You had to be there.

I know it sounds cliche, but you really did have to be there for the rollout of Aaliyah’s final self-titled album, aka, the “Red” album. It was dope. It was sick. It was futuristic. And I so dearly miss the days when creativity and originality were front and center.

Aaliyah’s 2001 anime-style TV spot was a game- changer. Dropped right alongside her self-titled third studio album, the commercial was an absolute vision. Long before blending anime culture with hip-hop and R&B became a mainstream staple, Aaliyah and director Warren Fu delivered a futuristic, Japanimation-inspired masterpiece that defined the Y2K era.

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Instead of a standard compilation of music video clips, the promo reimagined Aaliyah as a sleek, cybernetic action heroine moving through a neon-lit, dystopian cityscape. Set against the moody, Timbaland-produced bounce of her lead single “We Need a Resolution,” the animation captured her signature style perfectly—swept hair, effortless cool and unmatched grace—translated into sharp, cel-shaded lines.

As with everything Aaliyah did, the spot felt ahead of its time, proving that she wasn’t just a pop icon—she was a trendsetter across every artistic medium she touched.

Looking back at that commercial today brings back an overwhelming wave of nostalgia. It captures a moment in time when physical albums were major pop culture events and TV promos had the budget and creativity to feel like mini-blockbusters.

Aaliyah’s anime promo remains a brilliant piece of visual history—a testament to her forward-thinking artistry and Warren Fu’s breathtaking design work that still looks just as cool today as it did on a CRT television screen in 2001.

Featured Photo: Blackground Records