R&B singer and actress Aaliyah, 22, was killed Saturday when the small Cessna plane she was traveling in crashed in the Bahamas.
Aaliyah had recently completed a music video in the Abaco islands located about 170 miles east of south Florida. Soon after take off to Miami from the small airport at Marsh Harbour, the passenger plane burst into flames.
Seven other U.S. citizens were killed in the crash.
Some students were shocked after hearing of her death, including no-preference freshman Andrew Buchanan.
“She touched a lot of people and put out quality music,” Buchanan said. “It’s too bad she won’t be able to do that anymore.”
Aaliyah began her career in the movie industry when she acted opposite Chinese martial arts expert and actor, Jet Li, in “Romeo Must Die.”
She was scheduled to appear in the upcoming sequel to “The Matrix” with Keanu Reeves.
East Lansing resident Sonja Comber said her favorite song by the artist was “Four Page Letter.”
“I’ll remember her as a nice, down to earth, positive person,” she said.
Early Sunday, Basil Rahming, Grand Bahama police superintendent, reported that the twin-engined propeller plane crashed into bushes about 200 feet from the end of the runway because of engine failure.
Gloria Knowles, who works for Abaco Air Ltd. at Marsh Harbour airport, reported that baggage handlers said the plane was overloaded with suitcases.
There had been complaints about the heavy load from baggage handlers and the plane’s pilot but the passengers insisted on taking everything with them.
Aaliyah is the latest in a long line of music stars to die in plane crashes.
Fatalities include Glenn Miller, rock and roll stars Buddy Holly, JP “Big Bopper”Richardson and Ritchie Valens, who was just 17.
Soul singer Otis Redding died in 1967 when the plane he was traveling in crashed into a lake in Wisconsin
No-preference freshman Melissa Ernest was shocked by Aaliyah’s death.
“It’s really unreal that she’s gone,” she said. “I heard about it at a party and I couldn’t believe that it really happened.”
Born in Brooklyn, NY, Aaliyah moved to Detroit when she was five. Most recently she was living in New York.
Aaliyah sold a million copies of her debut album “Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number”in 1994 and more recently her single, “Try Again” became a big hit.
Her self-titled album “Aaliyah” debuted in the top five on the Billboard magazine album chart.
Aaliyah’s awards include Best Female Video and Video from a Film for “Try Again” in the 2000 MTV Video Music awards.
“Try Again” is nominated again for R&B Song of the Year at this year’s Soul Train “Lady of Soul” Awards scheduled to be held Tuesday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
