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CNN Live At Daybreak

Aaliyah Killed in Plane Crash: U.S. Investigators Heading to Bahamas

Aired August 27, 2001 - 08:02   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to start off with U.S. investigators -- and they're heading to the Bahamas this morning. They are going to help with the investigation of the plane crash that killed singer Aaliyah and eight other people.

CNN's Brian Palmer takes a look at her short career.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN PALMER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): She went platinum at age 14 with her debut album, "Age Ain't Nothing But a Number."

Just two years later in 1996, she hit multi-platinum with "One in a Million."

Aaliyah Haughton, just Aaliyah to her fans, called her styled street, but sweet. Her music, a mixture of hard beats, smooth melodies and smart lyrics, but music was just the beginning.

JET LI, ACTOR: It is too dangerous right now, girl.

AALIYAH: I will take my chances.

Her star turn with Hong Kong action film star Jet Li in "Romeo Must Die" turned heads in Hollywood and led to more film offers.

PETER NOEL, WRITER: She didn't want to be portrayed as a sex symbol but as a serious actor, and I think that she achieved that at some point.

PALMER: The Brooklyn-born, Detroit-bred 22-year-old was returning from the video shoot in the Bahamas when her plane crashed killing Aaliyah and either other women and men, friends and associates of the star.

TOM JOYNER, SYNDICATED RADIO SHOW HOST: It's just unbelievable that a talent so young and so promising is gone.

TERRIE WILLIAMS, AALIYAH'S FORMER PUBLICIST: I think that there is no question that she really only just scratched the surface of what I think she was going to do.

PALMER: Friends and fans are still absorbing the loss. GEOYE PUGH, AALIYAH'S FRIEND: Aaliyah was my best friend. She was a beautiful person on the inside and out. And I am just shocked.

SELENA WRIGHT, FAN: think she was an asset to the black community and actually all communities. She is a role model for all.

PALMER: Aaliyah had just released a self-titled album, her first in five years.

ALAN LIGHT, "SPIN": There is a lot of popular interchangeable, you know, young pop and R&B singers. And Aaliyah had another element -- another element of mystery and of sophistication.

PALMER: As police continue to investigate, friends and relatives will put to rest the victims of the crash.

Brian Palmer, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Like Brian said, many friends and family members reacting to the death of Aaliyah.

We go live now to Times Square where our Jason Carroll is standing by getting reaction.

Jason, I understand from people there.

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Kyra.

We are in front of the Virgin megastore here in Times Square, where we have been talking to some of Aaliyah's fans throughout the morning.

Three of them are joining me right now. We've got here Melinda (ph) and Donna (ph). They are from Dallas, Texas. And then we've got Dwaine (ph) here. And Dwaine is from the Bronx here in New York.

Let me start out with you, Dwaine. When you first heard about what happened...

DWAINE, AALIYAH FAN: Devastated -- devastated. I am a fan of Aaliyah's, and I grew up on her music. And we're both the same age, so it really hits -- it really hits hard; 22 years old -- such a shame.

CARROLL: Now, where did you hear about it? You said you heard about it at first this weekend. Where were you when you first heard about it, and what were some of your thoughts?

MELINDA, AALIYAH FAN: Yesterday we were riding on one of the buses, and we saw it on one of the ticker kind of the billboards. And I turned to my sister, and I said, I know her music a little bit. But it's just tragic, because she was so young, and I think she had such a promising career. CARROLL: And talking about that promising career, you were telling me earlier about her film career, which was just really getting under way.

DONNA, AALIYAH FAN: Right. I know she was going to star in "The Matrix," the sequel, and she did "Romeo Must Die." So I know with the news and stuff, I heard that she wanted to like have a career in movies as well.

CARROLL: All right. The three of you -- thank you so very much for joining us and talking about Aaliyah this morning.

Again, Kyra, a lot of fans out here this morning all expressing remorse over the death of such a promising star.

PHILLIPS: Yes. We are told, Jason, she even started shooting "Matrix 2", so it will be interesting to see what happens with that film and who will take her place.

Our Jason Carroll -- yes, did you have a comment?

CARROLL: Well, I was just going to say that actually she started shooting parts of 2 and 3.

PHILLIPS: Oh, wow!

CARROLL: And right now, they are just trying to figure out how they are going to get around shooting the parts that still need to be done.

PHILLIPS: Yes. Jason, I know you're always up on that, thanks so much -- Jason Carroll, live from Times Square.

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