The only thing I heard was about the sunglasses, and that I wore sunglasses because I had a lazy eye. I think that was it. There was another one, but I can't think of what it was. But it was about the sunglasses.

J: It really doesn't bother you?

A: Naw! You can't let it bother you. Gotta let it go in one ear and out the other.

J: Do you have high morals and integrity? Like, have you ever cheated on a test? What's the worst thing you ever did in school?

A: Let me see??

J: Tell the truth now.

A: I'ma tell the truth. The worst thing I ever did was...Let me see... I'm trying to think of what would be funny to tell.

J: What? Tell me Jomo.

A: What was one of the worst things I did in school, like you know, cheating on a test?

Jo: Naw, the only story I remember is when... and its nothing that Aaliyah did, but I remember the teacher did something to you.

A: Me and the teacher got into an argument. Oh yeah, I got into an argument with a teacher.

J: About what?

A: I had to get somebody out of class. My friend, Amber. I had to get her out of class because she had my friend Meachy's permission slip to go on a trip. Meachy was like "Go get my permission slip for me from Amber." So I said, "Oh okay, I'll go get it." So I said to the teacher, "Excuse me," and she was talking to another teacher. So I said, "Demetrius is trying to go on a trip and he won't be able to go if I don't get the permission slip from Amber. Can she be excused for one second to get his permission slip?" And she just went off on me. So it got into a big disrespect thing. We got it resolved, you know, my parents came up there and handled it.

J: So what did Diane [your mom] say. That's what I wanna know?

A: You know, I told her that I was upset with the teacher. I came right with the teacher. I said excuse me and she wasn't in her class or anything so, you know, I said excuse me. She was like "Well, you know since you respected her, she should have given you respect back." SO we were all right. We handled it.

J: Well do your parents always believe your right?

A: No, I mean I'm not perfect and I'm not always right. There's times when I've been wrong, but when I am right, they stand by me.

J: When was this time that you were wrong?

A: I'm trying to think. I'm sure there are plenty. Okay...When I was in the fifth grade, this boy was talking about me and I pushed him and I got a jug. I was wrong.

J: What's a jug?

A: A jug is detention

Jo: It stands for "Justice Under God"

J: That was the only fight you ever got in?

A: Yeah, that wasn't even really a fight 'cause I pushed him and the teacher caught me pushing him. I never got into a fight, though.

J: Why is it that you always have this hard image with the sunglasses and stuff and then you're just friendly?

A: Well, I know you, so I'm making you laugh. [Laughing!]

J: Every reporter has said that you're not like your image at all.

A: Well, I think that the image is a part of me. You know me. I wear the sunglasses, I wear the baggy pants, the hats, the whole nine. And you know, I may add a little for the excitement and the intrigue in the videos, but my family has told me that little air of mystery that surrounds me is for real. There are times that I won't tell you what I'm thinking and your like, "What's going on with you?" Am I not right?

Jo: Yeah.

J: Really?

A: Yeah that's really me. I'm a reserved person. I'm kind of shy.

J: So you haven't been telling me what you're really thinking the whole time I've been sitting up here talking to you?

A: You know what I'm talking about. [Laughing.] I'm saying there are moments when I get into my quiet bag. You know what I'm saying. You are the worst, Jamie! So, you know. its me.

J: Do you like this world?

A: Of course I like the world, but a kid has to grow up quickly in this society. You gotta grow up and you gotta be smart and there's a lot of things that I'd like to change to make the world a better place. Like with teenage pregnancy and adolescent sex. A lot of times I think its thrown on the kids. And to me, it shouldn't be that way.

J: Do you think we should have sex education?

A: Yeah, I do. I think it's something that we should be able to talk openly about. I talk to my parents about everything and I'm blessed to have a situation like that. So I'm aware of what's going on. It's just safer today- you have to be aware at a young age.

J: Do you think it should be a requirement for a person that has a baby to go through parenting classes?

A: I think it would be good. They have Lamaze and everything, so I think it would be good.

J: Is there anything that you would change in your life?

A: [Laughing.] No, nothing major. What's gone on in my life, the people I've had around me, I'm pretty happy with. So there's nothing I would change. I may go back and change how I took a test or something in school, but nothing major. Or how I acted one day.

J: How do you like being on Atlantic Records?

A: I like it. Its a great company.

J: Why did you choose Atlantic?

A: You know I'm signed to Blackground, so it was really their decision to go to Atlantic. Blackground had a joint venture with Jive Records and this year their contract was up. They wanted to move on and they chose Atlantic. So whatever decision they make, I make 'cause I know they're with me.

J: Who's Blackground? Is that you and your father?

Jo: That's my dad [Barry Hankerson.] He's the president, CEO, and owner. Totally black owned. We own our masters, which is different from a lot of other labels that they don't have direct ownership of their music. So that's a unique situation for us.

J: I know a lot of people were after Aaliyah when her contract was finishing up with Jive records. Interscope was after her too. So why did you feel that Atlantic was the best choice out of all the other record labels?

Jo: Well, Atlantic was the company that came to the table that would really give us the creative control to do what we really wanted to do-everything that we've done so far with the commercials and everything that we did. We wanted a situation where we could go to Aaliyah and say. "Hey, what do you want to do?" And she would say what it is and we would have the power and ability to implement exactly what she wanted.

J: I always thought that R. Kelly was a part of Blackground. He's not a part of that?

A: No, he has his own production company that's still affiliated with Jive.

A short time later, the interview ended. Aaliyah and I went to the bathroom to freshen up. We had, had a fun time. She told me I'm funny. I loved talking with her. I loved seeing her family. She is blessed.

© 1997 sister 2 sister magazine