Here Comes the Pain
Superstar
the real disrespect is from these belated Aaliyah stans disrespecting the game by rewriting history. all gloves are off by that point. you should check them instead.
how was her popularity growing when her last album did poorly before she died?
i think youre confusing an artist getting placements & crossing over with genuine organic popularity. also, when artists start doing movies, they usually get to that point by the time that their prime had already ran its course. Aaliyah being a prime example. a disappointing album drops, before she even films her role in the matrix.
"try again" was a big hit but it clearly didn't carry over into her album the following summer. and that's probably because that song was str8 kidz bop/bubblegum.
timbo would've gave her what songs that became hits? why didnt he give her any hits for her last album?(that "more than a woman" chit wouldve flopped if she was alive). and timbo went pop breh. and if Aaliyah was so great, why are yall mortgaging her future on what beats a producer may or may not have given her? the same producer who had fallouts with missy & Ginuwine, who were bigger acts than Aaliyah and he was with them long before Aaliyah was in the picture.
Her album went gold before she died. The album itself wasn't even out that long.

Aaliyah`s popularity was definitely organic. You had people who wanted to imitate her looks & dance moves. Nothing manufactured about the love that Aaliyah received

Beyonce, Usher, & Timberlake were doing movies in the prime of their careers . The same can be said for countless others such as T.I, Dmx, Brandy, etc.