#ajcalloway

It’s always great to see a beautiful family unit.

I’ll start calling this segment. “Guys I never realized had whole families” 🤔

Aaliyah visits 106&Park in 2001 to talk self titled album, living in Australia, and working in film.

I love this interview because it shows how celebs should be interviewed. Tbh, I don’t care about your personal life, I want to know about the music, the projects, your creative process. Yes, there’s a natural interest in the lives of our faves, but at the end of the day, that’s personal, they’re at work. It’s their job. AJ did a good job at “asking the hard questions” that audience members and fans most likely wanted to know, but did it in a way that connected to Aaliyah’s work. He also didn’t pry and make her feel uncomfortable about not sharing. Aaliyah also hit it right on the head when she said, “the public owns everything you do, but some things are personal.” I love that. She understood her role as a celeb but as a normal human who is deserving of privacy.

Anyways, bring this style of interviewing back. Bring this style of celebrity back. Missing baby girl 🤎

Full interview: https://youtu.be/i91VUIYZiE8

Free + AJ were icons. Not only did they kickoff and hold down one of Black pop cultures most defining shows (106 & Park), they were top notch interviewers. They knew exactly how to engage with stars to get the need to know about their artistry and projects, and how to dig just enough into their personal lives to help artist build a relationship with fans. It was getting tea but connecting it back to the music and how personal life influences artistry. They knew the industry, they were charismatic and engaged the audience, and knew how to curate a space that celebrated black music and pop culture. Artists respected them. The culture flocked to our televisions after school. They told the creative story of the times. Yup, iconic.