Aaliyah ft. Static Major: Steady Ground

Released: 2005

Recorded: Unknown

Label: Blackground Records

Here is a track which some of you may not have heard before. Steady Ground which features the likes of Playa's – Static Major and producer J-Dub  is one of the left over tracks which was originally going to be put on Aaliyah's third studio album, self titled AALIYAH. Below I have a mini interview where J-Dub himself talks about the making of this track and why it never made the cut on the album. Now again, I was going to share the audio content via youtube, but youtube likes to be annoying by deleting the audio content, so luckily I have the audio content myself which I will share with you via my Tumblr blog. :o) I remember when I first came across this track, I was like wow, how have I not heard this before. I always make it part of my duty to know everything and anything about Babygirl, so if I come across something new I have to share it! :o) Production wise, I like the use of beats as it's not something you hear everyday. Very innovative both musically and lyrically. Anyways, please listen and enjoy this lovely track! :o) 

Listen here for Aaliyah ft. Static Major – Steady Ground

http://sanchinitodiego.tumblr.com/post/63169083082

J-Dub: “It was really the first single after “Rock The Boat”, but my engineer was mixing the record and somehow lost the vocals. So the vocals that you hear are really just the demo vocals. The final vocals got erased, so yeah. So that’s why it didn’t make the album.”

Lil' Kim ft. Aaliyah & The Notorious B.I.G.: Queen Bee

Released: November 12th 1996

Recorded: 1995 – 1996

Label: Undeas/Big Beat

Hey guys! :o) Here's a track which Aaliyah is featured on with 90's Hip-Hop Queen Lil' Kim and Hip-Hop legend Biggie Smalls. I discovered the track from the mixtape – The Aaliyah Duets Album which showcases some of Babygirl's best duets alongside other performing artists and groups. You can download the mixtape here via http://www.datpiff.com/Aaliyah-The-Aaliyah-Duets-Album-mixtape.10680.html.

The track itself is called Queen Bee in comparison to the uncensored version called Queen Bitch which obviously Babygirl is not featured on. Aaliyah isn't really singing much on this, however, when she sings the hook 'I'm the Queen' all I gotta say is yess! Bow down! lol! Aaliyah was the Queen in her own right, the way she sings it sounds so hauntingly beautiful it's captivating. Now again, you know all me, I like to know where all the samples come from. If we look at the very core roots of the sample, it actually originates from Roberta Flack's – Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye. If you listen to the song carefully at 2:50 you will hear the piano riff which has been sampled. You can check this out down below to compare and contrast. 

Now, I'm not done yet, because I have heard this same classic piano riff in so many other songs, that it's only fair I share it with you guys. When we talk about Lil' Kim, we all know how close she was with Biggie both on the mic with their lyrical content and off the scenes with their relation. Biggie in fact helped Lil' Kim on this lyrically, since she was learning the ropes of how a rapper should deliver, so below I have also uploaded the original Queen Bitch which was written by Biggie himself. Last but not least, we have Mary J. Blige ft. Lil' Kim's – I Can Love You. Again this song also samples the piano riff, and who can blame them, it's so catchy that it would make anyone want to listen to it. Anyhoo, for all you music lovers out there, sit back, listen and enjoy! :o)