S. Samuel
R&B singer Ginuwine recently gave his take on buzz surrounding fellow crooner Drake helming an upcoming posthumous project on his late friend Aaliyah.
Although Ginuwine respects Drizzy, he could not co-sign the Young Money star’s reported project.
In an interview with entertainment website LivinTheHustle.com, the R&B singer laid his thoughts on the table when asked about the contentious project. “I don’t think he should do it,” said Ginuwine. “I don’t agree with it.” Ginuwine — who frequently collaborated with Aaliyah in the ’90s — added: “I think he should just leave that alone. I keep hearing about it. I’m not too much up on it but I know a little bit about it. I do know that he’s disrespecting Chris and that’s just not her legacy. That’s not how her legacy should be played out. I don’t think he should use her to paddle anybody.” (VIBE)
Longtime friend Missy Elliott shared a similar sentiment over the posthumous effort.
“No call has been made to me. I have to respect her family, and until they come and say they’re ready to do an Aaliyah album then I don’t really want to get into that because it’s very sensitive. It’s not records that already done came out, we’re talking about unfinished music. And we don’t know what her reasoning for not putting those records out,” Missy said in reference to the LP. “Maybe she didn’t feel like they were her best work. We just don’t want to tap into that, just spiritually something else you know…..very very touchy. Unless her parents came in and conducted that. … think that the tattoo is real, I did see a picture of it. You know what, let me be quiet….you know what it is, because he’s a human being too. A lot of people may not have met Michael Jackson, but feel they have a connection with him.” (Miss Info TV)
Recently, former Def Jam rap star DMX went at the Canadian rapper for not showing respect toward artists Aaliyah worked with.
“Drake,” X said when asked what artists he feels are not talented. “He is [talented], he has talent but it’s kind of redundant. It’s kind of the same all the time, sounds the same, to me, personally, it’s like an annoying sound. [noises] It’s like a washing machine. [noises] Or a dryer. [noises] You know what, I don’t even have to explain why. I just don’t like what it is and I’m kind of feeling some kind of way about the fact you’ve commissioned, you’ve been blessed, you’ve been given the opportunity to do the Aaliyah album yet you don’t include anybody that she worked with personally? What part of the game is that? I’ma tell you why I’m mad, son! There’s a reason why I feel the way I feel. How do you do that? How do you disregard what this woman did, what this beautiful angel did.” (MTV RapFix)
Around mid-August, Missy’s camp denied taking part in a posthumous LP.
“Although Missy and Timbaland always strive to keep the memory of their close friend alive, we have not been contacted about the project nor are there any plans at this time to participate,” Mona Scott-Young, longtime manager for Missy Elliott, says. “We’ve seen the reports surfacing that they have been confirmed to participate but that is not the case. Both Missy and Timbaland are very sensitive to the loss still being felt by the family so we wanted to clear up any misinformation being circulated.” (Billboard)
