Always Aaliyah

Are You That Somebody

Are You That Somebody is the song and written and composed by Static Major, who also sang backing vocals, and Timbaland who in addition to writing the song, produced and performed a guest rap for it. The song was released on June 16, 1998. The song earned Aaliyah a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.

Are You That Somebody is an R&B and pop song with the funk genre incorporated within the song's sound. The song featured a variety of sounds such as frenetic staccato guitars, beat boxing, drums and bass from the drum programming and a sample of a baby crying.

Lyrically the song is about a late night rendezvous with a special someone that needed to kept on the hush.

On the song, Aaliyah "sweet but street" persona is in full effect as she declares,

"Sometimes I'm goody-goody.
Right now, I'm naughty naughty.

There's a sense of longing in the appearance of the song's title

"Cause I really somebody. Tell me are you that somebody and also in the way she sings it, strecting out the syllables to the point of desperation and keeping up with the beat with hurried, jumbled phrasings.