" Already experiencing a two-hour delay due to the plane's late arrival, Russell claimed that Aaliyah grew even more flustered when she finally saw the small plane and refused to board it. At the same time, the pilot was insisting that the plane would be too heavy with eight passengers,
including Aaliyah's 300-pound bodyguard, and all of their luggage and video equipment.
"[The airport staff] and Aaliyah had the common sense that the plane was overweight," Russell is quoted in the book.Pushing back against her team, Aaliyah climbed into the taxi van, complaining of a headache, and said she was going to take a quick nap. Meanwhile, her camp continued to try and convince the pilot to fly them with all their luggage, according to Russell. Eventually, Russell said a member of Aaliyah's team came to check on her, and the singer reiterated that she did not want to get on the tiny plane and that she had a headache.
It was then, Russell claimed, that the team member produced a pill, which Aaliyah took and fell into a deep sleep, which she remained in when the pilot finally agreed to fly the group back to Florida."They took her out of the van; she didn't even know she was getting boarded on a plane," Russell said in
Baby Girl. "She went on the airplane asleep."