The Real Meaning Behind Poison By Aaliyah And The Weeknd - Nicki Swift (2024)

Music

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Aaliyah Dana Haughton, better known to the world by her first name, was one of music's greatest superstars. She had earned the title of the Princess of R&B for her numerous hits and contributions to the genre, including "One in a Million," "You Are Love," and "Try Again,"perThe Hollywood Reporter.Aaliyah was brought up in a musical household as her uncle, Barry Hankerson, is an American record producer and was married to Gladys Knight. Hankerson also signed Aaliyah to her first and only record deal when she was 13, according to Billboard.

Unfortunately, Aaliyah's contributions to music were cut short after shetragically died in a plane crash in the Bahamas after filming the music video for "Rock the Boat" on August 25, 2001, per Biography. Fans held vigils in her honor and vowed to support her music even after her death. However, Aaliyah's posthumous music was not accessible because Hankerson refused to distribute her music, citing family wishes, according to Complex. Blackground Records, Aaliyah's label, was also involved in numerous lawsuits with artists previously signed to them, and therefore had limited finances to release Aaliyah's catalogue of hits.

Things changed, though, this past August when Hankerson announced that Aaliyah's catalogue would appear on streaming platforms, per The New York Times. In addition to her old songs, a new single from Aaliyah called "Poison" has been released and it features The Weeknd. So, what does the song mean?

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"Poison," the new single from Aaliyah and The Weekend, was released on December 17. The song is the first single off of Aaliyah's posthumous album, "Unstoppable," set to be released in 2022. "I'm so excited to share this new song by Aaliyah and the very talented the Weeknd," Barry Hankerson said in a press release (via Pitchfork). "I wanted her adoring fans to get a special gift before the holidays and felt it was the perfect time to release a never-before-heard offering."

On "Poison," Aaliyah and The Weekend effortlessly trade vocals on the mellow R&B jam, contemplating about the status of a troubled — and toxic — relationship. "How can I explain myself to you? / Questions keep lurking through my mind / Is it the lover for the time? / I've given my heart, my joy, my soul to you / If it is real, I sure can't see," Aaliyah coos in the first verse with a haunting falsetto (via Genius). The Weekend joins in on the chorus, singing, "They told me not to fall in love / Wondering where it all went wrong / You were my poison all along."

Later in the song, the R&B superstars conclude that they aren't right for each other. "Now it's too late for both of us / No regrets for what we lost and what we shared / Maybe tomorrow we'll love again / But until then we'll stay as friends," they both sing, ultimatelydeciding to end the relationship.

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Though Aaliyah fans are happy about new music, the battle to put her music on streaming has been a long time coming. Barry Hankerson, Aaliyah's uncle and founder of Blackground Records, held off on releasing her entire catalog amid a murky legal battle, according to Complex. In 2012, Hankerson sold part of his Blackground publishing rights to a company named Reservoir, which included Aaliyah's catalog, but music releases were sparse and Aaliyah's vocals were mostly limited to samples that other artists used on their songs. A posthumous album from Aaliyah was in the works in 2012 but was adamantly condemned by Aaliyah's estate and her frequent collaborators Timbaland and Missy Elliot, per Billboard.

The battle between Hankerson and Aaliyah's estate has been ongoing, with the latter accusing the former of "leaching of Aaliyah's life work," after the streaming deal was announced this past August, per USA Today. In a statement released on Twitter, Aaliyah's estate criticized Hankerson and Blackground Records for tarnishing her legacy. "For 20 years we have battled behind the scenes, enduring shadowy tactics of deception with unauthorized projects targeted to tarnish," the statement read. "...This unscrupulous endeavor to release Aaliyah's music without any transparency or full accounting to the estate compels our hearts to express a word — forgiveness." The statement added that they'll continue to defend Aaliyah's legacy through her memorial fund and other projects.

Aaliyah's Estate has yet to comment on "Poison" or her final album, slated for release in 2022.