Hip-hop has never forgotten Aalyiah, an enduring talent taken too soon in a tragic plane crash. In honor of preserving her memory, Madam Tussauds recently commissioned a wax figure of the icon, and unveiled it last night to a packed house. Standing beside the lifelike figure was her brother Rashad Haughton, who took a moment to deliver a powerful homage to his sister's memory.
Aaliyah's Brother Delivers Powerful Homage At Wax Figure Unveiling">Chris Walter/Getty Images
"To capture the beauty, unique style, and grace of my sister was no easy task," explains Rashad. "And everyone involved did an extraordinary job, as you can see, right? It's amazing. My sister is famously quoted as saying, and I paraphrase, that she was only in competition with herself. You guys all know that quote. I think we can all agree that she chose some really tough competition."
"Some of you in this room knew her personally or had the chance to meet her and experience that special quality," he continues. "Others could see it radiating through the screen in her videos, films, and interviews. This special quality I'm talking about was my sister's humility. Being kind and so down to earth is what drew people to her. The ability to treat everyone around her like stars. And let them shine just like her was incredible. Each and every one of you in this room are stars, I want to let you know that. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for being here."