Archive 2001.03: August 2001 - September 2001 | back to 2001 Archived News

(September 25, 2001)   BET TO AIR AALIYAH SPECIAL
According to Aaliyahonline.com, BET will air BET's Access Granted: Aaliyah on October 2 @ 9pm & October 16 @ 9pm.  This was the behind-the-scenes look at the making of her Rock The Boat video in Bahamas & Miami, and was shot just days before the fatal plane crash that took her life.

(September 24, 2001)   JESSICA SIMPSON VIDEO TO PREMIERE ON MTV'S TRL
Jessica Simpson is scheduled to appear on MTV's Total Request Live this Thursday to premiere her Hype Williams-directed video A Little Bit.

(September 22, 2001)   NEW VIDEO FOR KEITH MURRAY, LL COOL J, LUDACRIS | LEFT EYE VIDEO PREMIERES
Hype Williams has directed a new video for Keith Murray, LL Cool J & Ludacris, entitled Fatty Girl.  The track is off Fubu's new record label.  Behind-the-scenes photos from the video shoot can be seen at fubu.com.  Hype is also working on a new Fubu commercial.
(thanks to Looneytunneyblue for the info)

Hype is also working on a new video for Tah Murder/Cadillac Tah (of Murder Inc.).

The new Left Eye video The Block Party premiered a few weeks ago.
(thanks to Cihan for the info)

(September 9, 2001)   HYPE WILLIAMS TO DIRECT UPCOMING NELLY FURTADO VIDEO | MORE ON AALIYAH
It was reported a few weeks ago on RollingStone.com that Hype Williams is scheduled to direct the next Nelly Furtado video Shit On The Radio.  Hype worked with Nelly last year when he photographed her for the October 2000 issue of Interview magazine.

Aaliyah was remembered in the September 7 issue of Entertainment Weekly magazine with a 3 page article stating the details of the fatal crash that took the singer's life on August 25.  The article reveals some details about the video that she had completed shooting in Bahamas with director Hype Williams, Rock The Boat, prior to the accident:

"By all indications, the "Rock The Boat" video shoot had gone extremely well--even risky underwater scenes that Williams filmed in Miami until the early hours of Aug. 22.  "She tried to [breathe with] the regulator and it just wouldn't work," says Taylor.  With the director's encouragement, "she finally decided... 'I'll just go in and hold my breath.'  She did it and it looked stunning.  And Hype was like, 'That's my baby, that's my Li-li!'"

(thanks to Jason D. for the info)

Hype Williams was also interviewed by MTV last week, where he expressed grief over the loss of his dear friend, about the shooting of the Rock The Boat video, his relationship with Aaliyah and what it was like working with her.  It is unclear whether when or if the video will be released, or what will become of the BET behind-the-scenes footage that was shot just days prior to the accident.

(August 28, 2001)   AALIYAH DIES IN PLANE CRASH
It has been a sad week for R&B and hip-hop fans around the world.  R&B singer Aaliyah was killed on Saturday night when a small plane carrying her and 8 other people crashed after lift-off at an airport in Bahamas.  As reported here last week, Aaliyah was in the Bahamas that weekend to shoot her upcoming video Rock The Boat with director Hype Williams.  The other people in the plane included some of Aaliyah's entourage as well as video production crew and a music video representative from Virgin Records.  Contrary to some rumors, Hype Williams was not on the plane.  BET dedicated it's Monday episode of 106 & Park to Aaliyah, showing her music videos and speaking to friends and fans of the singer about her passing.  On its BET Tonight show later that night, it was also revealed that shooting for the Rock The Boat video was completed prior to the tragic accident.  BET crew were actually on set with Aaliyah in Bahamas to shoot behind-the-scenes for an upcoming special.  Some of that footage shot the day before the accident was shown throughout the day on BET.

We offer our deepest condolences to the friends and family of Aaliyah and the 8 other people who died in Saturday.

(August 28, 2001)   LEFT EYE VIDEO PREVIEW | 2001 SOURCE HIPHOP MUSIC AWARDS
A 10-second clip of the new Hype Williams-directed Left Eye video The Block Party was shown on MTV Europe News last week.  It contains lots of "green screen" special effects, similar to Hype's recent video for Busta Rhymes (What It Is).

Make sure to watch the 2001 Source Hip-Hop Music Awards tonight on UPN.  Hype Williams served as artistic director for the show.  According to MTV, he shot clips of the artists to accompany the performances on stage.

(August 23, 2001)   INFO ON UPCOMING AALIYAH VIDEO
According to aaliyahonline.com, Aaliyah was on New York City's Hot 97 with Angie Martinez on Monday, where she revealed that footage for her new Hype Williams-directed video Rock The Boat was completed in Bahamas and extra shots will be filmed in Miami later this week.
(thanks to Jason D. for the info)

(August 17, 2001)   HYPE TO DIRECT VIDEOS FOR AALIYAH & JESSICA SIMPSON
Hype Williams is set to direct new videos for Aaliyah & Jessica Simpson.  According to Aaliyah's official website Aaliyah2001.com, she will take time off from her album's promotional tour in the next few weeks to shoot a video for Rock The Boat, the third release from her album.  The video will be shot in Miami.  Jessica Simpson revealed in an interview on MTV last week that she is also set to shoot an upcoming video with Hype Williams.
(thanks to Jason D. for the info)

(August 13, 2001)   HYPE'S BIRTHDAY | GINUWINE VIDEO PREMIERES | CARIBANA IN TORONTO | LEFT EYE PHOTOS
I haven't updated any news in the past little while.  Here's a rundown of whats been going on with Hype Williams lately:

Happy belated birthday to Hype Williams, who celebrated his birthday on August 1.  Is it a coincidence that one of the biggest music video directors shares his birthday with MTV?  I think not. :-)

The new Hype Williams-directed Ginuwine video Differences made its premiere on BET's 106 & Park earlier this month.  The video is currently on the show's daily Top 10 countdown.  Video clips of the music video can be seen in different formats on Ginuwine's official website at ginuwine.com.
(thanks to Elham H. & Robin for the info)

It is reported that Hype Williams & Little X were in Toronto last weekend for Caribana celebrations.  They hosted a Caribana Jam at the Guvernment nightclub on August 4.  Party-goers included Canadian rapper Kardinal Offishall and Shaq.  Coincidentally, this is the same club that Hype shot Wycleff's It Doesn't Matter video.
(thanks to Elham H. for the info)

The latest issue of Vibe magazine (September 2001; with Outkast on the cover) contains an interview with Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes of TLC.  The interview reveals that Hype Williams spent two weeks with Left Eye in Hondouras this past October to shoot pictures for her upcoming book of thoughts.