Aaliyah
Ryan Leslie
Ryan Leslie is a beast on the production tip. Who else could give Cassie (an admitted Aaliyah stan herself) her sole Billboard hit since 2006? While we await his forthcoming album “Les Is More,” this project would be the perfect place for R-Les to bring us his dope production style that we know so well.
Of all the producers on this list, Bangladesh is probably the quickest to recognize on the radio. His beats are so unique & fresh, making him a great candidate to help bring Aaliyah into 2012. Just listening to his production on Rihanna’s controversial hit “Cockiness” brings back nostalgic memories of Aaliyah’s futuristic banger “We Need A Resolution.”
Polow Da Don
Polow Da Don is seen to some as a sort of “Timbaland-in-waiting.” In 2010 alone, he placed 12 charting singles on the Billboard Hot 100 as a producer. His work with Aaliyah-inspired artists like Ciara (“Never Ever”) & Keri Hilson (“Turnin’ Me On”) proves that his style is definitely in sync with what we’re familiar of Baby Girl’s past hits.
J. Cole
J. Cole is among the current members of Aaliyah’s unofficial hip-hop fan club (joined by the likes of Kendrick Lamar and club captain Drake). He’s even mentioned in the past to producing a track dedicated to Aaliyah shorty after her passing in 2001. He said of the track, “I was always naming my beats, and this beat I wanted to make for Aaliyah. Not a song, I just wanted to make a beat…That was my way to pay my respect.” Cole may just get that chance now.
Jamie xx
Emo king Jamie xx of the alternative trio The xx hit mainstream recently with the track “Take Care” that he produced for Drake & Rihanna. His style is a mix between chillwave and house music, finding a middle ground between genres that just fits perfectly. After covering Aaliyah’s “Hot Like Fire,” and doing it much justice, as a bonus track on The xx’s debut album xx, it’s clear that he could bring an out-of-the-box alternative feel to a new Aaliyah album.
Rico Love
With the recent release of Brandy & Monica’s duet “It All Belongs To Me,” Rico Love is proving that not only can he produce for R&B artists, but specifically the R&B princesses of the 90s—a category that Aaliyah dominated during her “One In A Million” era. His production would fit well with Aaliyah’s signature style, while still keeping her up-to-date.
The Dream
“If anybody deserves to sing anything that [Aaliyah’s] done, it’s me” said The-Dream shorty after covering her signature song “One In A Million.” While reception from that cover version was mixed (more negative than positive actually), there’s no denying that The-Dream is the closest producer with the skills to recreate that unique and forward-thinking music Aaliyah & Timbaland left us with. The idea of him on her new album would be a given—producing-wise only!
Wu-Tang Clan’s proclaimed abbot is one of the illest producers of past, present, and future hip-hop music. Aaliyah was well known to ride a rugged beat with her smooth vocals effortlessly. RZA would be a great addition to this album if not for the simple fact that he almost did a record with her at one point. Speaking on originally producing Wu-Tang’s 2001 UK hit “Gravel Pit” for Aaliyah, he said, “I wrote [“Gravel Pit”] for Aaliyah, who we lost before she could do it. But it was written originally for Aaliyah, who was my favorite artist, and I felt every single she made was great.”
Kanye West
If Kanye West touched this record with his brilliant production skills, there’s no telling how insane this potential album would be. It’s a shame Kanye & Aaliyah never got a chance to work together, seeing as they are two of the most creative artists to ever hit the urban airwaves. This may be a stretch, seeing as Ye has a million and one projects on his plate currently (“Watch The Throne 2” & the G.O.O.D. Music compilation album instantly come to mind), but if he could make time to lace a posthumous Aaliyah album with his magic, it would be the closest thing to perfection.
There’s not one producer, in any genre, more fit or a more logical choice to work on this potential Aaliyah album than the man who help craft her sound himself—Mr. Timothy Mosely. We haven’t seen a singer/producer duo quite like Timbaland & Aaliyah since, well, Timbaland & Aaliyah. Hits like “Try Again” and “More Than A Woman” still sound fresh today. If this project ever sees the light of day, it’s almost guaranteed that Timb will be the head producer. We’re just hoping it’s more in the vain of “Carry Out” and a lot less “Morning After Dark,” two tracks from his 2009 Shock Value II album.
The Vibe Mix Newsletter