One in a Million

by

Aaliyah

Edit

From start to finish, the 'One In A Million' album is a priceless slice of R&B history: the original "Timbaland" sound made its debut (the studder/"kut-kut" beats), and introduced Missy Elliott. I personally regard this album as a "sonic portrait" of a young woman who was confident, gentle, elegant, alluring, mysterious, positive, down-to-earth, and fun.

In the summer/fall of 1996 (when this album was released), R&B and Hip Hop music was becoming very exciting. Dr. Dre had just left Death Row records, and Puffy's Bad Boy records was really heating up. Notable acts and their songs included: Blackstreet's "No Diggity", Keith Sweat's "Twisted", the New Edition "Home Again" reunion, 112's "Only You", and LL Cool J's "Loungin (Who do you luv?)" remix featuring Total.

That summer/fall, we also experienced a major tragedy - the passing of the late, great Tupac Shakur. Now in the summer/fall of 2001, we are dealing with the passing of Aaliyah, and the news hit this reviewer hard. I can remember dancing with friends at house parties back in 1994 to "Back & Forth". I also remember later that summer just loving both versions of "At Your Best", her second single - particularly the mysterious sound and video of the remix...

Flash back to 1996: I was a sophomore at the University Of California at Santa Barbara, and I'm listening to "One In A Million" in my friend's car - and we love it. Aaliyah's new sound was undeniable, and I'll try to describe it...

"Beats 4 Da Streets" is a Missy/Timbaland intro that flows right into "Hot Like Fire" - a delicate and mysterious street cut (later remixed into the fifth U.S. single). "One In A Million" comes in next, and this 'percussive ballad' will forever be a classic. "A Girl Like You" (featuring Treach from Naughty By Nature) sounds like a throwback to her 'Age Ain't Nuthin But A Number' days...it's a fresh party starter.

"If Your Girl Only Knew" is the seductive midtempo that set things off for Aaliyah as the album's lead single. I absolutely loved "Choosy Lover", a syrupy 80s flavored Isley's remake that segues into a new-school version that works just as well. Then on "Got To Give It Up", Aaliyah sounds like she's giving Janet Jackson a major run for her money on this playful Marvin Gaye remake featuring rapper Slick Rick. "4 Page Letter" is an amazingly vulnerable 'percussive ballad' that served as the album's third U.S. single in the spring of 1997.

The next few songs serve to fill out the album nicely - particularly "Giving You More", "I Gotcha Back" (with it's West Coast aftershocks), and the ballad "Never Giving Up" - but it's "Heartbroken" that really did it for me. A third 'percussive ballad' in the vein of "One In A Million" and "4 Page Letter", "Heartbroken" easily could have been a single, but for now it will remain a hidden gem...

We continue on with "Never Comin Back" which is GREAT (has a live feel), "Ladies In Da House" with Timbaland and Missy, and her vocally powerful ballad, "The One I Gave My Heart To" (which became the fourth U.S. single). The outro, "Came To Give Love" then ends the 'One In A Million' album perfectly...

Later that fall, Ginuwine made his debut, and by the summer/fall of 1997, the "Superfriends" musical collective of Aaliyah, Timbaland, Missy, Ginuwine and Magoo had been formed, along with R&B group Playa; it was a beautiful thing...

Aaliyah, you will be truly missed...

C.H.R.