LL Cool J Defends Controversial "Aaliyah" Biopic Amid Massive Backlash

Music veteran LL Cool J recently stepped up to share his thoughts on last weekend's controversial Lifetime film, Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B, and came to its defense.

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Instead of focusing on the negative, LL said he saw the positive in Lifetime’s biopic.

“There are parts of the movie that I could criticize, but at least at the end of the day, Lifetime is celebrating one of our icons, a young lady who obviously left too soon and was tremendously talented. Hollywood is still working on that part of learning how to cast black people. I think that in general, the movie was insightful and it was interesting and that girl, she played that role in a sweet way.” (Sister 2 Sister)

Check out what Wendy Williams said about the flick right here…

Talk show host Wendy Williams, who executive-produced the film, addressed her critics on a broadcast of the “Wendy” show earlier in the week.

“Everybody got an opinion,” Wendy said during her “Wendy” broadcast. “Well I must tell you, whether you loved or hated, you watched. It was the second highest-rated movie on all of cable this year so far. Not just Lifetime, but all of cable. And I must say, ‘Flowers In The Attic’ was number one, then us, so thank you. We all have opinions. But I must say if you still want to see the Aaliyah movie it comes on tonight at 8 o’clock on Lifetime. Thank-you! And by the way, you, Alexandra Shipp did a terrific job as Aaliyah.” (“Wendy”)

Music producer Timbaland said the decision to put Aaliyah’s life story out for the first time as a TV movie upset him the most this week.

“I don’t know whose fault it it,” Tim responded when asked about the Lifetime production before saying the fact Aaliyah’s life story would be told for a made-for-TV upset him the most. “That’s what made me kinda go off the way I did. It was the first initial time and it was like, ‘Wow. This is how y’all are gonna really do it? Y’all are really gonna put this out?” I always thought it was a rumor. I thought it was a joke. Evidently it wasn’t then I started to realize, ‘Wait a minute, this is really real.’ … I shouldn’t have never paid it any attention.” (Hot 97)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHHfWl1mMvI&list=UU5RwNJQSINkzIazWaM-lM3Q

According to the executive producers, their only intent was to remember and honor Aaliyah’s short-lived life.

Executive producers Howard Braunstein and Debra Martin Chase, along with author Christopher Farley (whose book “Aaliyah: More Than a Woman” was the basis for the movie) explained that they aimed to create a very tasteful tribute to a star who “led an incredible life in 22 short years.” (Washington Post)

Timbaland showed no mercy to Lifetime over its production last weekend.