Black History Month: Meet Aaliyah | Singer, actress Aaliyah was born Dana Haughton, on January 16, 1979, in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. She was also an executive producer of the movie's soundtrack and performed the hit single "Try Again," which netted her a second Grammy nomination as well as two MTV Music Video Awards for "Best Female Video" and "Best Video From a Film."
In 2000, Aaliyah made her acting debut in the surprise action hit Romeo Must Die, a Romeo and Juliet-inspired story set in modern-day Los Angeles starring opposite martial arts star Jet Li. In 2001, she played the title role in Queen of the Damned, based on the bestselling novel by Anne Rice and set for release in 2002.