Queen of the Damned is certainly one of the movies of all time, not to mention a ninety-something minute ad for nu metal as a whole. Perhaps the biggest beneficiary of its infamy is Aaliyah, the R&B singer who plays Akasha, queen of the vampires in the Anne Rice adaptation and sequel of sorts to the lauded Interview with the Vampire. The film was released just months after Aaliyah's passing at the age of 22, in an unfortunate and completely avoidable plane crash on August 25th, 2001, which was bringing the singer and her entourage home from the filming of the music video for her song "Rock the Boat."
Twenty-four years after her death, Aaliyah has notched her first number one on the Billboard Adult R&B Airplay chart, as her song "Gone" featuring Tank topped said chart for the week ending September 27th. The song, which features on the upcoming Unstoppable, features vocals recorded by Aaliyah before her death, and Tank, formerly a backup singer for the icon, shared criticism over the final mix, asserting that "Aaliyah deserved better."
That she absolutely does, but in spite of that, this makes Aaliyah's first number one and Tank's tenth, whatever that is worth. Time will tell what the rest of Unstoppable will bring, but seeing the gone-too-soon Aaliyah getting her flowers is still great to see.
Check out the video for "Gone" below:
