Rashad Haughton facts for kids

Rashad Hasan Haughton was born on August 6, 1977. He is an American writer, film director, and screenwriter. Rashad is also the older brother of the famous singer and actress Aaliyah. His uncle is Barry Hankerson, who started Blackground Records.

Early Life and Education

Rashad Hasan Haughton was born in Brooklyn, New York. His birthday is August 6, 1977. His mother, Diane, is African-American. His father's parents were from Jamaica.

Rashad has a younger sister named Aaliyah. They were born 17 months apart. When Rashad was seven, his family moved to Detroit. He and Aaliyah went to Gesu Elementary, a Catholic school. Rashad finished Aquinas High School in 1995. He then graduated from Hofstra University in 2000.

Rashad's Career in Film and Music

Working with Aaliyah

Rashad Haughton appeared in many of Aaliyah's music videos. These included "Age Ain't Nothing but a Number" and "If Your Girl Only Knew." He was also in "4 Page Letter" and "Hot Like Fire." For the "4 Page Letter" video, Rashad wrote the story. He did this in just two hours while studying at Hofstra University.

In 2000, Rashad wrote and directed a film called The Mim Rose. Aaliyah starred in this movie as a character named Melissa.

Film Projects

In February 2002, the movie Queen of the Damned was released. Aaliyah played Queen Akasha in this film. The movie was number one at the box office. It was dedicated to Aaliyah after she passed away. Rashad helped finish the film. He re-recorded some of his sister's lines. He also stood in for Aaliyah in the final scene.

In 2004, Rashad acted in the movie Proud. He played the role of Hank Fields.

Rashad also wrote and directed several short films. In 2006, he released Chrysalis. He then created Love Like Aliens in 2011. In 2015, he made Muga Shozoku. His latest work, Half Samurai, was released in 2023.

Music Contributions

Rashad Haughton also worked on music. He wrote and recorded a song called "Death of a Playa" with Aaliyah. This song was on the B-side of the "4 Page Letter" single. Timbaland produced the track. In 2004, Rashad was featured on the song "Fork In The Road." He worked on this song with 1200 Techniques. It reached number 55 on the Australian music charts.

Honoring Aaliyah's Legacy

Awards and Tributes

After Aaliyah's passing, Rashad Haughton helped keep her memory alive. He appeared at the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards. There, he paid tribute to his sister. He was joined by Janet Jackson, Ginuwine, Missy Elliott, and Timbaland. Aaliyah was supposed to be a presenter at these awards.

In October 2001, Aaliyah was scheduled to perform with Seal. This was for a concert to help breast cancer research. Instead, Rashad presented a $41,000 check. He also introduced Seal's tribute performance to Aaliyah.

In February 2002, Rashad accepted an award for Aaliyah. It was the Inspirational Spirit Award. This award honored her great work in entertainment. He also accepted the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Female Artist on her behalf.

Recent Tributes and Music Releases

On August 24, 2017, MAC Cosmetics announced a special makeup collection. It was inspired by Aaliyah. The "Aaliyah for MAC" collection came out in June 2018. MAC and i-D Magazine also made a short film. It was called "A-Z of Aaliyah." Rashad helped promote this collection. He wanted the makeup to reflect Aaliyah's style. He also wanted it to be something new for her fans.

On August 21, 2019, Madame Tussauds Las Vegas unveiled a wax figure of Aaliyah. The figure looked like Aaliyah's famous "Try Again" outfit. Rashad Haughton revealed the figure to an audience.

In August 2021, Aaliyah's music was re-released. This included her album One in a Million. It was made available on streaming services. However, Aaliyah's family, including Rashad, spoke out. They said the music was released without their full permission. Despite this, One In A Million was reissued on August 20, 2021. It reached the top ten on the Billboard 200 chart in the US. Aaliyah's self-titled album also re-entered the charts.

Filmography

As Writer and Director

As Actor