Age Ain't Nothing but a Number

Aaliyah's uncle Barry Hankerson, who was an entertainment lawyer, had been married to Gladys Knight. As a child, Aaliyah traveled with Knight and worked with an agent in New York, where she auditioned for commercials and television programs, including the sitcom Family Matters. In 1989 at the age of 10, she went on to appear on Star Search, where she performed "My Funny Valentine". Aaliyah chose to begin auditioning while her mother made the decision to have her surname dropped. By the age of 11, she started appearing in concerts alongside Gladys Knight. For five nights, Aaliyah performed with Knight in Las Vegas; during the concerts, she would perform a number in the middle of Knight's set and help close out the show by singing a duet with her. While speaking about her time performing with Knight, Aaliyah said "it was a great learning experience". During that time Hankerson was trying to get her a deal with MCA. While working with Powell, Aaliyah recorded several covers, such as "The Greatest Love of All", "Over the Rainbow", and "My Funny Valentine", which she had performed on Star Search. Aside from MCA Records, Hankerson also attempted to get her signed with Warner Bros.; according to Hankerson, although the executives at both labels liked her voice, they ultimately did not sign her.{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-07-02-ca-11198-story.html|title=Actually, the Credit Goes 'Back & Forth' : Pop music: As a teen-ager, Aaliyah already has a Top 5 hit. But she knows how much it helps to have R. Kelly doing all but the lead vocals. ==Recording and production==

By 1993, Aaliyah was signed to both Blackground and Jive. In between that time period Hankerson introduced her to recording artist and producer R. Kelly. When the pair first met, she sang an a cappella song for him; impressed by her voice Kelly then made the decision to work with her. Kelly was the only writer and producer credited on the album because Jive Records didn't want multiple people sharing publishing rights. According to Jeff Sledge, "Clive was a publishing guru, so he and Barry weren’t trying to cut a lot of people in on the album to share the publishing. They said we’re going to do this with one guy and the publishing will be easy to deal with because it’s one person". "Old School" was the first song recorded for the album and recording took place at the Chicago Recording Company (CRC) for a duration of at least two days. Aaliyah loved recording "Old School" because that song "had an Isley Brothers flair” to it. Hours were hectic in the studio and according to Aaliyah: "We put in a lot of hours; as far as the music, we’d be in there all night making sure it was perfect. There were times when I was tired, but I knew I had to push on if I wanted to come off." Kelly claimed that Aaliyah was "one of the best young artists" he had worked with. During the recording stages, record executives at Jive were out of the loop in regards to the type of material being recorded. The executives at the label didn't hear the album until it was finished, and they were satisfied with the finished product. Sledge said: "When we finally heard the album we were blown away because the album was dope. It was basically like listening to an R. Kelly album, but with a little girl singing". ==Music and lyrics==

In critical commentaries, ''Age Ain't Nothing but a Number is classified as an R&B, new jack swing and pop record. According to the book Musichound R&B: The Essential Album Guide (1998), the album "blends the hip-hop sassiness of Mary J. Blige and the soul of Motown". Dean Van Nguyen from The Independent'' said the record consist of "sunny pop jams and sweet ballads".{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/aaliyah-one-in-a-million-at-20-how-she-forged-pop-s-future-a7208851.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160826210421/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/aaliyah-one-in-a-million-at-20-how-she-forged-pop-s-future-a7208851.html |archive-date=2016-08-26 |url-access=limited |url-status=live|title='One In A Million' at 20: How Aaliyah forged pop's future The fifth track "Down with the Clique" is a hip hop song, while the sixth track "At Your Best (You Are Love)" is a cover that was originally recorded by The Isley Brothers. Aaliyah's cover was labeled as a "sweet" "vintage soul ballad", that gave her a chance to "ditch the tough-girl posturing". The seventh track "No One Knows How to Love Me Quite Like You Do" is a "sensually" up-tempo "crush" record that features a guest rap appearance from Tia Hawkins. Lyrically, it is about Aaliyah being satisfied and how she is "made to feel like a goddess". Hawkins, brings a "comic relief" with her raps, telling the listeners R. Kelly is "spitting tracks as if it were tobacco." When discussing the record itself, Aaliyah stated: "Every girl looks for that one person who is going to love them right. That song is saying, when it comes down to it, I like how you satisfy me." The eighth track "I'm So into You" features another guest rap from Hawkins. The ninth track "Street Thing" is a "pretty standard slow jam" and it is about having devotion for another person. During the bridge of the song, Aaliyah sings about climbing the "highest mountain," and swimming the "deepest sea" to prove her devotion. The tenth track "Young Nation" is about Aaliyah "aligning herself with an entire movement". The eleventh track "Old School" is about merging an old school style with a new school style, the opening begins with "Here's the old school / With the new school". The albums final track "I'm Down" is a mid-tempo rap-soul ballad that focuses on "one person giving themselves fully to another". ==Release and promotion==

Aaliyah's record label didn't interfere with her image so she was granted free rein when it came to her imaging and style. A month before the release of the album's lead single "Back & Forth", Aaliyah attended the Urban Network's "Power Jam" conference, where she was introduced and "received warmly". Along with radio ads, press ads were expected to appear in The Voice, Echoes, Blues & Soul and Hip Hop Connection. Aaliyah performed at the Budweiser Superfest at the USAir Arena in September 1994.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/click-track/post/archives-remembering-aaliyah/2011/08/25/gIQAEjUwdJ_blog.html?noredirect=on|title=Aaliyah: "Age Ain't Nothin' but a Number" ==Singles==

"Back & Forth" was released as the album's lead single on April 8, 1994. It reached its peak of number five on the US Billboard Hot 100 three months after it was released, on July 2, 1994. The single reached its peak of number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs on May 21, 1994, becoming first of the three number-one singles by Aaliyah on this chart. Eventually, the single was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on June 9, 1994, selling 700,000 copies in the country. On June 26, 1994, the song reached number 4 on The Times Southern California pop singles chart. Internationally, "Back & Forth" became a top-forty hit in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, peaking at numbers 16 and 38, respectively. In New Zealand, the song peaked at number 48. The album's second single "At Your Best (You Are Love)" was released on August 22, 1994, and it became Aaliyah's second top-ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number six. On the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, the song also reached the top ten, peaking at number two. The song received a gold certification by the RIAA on October 25, 1994. "Age Ain't Nothing but a Number" was released as the third single and the final US single from the album. It peaked at number 75 on the Billboard Hot 100 on February 25, 1995. The song fared better on the UK charts, peaking at number 32, as well as at numbers 19 and six on the dance and R&B charts, respectively. The album's fifth and sixth singles "Down with the Clique" and "The Thing I Like" were released exclusively in the UK. "Down with the Clique" peaked at numbers 32, 25 and five on the official, dance and R&B charts, respectively. "The Thing I Like" peaked at numbers 33, 15 and four on the official, dance and R&B charts, respectively. ==Critical reception==

''Age Ain't Nothing but a Number'' received generally favorable reviews from music critics. Some writers noted that Aaliyah's "silky vocals" and "sultry voice" blended with Kelly's new jack swing helped define R&B in the 1990s. Christopher John Farley of Time described the album as a "beautifully restrained work", noting that Aaliyah's "girlish, breathy vocals rode calmly on R.Kelly's rough beats". Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic felt that the album had its "share of filler," but described the singles as "slyly seductive." John Martinucci from the Gavin Report praised the album's lyrical content, saying: "If you thought Aaliyah's debut single "Back & Forth" climbed the charts at a feverish pace, wait until you see what happens with her album, Age Ain't Nothing But A Number. Tracks touch on images of romance, partying, and hanging with da homegirls with a teenage perspective that can be appreciated by all ages." Connie Johnson from the Los Angeles Times gave the album a 2 out of 4 rating. Johnson felt that aside from “Back & Forth, the album was bland and that "as the mouthpiece of an adult male trying to express the thoughts of a pubescent girl, Aaliyah sounds trapped in an awkward stage". MTV.com praised the album and felt that "Aaliyah complements the album's material, appealing to both R&B; and hip-hop listeners, while managing to "keep it smooth with a jazz attitude." Maria Jiménez from Music & Media said, "On Age Ain't Nothing but a Number, Aaliyah kicks the same smoothness, seriousness and quality jams as her mentor/producer R.Kelly." Jiménez also felt that the album had numerous potential singles including "At Your Best (You Are Love)", "Young Nation", "No One Knows How to Love Me Quite Like You Do" and "Throw Your Hands Up". In their review, the New Sunday Times said: "A sort of global karma, re-adjustment of earth, the 3rd stone from the sun, where the material fuses with the spiritual universe, eventually to become one. Hinged onto this oneness is this idea about ''Age Ain't Nothing but a Number." Music editors from RPM'' praised the album for being a "perfect female companion" to R. Kelly's 12 Play. The editors also felt that the album was filled with many "ear pleasing numbers" and that Aaliyah was next in line behind Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Toni Braxton as a "chart topping queen". Tonya Pendleton from The Washington Post felt that Aaliyah's voice "has the maturity of someone much older", as well as saying also she stood out because of her "uniquely mellifluous tone" and "the eloquent way she expresses the heartfelt passion of first love". Overall she felt that Age Ain’t Nothing but a Number "is that rarest of recordings — a collection well suited for its teenage target group, but one that even older listeners can relate to". ==Accolades==

''Age Ain't Nothing but a Number debuted at number 24 on the US Billboard 200 chart on the issue dated June 11, 1994, selling 38,000 copies in its first week. The album reached its peak at number 18 on June 18, 1994, and has spent a total of 37 weeks on the Billboard'' 200. On the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, the album debuted at number four. In its fourth week on the chart, the album peaked at number three during the week of July 2, 1994, spending a total of 41 weeks on the chart. By July 2001 the album had sold over three million copies in the United States according to Nielsen SoundScan. To date the album is certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for two million shipped units. In Canada, the album debuted at number 29 on RPM' s Top Albums/CDs chart on July 18, 1994. In its 4th week on the chart, the album reached its peak at number 20 on August 8, 1994. Overall, the album has spent a total of 25 consecutive weeks on the Top Albums/CDs chart. On December 12, 1994, the album was certified gold by Music Canada for 50,000 copies shipped in the country. In the United Kingdom, the album peaked at numbers 23 and six on the UK Albums Chart and UK R&B Chart, respectively. Eventually, the album was certified gold in the UK by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for 100,000 copies in shipments. On other European charts, ''Age Ain't Nothing but a Number peaked at number 44 on Dutch Albums Chart and at number 90 on the European Top 100 Albums chart. In Japan, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for shipments of 100,000 units. As of 2014, the album has sold 6 million copies worldwide, according to Vibe''. ==Controversy==

Aaliyah reportedly developed a friendship with R. Kelly during the recording of her debut album. As she recalled to Vibe magazine in 1994, she and Kelly would "go watch a movie" and "go eat" when she got tired and would then "come back and work". She described their relationship as being "rather close". There was speculation about a secret marriage with the release of ''Age Ain't Nothing but a Number amidst the adult content that Kelly had written for Aaliyah. Vibe'' magazine later revealed a marriage certificate that listed the couple married on August 31, 1994, in Rosemont, Illinois. The pair continued to deny marriage allegations, stating that the certificate was a forgery. It was speculated that Aaliyah wedded Kelly without her parents' knowledge. In December 1994, Aaliyah told the Sun-Times that she and Kelly were "close" and "people took it the wrong way". ''Age Ain't Nothing but a Number'' is the only Aaliyah album that Kelly produced for, and in May 1997, Aaliyah filed suit in Cook County seeking to have all records of the marriage expunged because she was not old enough under state law to get married without her parents' consent. Aaliyah admitted in court documents that she had lied about her age. She reportedly cut off all professional and personal ties with Kelly and ceased having contact with him. Aaliyah avoided answering questions regarding Kelly following the professional split and responded "no" when asked if she would ever work with him again. In 2014, Jomo Hankerson stated that Aaliyah "got villainized" within the music industry over the controversy and expressed confusion over why "they were upset" with Aaliyah given her age at the time. R. Kelly would have other allegations made about him regarding underage girls in the years following her death, and his marriage to Aaliyah was used to evidence his involvement with them. He has often refused to discuss his relationship with her, citing her death. In 2004, he stated: "That was a whole other situation, a whole other time, it was a whole other thing, and I'm sure that people also know that." In 2016, Kelly said that he was in love with Aaliyah as he was with "anybody else". However, the allegations have been said to have done "little to taint Aaliyah's image or prevent her from becoming a reliable '90s hitmaker with viable sidelines in movies and modeling." ==Track listing==

All songs were written and produced by R. Kelly, except for "At Your Best (You Are Love)", written by Ernie Isley, Marvin Isley, O'Kelly Isley, Jr., Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley and Chris Jasper of The Isley Brothers. ==Personnel==

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes. • Aaliyah – primary artist, vocals, backing vocals • Timmy Allen – bass • Lafayette Carthon – keyboards • George Clinton – composer • Bootsy Collins – composer • Tom Coyne – mastering • Stephanie Edwards – backing vocals • Barry Hankerson – executive producer • Tia Hawkins – rap vocals • Keith Henderson – guitar • Stephanie Huff – backing vocals • Ernie Isley – composer • Marvin Isley – composer • O'Kelly Isley – composer • Ronald Isley – composer • Rudolph Isley – composer • Chris Jasper – composer • R. Kelly – composer, guest artist, instrumentation, mixing, producer, rap, remixing, backing vocals • Doug McBride – mixing assistant • Mr. Lee – mixing, remixing • Peter Mokran – engineer, mixing, programming • Joshua Shapera – mixing assistant • Garry Shider – composer • David Spradley – composer • Stefon Taylor – mixing assistant • Maria Valencia – design • Bernie Worrell – composer • Philippé Wynne – composer ==Charts==

Weekly charts Year-end charts ==Certifications==