Yesterday was the seventh anniversary of Aaliyah's untimely death, but it certainly doesn't seem like it happened that long ago. In tribute, here's one of my faves.

Let's face it — unless, due to some warped, wishful thinking, you are convinced that the real R. Kelly is "I Believe I Can Fly" and not "You Remind Me of My Jeep," or you are just such a die-hard fan that you are completely delusional, most people believe that R. Kelly did indeed film himself having sex with and pissing on his 14-year-old goddaughter, whether they're in the cut-off-his-balls or the she-was-old-enough-to-know-what-she-wanted camp. You believe this because you saw the tape — which very clearly shows R. Kelly and a sickeningly young girl in an ugly wood-paneled room one might also have seen if one had tuned into his MTV Cribs episode — or because you know that R. Kelly married a 15-year-old Aaliyah, or because you've heard about the multiple settlements he's paid to underage girls who have accused him of sexual misconduct.

The jury saw the same tape many of us did (I was in college; it still makes me queasy to think about it). And, from what they're saying in post-trial interviews, they saw what everyone else saw. So why the hell did R. Kelly get away with it? There was one little thing. Well, one big thing.

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I miss her. That's all.

I know did an Aaliyah song relatively recently, but when I woke up this morning, the first line of this song ("It's Friday..etc.) inexplicably popped into my head. It's like the Rewound Gods needed me to post this video. Now you have to watch.

Not to be a downer on Friday morning, but I still still have trouble coming to grips with the fact that Aaliyah's not around anymore and hasn't been for years. Maybe it's because she — not her sound, unfortunately, but definitely her bared midriff/baggy pants look — lives on a little in Ciara. Maybe it's because as dated as her later songs should be, they still sound like they could rock the singles charts now, which is as much a compliment to Timbaland as it is to her. Anyway, here's the video for my favorite Aaliyah song, "One in a Million," featuring a fame cameo by Ginuwine. Happy Friday!