Please Don’t Release Posthumous Aaliyah Songs If They Sound Terrible

We all miss the fallen icon, but dropping subpar releases after her death is straight-up disrespectful

Michael Arceneaux
LEVEL
Published in
4 min readDec 31, 2021

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Ron Galella/Getty Images

If you’re going to release a “new” song from Aaliyah, it should at least be audible. That not only meets the bare minimum for any musical release in 2021, but when it comes to Aaliyah specifically, it’s a sign of reverence for someone who managed to become one of the most influential artists of her generation by the time she passed at 22. Anything else is not only disrespectful to her, but to her fans who’ve been put through enough over the years simply trying to obtain digital access to her discography.

Earlier this month, Blackground Records suddenly (and randomly) released the single “Poison,” which features The Weeknd. It marks the first release of new Aaliyah music since the 2012 single “Enough Said,” with Drake.

On the new record, Aaliyah sings: “How can I explain myself to you? Questions keep lurking through my mind. Is it the lover for the…

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Michael Arceneaux
LEVEL

New York Times bestselling author of “I Can’t Date Jesus” and “I Don’t Want To Die Poor.”