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15 years ago: Aaliyah dies in Bahamas plane crash

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15 years ago, the world lost a superstar.

Aaliyah was only 22-year-old when her rising career came to an abrupt end, after a plane crash took her life in The Bahamas in 2001.

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The singer, dancer, actress and model was born in New York, but was raised in Detroit.

Aailyah's family moved to Detroit when she was five, where she attending a Catholic school, Gesu Elementary.

She later attended the Detroit High School for the Fine and Performing Arts, where she maintained a perfect 4.0 grade point average.

The Detroit native burst onto the R & B music scene as a 15-year-old tom boyish protegee of singer R. Kelly.

She later stepped out on her own, became a multi-platinum selling artist and launched a movie career with roles in "Romeo Must Die" and "Queen of the Damned."

After filming a music video for her song "Rock the Boat," a plane returning to the United States from The Bahamas crashed shortly after takeoff and exploded.

Investigators concluded that the aircraft had too much weight onboard. The pilot was also not approved to fly the plane, and an autopsy found the pilot had traces of cocaine and alcohol in his system.

Also killed in the accident were security guard Scott Gallin, 41; family friend Keith Wallace, 49; record label employees Douglas Kratz, 28, and Gina Smith, 29; hair stylists Eric Foreman, 29, and Anthony Dodd, 34; make up artist Christopher Maldonado, 32; and pilot Luis Morales III, 30.

The video for "Rock the Boat" was eventually released on BET's Access Granted on October 2001.

Aaliyah is still considered to be one of the most iconic artists of her time. She has sold an estimated 24 to 32 million albums worldwide.


About the Author
Ken Haddad headshot

Ken Haddad has proudly been with WDIV/ClickOnDetroit since 2013. He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter and various other newsletters, and helps lead the WDIV Insider team. He's a big sports fan and is constantly sipping Lions Kool-Aid.

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