A demo version of an Aaliyah and Static Major collaboration has recently surfaced online. It’s allegedly titled “Don’t Let Me Fool Ya,” but from Static’s lyrics and the lo-fi vocals, it’s like this song was intended to either feature—or to be demoed for—another artist.
Snippets of this track have been floating around the Internet for the last two years, which is evident from a KanyeToThe thread, but its story goes back even further.
A fansite mentioned the song back in 2014 after drummer Eric Seats, who worked with Aaliyah on her final album Aaliyah and the posthumous compilation I Care 4 U, posted screenshots of himself playing unheard Aaliyah releases.
Two-and-a-half years ago, Drake previewed a song on Instagram featuring vocals from Aaliyah that, as per the lyrics, sound like this demo’s chorus:
The song from the snippet was played months later during a night out at the Griffin nightclub in New York City, too.
Fans know Drake and Noah “40” Shebib worked on a posthumous collaboration album with Aaliyah’s label, Blackground, but stopped production after receiving negative press. In 2014, 40 explained to Vibe why they cancelled the project:
“The Hankersons, her uncle and cousin—came to me and said if she was around she’d want you to do this [posthumous] project. I’ve been obsessed with Aaliyah forever, and I know Drake has his relationship with her. But that opportunity was mine. Drake said, ‘Can I do it with you?’ and I was like, ‘Of course, we’ll do it together.’ The world reacting to Drake’s involvement so negatively, I just wanted nothing to do with it.”
One Aaliyah and Drake collab, “Enough Said” was released by Blackground in 2012, with vocals originally recorded by Aaliyah in 2001.
You can read the lyrics in full and listen to the demo on Genius now.
