Aaliyah, released on July 7, 2001, by Blackground Records and Virgin Records America, is the third and final studio album by American R&B recording artist Aaliyah (pictured). Recorded periodically from 1998 to 2000, it is an R&B and neo soul record, drawing on funk, hip hop, alternative rock, and electronica sounds, among others. Most of the song lyrics were written by Static Major, and deal with the complexities of romantic love and the stages of a relationship; Aaliyah viewed the album as a reflection of herself as both a young adult and a matured vocalist. Aaliyah received positive critical reviews, and debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, though sales began to drop off shortly after its release. Following Aaliyah's death in a plane
