ALBUM REVIEW - Age Ain't Nothing But A Number (6/14/1994)



By Jim Derogatis

Robert Kelly is one of the most talented producers of the '90s; his familiar smooth grooves and jeep beats power Aaliyah's debut and the hit "Back And Forth." Oozing sexuality, it branded her as the "R&B Lolita," but there's still some question about exactly how old she was and is.

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ALBUM REVIEW - One In A Million (8/27/1996)



By Jim Derogatis

Though Aaliyah made some noise with the singles "If Your Girl Only Knew" and "4 Page Letter," producer Kelly's deft touch is sorely missed, and his former protege is starting to sound like just another voice in the pack of female R&B wannabes.


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ALBUM REVIEW - Aaliyah (07/25/2001)



By Dan Leroy

By the standards of today's pop charts, Aaliyah is a grizzled vet at age 22. But the former teen R&B star, who first hit back in 1994 at the then-tender age of 15, apparently wanted there to be no mistaking her for any of the current musical kiddie corps. Her third album--and first in five years--is grown-up with a capital "G."

Yet despite the presence of Timbaland behind the boards for a few cuts, and a song (the ballad "I Care 4 U") contributed by Missy Elliott, this is certainly no Misdemeanor joint, either. Aaliyah gets her freak on here in a much more mellow and sultry fashion, typified by the easy-flowing "Rock The Boat," which gives a lover some fairly direct instructions on boat-rocking.

At times the reliance on heavy-breathing, laid-back grooves is a little annoying--Aaliyah doesn't quite have the pipes to carry off melodramatic fare like "Never No More," and a few more club bangers on the order of the springy, sassy "U Got Nerve" certainly wouldn't have hurt. Overall, though, the mature, midtempo funk can't quite keep down Aaliyah's still-kittenish vocals, making this disc a pretty listenable blend of youth and experience.


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CONCERT REVIEW - Summer Tour With Dru Hill, Ginuwine, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Aaliyah and Mary J. Blige Set For Platinum Success(8/06/1997)



By Lyndsey Parker

(8/6/97) - Dru Hill, Ginuwine, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Aaliyah and Mary J. Blige will hit the road August 28th, kicking off what may turn out to be one of the Summer's most successful package tours. Bone Thugs' new double-album, The Art Of War, is expected to make a splashy debut on the Billboard album chart next week; Blige, Aaliyah, Dru Hill and Ginuwine are all platinum artists as well. This platinum-plated Summer tour will carry on through October:

8/28 - Buffalo, NY, Marine Midland Arena
8/29 - Cleveland, OH, Gund Arena
8/30 - Philadelphia, PA, Corestates Center
9/1 - Charlotte, NC, Coliseum
9/3 - Memphis, TN, Pyramid
9/3 - Indianapolis, IN, Market Square Arena
9/4 - Nashville, TN, Coliseum
9/5 - Detroit, MI, Palace Arena
9/6 - Chicago, IL, United Center
9/7 - Dayton, OH, Nutter Center
9/10 - Atlanta, GA, Lakewood Amphitheater
9/11 - Baltimore, MD, Civic Arena
9/12 - New York, NY, Madison Square Garden
9/13 - Hartford, CT, Civic Center
9/14 - Worcester, MA, Centrum
9/17 - Pittsburgh, PA, Civic Arena
9/18 - Hampton, VA, Coliseum
9/19 - Greenboro, NC, Coliseum
9/20 - Orlando, FL, Centroplex
9/21 - Miami, FL, Arena
9/23 - Oklahoma City, OK, Myriad Arena
9/24 - Denver, CO, McNichols Arena
9/26 - Houston, TX, The Summit
9/27 - St. Louis, MO, Keil Center
9/28 - Dallas, TX, Starplex Amphitheater
10/1 - Seattle, WA, Key Arena
10/2 - Sacramento, CA, Arco Arena
10/3 - San Jose, CA, Arena
10/4 - Los Angeles, CA, Forum
10/5 - Phoenix, AZ, Arizona Coliseum