What were you doing when you found out Aaliyah had died

shitting myself in diapers 💔

My best friend died on that plane. He wasn't even supposed to go on the trip. He was filling in for another makeup artist. The night before he left we went out drinking and as I was getting drinks at the bar I looked in the mirror and saw him talking to a guy crying. I went over and asked what was wrong. He said "nothing I was just telling him how you forced me to get up and go to school everyday and let me sleep on your floor coz my mom wouldn't let me live at home if I was not getting a regular job. Now I'm going to the Bahamas with aaliyah. I love you so much." I told him I loved him and how I always knew he was going to make it.

We were going to do a shoot for source Magazine about cholo style when he got back. They decided to replace him because they weren't sure if he'd make it back in time. I tried calling him but his phone didn't work in the Bahamas. He ended calling another friend and said to let me know he was on his way back and for them not to replace him but I was not to call him back because he was using aaliyahs phone and didn't want her thinking he was calling people on her phone.

My ex and I decided to spend the day together to make things right. We had an amazing day. But my phone was going crazy all day and one of our issues was the phone so I ignored it. Finally at the end of the day I angrily answered it and was told what happened. We rushed to the hotel where source magazine was for the shoot. After a few hours of crying and my ex being amazing he asked if anyone had told his mom? That's when everyone looked at me. I was the only one who had ever met her. I'd only been to her place once when she threw him out and I rescued him. I barely remembered but my ex insisted we go find her place in this huge complex in Torrance. We knocked at about 330am and her home Healthcare worker answered thru the door. I asked for his mom and she lost it ran screaming away from the door. His mom asked what I wanted? I asked to please come in about 5 times she finally opened the door. We sat down and she calmly said "he was on that plane wasn't he?" I said yes and the worker and i both lost it. She was screaming and I was sobbing. His mother came and held me and said "you were his brother. I have things to do. I love you for telling me. I need time now. My son is gone."

My ex took me home and I had to get ready because we had a 8am call time for the shoot and had to do the job. It was awful

God bless you Christopher Maldonado

This is honestly a weird story. I was 17 at the time, and I had just gotten home from K-Mart after buying her Aaliyah album. Like, literally walked through the door, and my brother told me. I thought he was joking. I instantly became addicted to the album

In the car. I remember hearing it over the radio.

I was throwing a beach party, either end of my junior year or senior year, and we were setting up when we heard the announcement on the radio. Whole party was pretty low tone the rest of the night

I was in middle school in Ga; JUST started 8th grade.

I will never, ever forget how many classmates were crying in the hallway near their lockers. I was not crying. I thought Aaliyah was attractive and talented but I wasn’t infatuated with her. But I just remember my friends being devastated. I won’t even go into detail about when 9/11 hit. But those two events changed GA forever man. It was terrible. 

Ultimately ALL of it was surreal.

At home, a college freshman, I remember standing and freezing in shock when Kurt Loder came on MTV news and they showed the footage of the plane.

Inside my mothers womb

Watching 106 & Park when me and my folks found out the news from there...

I was running a small coffee shop in a hospital. When the TV started showing she passed, I shut down the shop for a half an hour just to take a break and cry was just so tragic that she died so young and so talented . Rest in peace Queen!

Freshmen year in high school. I remember getting ready and hearing them announce it on the radio. Oddly enough, the same situation happened to me with Left-eye, too 😕

It was a Sunday and I was chilling in my bed, since I had a few days of summer left (I teach). My young son was asleep and I watched the news. I got a phone call from my sister and she said, "Yo! Aaliyah died in a plane crash." I was like, "What? Are you serious?"

Then, the news basically repeated what she had just said. Shocked isn't the word to describe what I felt.

I was at a Puerto Rican Festival. They made the announcement over a microphone. Turned off all music going on. A crowd of THOUSANDS GAVE A COMPLETE MOMENT OF SILENCE. It was beautiful and so sad all at the same time. RIP

Leaving a Sade concert in Raleigh. The DJ on 97.5 thought it was a joke or prank at first.

I don’t remember

I was a bartender at a strip club, and the dj stopped everything and turned on the news

Sitting on couch, saw it in newspaper, still fucks me up

In 2nd grade

Was watching the tv with my mom . It was breaking news . I bawled my eyes out. I was 9 at the time and I adored her . RIP

Heard it over the radio .

Initial reports were that Hype Williams (the director) Was on the plane , which made it worse because I was a fan of his videos and Belly .

Then we found out later that he volunteered to take another flight because they were told the plane was too heavy.

Still a sad day .

I was at a sleepover for my cousins birthday and I remember us absolutely LOVING how many Aaliyah songs they were playing back to back. We were able to record the best tape because of the lack of commercials and banger after banger from her.

Then the DJ came in to recap what they announced before we turned the radio: Aaliyah died in a plane crash. We were absolutely devastated.

I was at home recovering from my wisdom teeth being removed. My dad woke me up to let me know that a singer I liked passed away. I got up watched the news,the journalist mispronounce her name, and I bursted out crying. This happened right before my sophomore year of high school began (2001-2002).

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I remember this day like 9/11, was at school and ALL the girls were crying.

I was 14 years old living in a shelter when I heard Aaliyah died.

I was busy being 25 and appreciated being young

I don't know.

At home watching TV

driving on G street in DC. I had just broken into the music industry and had just come back from the Source awards in Miami. It came across the 2 way pager, and at first they said Dame Dash was on the plane too. I had to pull over.

At my cousin’s house watching Aaliyah music video marathon on bet

Washing prep equipment in the back of the Subway restaurant where I worked in college

In my room listening to the news on the radio. My sister and I were in tears. We couldn’t watch her videos or listen to her music for a solid month.

Youth fellowship at church as a young lad

i wasn’t even a concept yet

Watching MTV and read the ticker scrolling at the bottom while they played "Island in the Sun" by Weezer. I 6 think of her now when I hear that song.

Freshman year of college. I remember deciding whether or not to buy her newest Album or not before leaving to move on campus. I regret not getting it until after her death.

But long story short, I moved on campus on August 23rd, and I remember waking up from a late Saturday afternoon nap and finding out from one of my friends that she had passed in a plane crash. I didn’t want to believe it and I thought it was a rumor or internet hoax.

Sadly 😔 😢 it wasn’t! I remember looking online (the early Internet days) for hours in the campus library watching the clips they had just released from the yet to be released Rock the Boat video. She was on the Bahamian beach saying “early early morning” looking radiant and beautiful and peaceful with her sexy red outfit.

I remember everyone just being in SHOCK. She was adored by everyone. Girls wanted to be her and Guys wanted to be with her.

BET had just had her on 106 & Park a few days earlier giving a fan a Cadillac Escalade.

A short time later they released the World Premiere of the Making of Rock the Boat (behind the scenes) video.

Then the More Than a Woman video was released and both stayed in their top 10 videos for the remainder of the year I believe.

She will never be forgotten! Long Live Aaliyah.

Flipping through the tv on a Sunday morning and I saw a pic on CNN or something that had her pic and the dates 1979-2001 for a split second and I quickly flipped back until I confirmed that I saw what I thought I saw. I was shocked, nauseous for hours and depressed for about 2 months after because she was one of my favorite artist and I was playing her new album on repeat around that time even before she died.

I was watching MTV…and whatever show was on got interrupted for the breaking news. Then I ran to my sister’s room to tell her the news. I couldn’t believe it💔❤️‍🩹

I actually just moved to Michigan for grad school, and my mom left that morning to go back home. I laid back down and when I woke up it was on the news. And being so close to Detroit, they played her music around the clock on the radio.

Riding home from work.

Not being thought about as one parent was living in Jamaica while the other lived in the United States.

Slip in peace Princess Aaliyah!!😇

I was on vacation with my family and had just purchased the self titled album. I felt completely numb and in disbelief.

Shitting on myself. I was 3 💔

I was about to start high school. It was a Sunday and my parents were about to take us to church. My mom knew I was a big Aaliyah fan (so much so that I told my fifth grade class years before we were cousins, smh), and she came in that morning to tell me 1) Aaliyah had died in the plane crash, but 2) to still get ready for church, lol.

I went to Sunday school and all the kids were crying. I do remember my Sunday school teacher was really nice though because she let us talk about our feelings and discuss our favorite songs.

Afterwards, my parents took me to the bookstore (Borders, IYKYK) and they played Aaliyah’s newly released self-titled album front to back. I was sitting by myself in the young adult section looking at some books, when I broke down sobbing in the middle of the “Extra Smooth.” My dad found me, gave me a big hug, and gave me $30 to buy something.

It was a sad day.

Pretty sure I was sitting on the couch watching a movie and my mom came out and told me. I liked some songs but I wasn’t SUPER into her music at the time. I remember being more shocked at how she died.

Just in my mother's fantasies

I was a cashier at Walmart. People kept coming through buying her CDs. When I got home later that day, my parents asked if I heard about the singer who died, and then I pieced it all together.

Man I wasn’t even born yet 😭

Watching the making of Rock The Boat

A thought in my mom's head. Not even a fetus

Watching MTV News

Watching MTV

Watching mtv

Watching 106& park

Watching TV I think it was announced on MTV News (10 to the hour. Every hour.) and then it was announced on Power 106 and then I watched 106 & Park the Monday after.

Watching MTV late at night (Sunday morning actually) and saw it on the bottom banner. Stunned me. I was 17.

Packing to go away to college.

I was at my Aunt's house in Puerto Rico. We were about the watch the Masdonna concert on HBO. So sad. She was amazing!

I was shocked to hear that such a Amazing Artist beautiful soul had left all of her fans way too soon, and may Aaliyah rest in peace with the angels🕊 Aloha from Hawai'i

On vacation in Cancun: destination wedding. I was sitting at the hotel bar, and they announced it on the news. I thought it was a hoax at first. I just felt like this couldn't be happening.

Studying in the campus library

This may bother some people who think that they are holier-than-thou and have never tried something that was risky so with that when Aaliyah died I was sitting in a prison cell I said out load ain't that some shit

At my senior citizen neighbors house helping get some stuff done. She always had CNN on. It popped up and I couldn’t believe it. Was like I gotta go. Walked home crying and vomiting. Made it to my front porch. My best bud, who was not a fan, pulled in my driveway not long after. Gave me the biggest bro hug ever. He drove me around and let me jam and cry and drink and just be a fucking mess. I’ll never forget it.

I was and remain a huge fan of her music since her first single. I had AANBAN and One in a Million I bought AALIYAH the day it was released (back when new albums were typically released as new on Tuesdays). I immediately fell in love with it. It was futuristic sounding and had so many types of new sounds and the vocals were so different coming from her past two albums. It is and was exceptional. School hadn’t started yet but I had already moved out to my dormitory and came home to wash laundry early that Sunday morning. My little sister answered the door confirmed the plane had crashed down, and that most if not all on board were suspected of having died. I sat down on the stairs leading to the second floor and just balled. I was 18, and Aaliyah, Monica, Brandy, Mya— they were the hottest R&B/pop girls of my era like the young kids’ having Camila Cabello, Normani, Tove Lo, Carli XcX, Dua Lipa, etc. The hard part too was how critically acclaimed her latest album was.. I’m 41 now and it’s still so awful to really recall. I haven’t thought about this or written about it in well over a decade.

I was in church when the choir director informed everyone of her passing.

Moving, I was at U-haul getting a truck.

I was playing outside and my neighbor who was also my babysitter and a huge Aaliyah fan opened her window and screamed and just kept screaming. We asked her what’s wrong and she said Aaliyah died and I thought she was lying. Shook me up. I think I was maybe 11

I was playing video games. Immediately called my youth pastor we both had crushes on her. We were both in our 20s at the time. I think I was 24 at the time, but I still breaks my heart.

Eminem was playing Reading festival and announced it to the crowd and asked for a moments silence. Reading crowd isn’t known for sensitivity, but I remember him telling us to ‘shut the fuck up’ and getting it.

Just left a club called the boogie in Orange County CA and was headed to Dennys

In my grandmothers living room laying down on their weight lifting table reading a book when my friend called me to tell me the news.

I was in the club. The DJ announced it. I was with my friend. She also has since past away. RIP 💔

Just moved to my new apt and was having a housewarming party. My TV didn’t arrive yet and being this was before the age of smartphones—everyone was trying to figure out if the news was legit.

At a club celebrating someone's birthday.

San Antonio in the club

I’ll never forget I was riding in the car with my grandma and she told me right before they announced it on the radio. I was distraught 😭

I was in the Army, stationed in the Balkans in Europe. I was only two months into my tour when it was announced on the radio that she died.

I found out in a aol chat room actually

I was in a car with my parents driving in Long Island somewhere. Also the same day I became a woman and started menstruating.

I'm too old to remember now...ngl. I don't even think about it often, even though she's all over the webz nowadays.

I'm pretty sure I was in school when I found out, think 8th grade just started that week.

Financials?

I think I started college that week. I can’t remember where I was.

I fell asleep on the living room floor right in front of the tv. Tv was on all night so when I woke up at 7 or 8am the story was on

I was 9, and that summer had a promise that things would be good. Little did we know…I was listening to the radio and remember our neighbors arguing over whether they used a body double for Aaliyah in “More Than a Woman”. I am now realizing how much her music impacted me before and after her passing.

I remember watching the “Rock the Boat” video and could sense her eroticism matched by an ethereal angelic quality that drove Timbaland’s dope beats even harder.

The Red Album made its way through my mind that summer. “We Need a Resolution” played on Nickelodeon and I burned so many CDs with these singles and the heavenly, “It’s Whatever”, a song that belongs in the Garden of Eden.

Waking up for a morning "run" (literally walked) around the block.

On the phone with my best friend Crystal and puzzled like a bitch.

At my grandmother house with my cousins. One of my cousins was a huge fan of Aaliyah and took it as you would expect.

At my grandmother house with my cousins. One of my cousins was a huge fan of Aaliyah and took it as you would expect.

Recess

Watching my brother iron his clothes in the kitchen.

Was at work when the news scrolled along the bottom of the tv. Definitely changed the vibe that night. The DJ lots of Aaliyah

Not even a thought in my mom head

At school and they announced it on the intercom.

In the 6th grade

Man I was at church would never forget that . The pastor announced during the service then have an altar prayer after he announced. Hindsight I was about 9-10 but I do vaguely remember that.

Listening to my radio in my bedroom. It's honestly the first time I felt grief for an artist passing away.

I was in kindergarten

Fuck if I know, probably smoking weed.

Driving in my family mini van with my dad bringing back pizza for my sisters 12th birthday party. We had to break the news and it shattered them all! I’ll never forget although I was only 8.

In grade 4.

Hangin with my cousins, when their older brother came in and told us…. Man we were young, 10, 11 years old but we were in love with her.. we were heartbroken to say the least. All my older cousins were in tears. They were around the same age as her so it hit them even harder.

Family Party

21 years old. Still enjoying what was left of summer vacation before my senior year of college began. Literally had just sat down to download some music. Saw it on the yahoo home page. Didn't believe it. Went to the MTV page. Saw it there too. And just sat there in shock.

I was so cool with the folks at the music store in my mall, that they gave me the huge aaliyah promo hanging that they had to advertise the new album (her final album). They gave it to me 2 weeks after the album was released. So I had it hanging up in my apt all summer long.

Which turned into all senior year, as a tribute of sorts I guess.

Elementary school summer orientation

I was spending time with my dad, stepmom and little sister. We heard the news on the radio and I still can’t believe that it’s true. I illogically think she’s out there somewhere.

In the car and had just pulled up to my house from work. I was in the 10th grade so tragic and sad!!

I was in Vegas for a wedding

Watching channel 1 in sophomore history 

I was at Busch Gardens for my birthday

i was 4 so i don’t remember anything but i do remember what happened a month later

Coming home from my dad’s place after “before the school year starts” shopping. On the table, the headline was very bold in the newspaper and was front page.

back to school shopping for grade school

I was a 25 yr. Old Black girl hiking the Appalachian trail.

Visiting my aunt during the summer between semesters. It was on CNN breaking news just as I walked into the living room...the TV was on, but no one was in the room. Strangely, when I was younger, I thought I'd meet her someday, but realized that was no longer possible.

I walked into my place on Saturday evening after doing whatever I did on late summer Saturday afternoon as a young twenty-something and turned the computer to CNN’s website. When I saw the headline, I did a double take and was in denial.

How Aaliyah gon die in a plane crash though!?!

I’d just gotten home from working night shift. And I turned to BET. That was the main place they played Aaliyah. They were the first to report about it also. And they were also showing the behind the scenes of the Rock the Boat video.

Omg. I was at home, playing rollercoaster tycoon when I heard it on Hot97.

Inside my mother’s womb I was born in November 2001

I was playing outside with my friends and a whole group of friends started running towards me yelling. When they got to me I saw that some were crying. They told me Aaliyah died and I ran to my house in disbelief and turned on the radio. They were playing all her songs on the station and announcing that she passed in the crash. It was a sad week.

7th grade, just got off the bus to go into school and my cousin ran up to me and told me 😩

That was such a horrible span of time. 9/11 happened just a few weeks later!

My mom was 13 so I was just an egg

I was an infant (born 6 months earlier) so crying a lot 😭

Funnily enough I was also named after Aaliyah lmao

Driving on 95 leaving New York where I had been visiting for two weeks. 😭Ugly cried the whole way home to Atlanta.

I was heading back to college that week, and my friend called me. It was rough. I immediately started looking at everything on TV, listening on the radio, and searching online.

I was a kid and my mom was having a birthday party. There were all ages there and I remember the mood changing when my older cousins heard the news.

Prob eatin baby food

I was probably eating apple sauce and watching blues clues

I was feeding my second oldest and I cried

Super sad time, super shocking, the entire neighborhood was just down. People were playing a lot of Aaliyah during the week

Sitting in history class. High school history teacher was a big news guy so after assignments were given out, he would have on CNN in the background. I caught Aaliyah’s news and 9/11 in real time while I was at school

Chillin' at my dad's house on that Sunday afternoon. I suppose I felt the same way people close to their age felt when Tupac died.

I was outside by the pool with my sister and cousin. My other cousin was inside at the computer waiting for dial up to connect. Then we heard the loudest wailing. We ran inside to find out she had logged on and it was the front cover of aol news. She cried the whole day. It was traumatic for her to find out that way. I was entering 11th grade and she was entering 9th grade that year.

i was sweeping up the grass outside after my brother got done cutting it and he came outside and told me the news. i didn't believe him so i ran inside to see the breaking news on tv. I WAS PISSED AND SAD and even at 10 years old the shit sounded sketchy/unbelievable/avoidable. Aaliyah was def my fave before i even thought about a beyonce 🥲

I was working.... but honestly that is all I can remember. I can't even recall what I did last week most times.

Waking up

Young kid, was watching bet and they interrupted the show, it was so so sad….it hit me so hard cuz rock the boat had just came out and I was getting to that age of understanding…I understood then….🕊️🙏🏾

In grade 10. I was shocked and saddened.

Freshman year in college, about to head out the door of my shitty little apartment to go to class. Heard it on the radio bc I didn’t have a tv.

I had just bought the exact same gold halter top she wore on her last album cover and I wore that shit to shreds.

I was in daycare, so I don’t remember it. I was like 3 years old.

I was negative a few years old

I was watching mtv and it came across breaking news. I actually liked some of her songs when I was little. One of the super impactful passings of the time. People felt that shit

I had just moved into my college dorm for my last year in college. I was devastated. I felt like she'd overcame the negative association with R. Kelly and helped usher in the Timbaland sound (which really shifted R&B and pop into a new direction). She was the first artist ever in history to have a #1 Hot 100 single based on airplay alone (TRY AGAIN). She was a budding film star. I felt that she was finally getting the mainstream recognition that was long overdue.

I found a corner in my room and cried for a bit.

I'm four days older than Aaliyah and even though I love many other female artists, I always felt a special connection to her music. I was a child when artists like Janet, Anita and Whitney burst on the scene, but I was with Aaliyah from the beginning as someone who was the same age.

Her death hit different.

I had just lost my virginity

At my auntie house with my cousins. I remember being in the front yard. Now Michael Jackson came thru as breaking news while I was sitting in the doctor's office with my mom lol crazy time! 

We were at a carry out

I was powerbombing my little brother off the bunk bed

I was in 4th grade chillin

Listening to We need a resolution, I was enjoying that album, decided I was officially a fan..and then my sister told me she just passed away

Pshhhh remember that like yesterday. 5th grade Bradley Elementary Columbia SC.

First period. All of the girls came into class crying. None of us boys knew what was going on until they started talking about it. Naturally we gave no fucks. It took me until my early teens, first relationship, (back when we used to burn Cds on windows media player for each other iykyk). The very first song she put on her CD to me was "One In A Million" then I was like "oooooooooh now I see why they loved her so much."

On bro I fell in love with her my damn self.

After a few more years of scoping her out, now at 33 I say that if Aaliyah was alive Beyonce wouldn't have existed.

At all.

Fight me.

Reading that she had died.

Having an existential life crisis in kindergarten. Apparently according to my parents I got really interested in my own mortality. I don’t remember it except one time when coloring in pictures with other kids I specifically had a thought what’s the point of this? I then started to just fill it in with a pencil because at the end of the day it didn’t make a difference.

My teacher got super upset and snatched the pencil from my hand and forced in a crayon to my right hand (I’m left handed they tried all throughout prek and kinder to use my right it didn’t work)

In the store buying things I was a kid when she passed.

Hanging out with a high school friend in LA and they announced it on the radio at a meal. We went to see Zoolander after. And that just kicked off a real downhill period in my early adulthood.

I had gotten laid off a few months before. The dotcom bust meant there were no local jobs, especially post 9/11. I ended up moving in with my parents and working crappy retail jobs for the next 2ish years.

My mom casually told me Aaliyah died and I told her to stop lying and not to play with people like that then I turned on the TV and it was confirmed. I was sick

I was working for a company in South San Francisco at the time.