Timbaland Reveals Secret Love For Aaliyah: 'I Was In Love With Her'

In his upcoming 'E! True Hollywood Story' special, Timbaland speaks on his relationship with Aaliyah

and actually reveals that he had deeper feelings for her.

"When I first met Aaliyah—it time for the world to hear this, I'm gonna give a little secret—I was in love with her. I said, But I'm not…She just a baby, I'm old," Timbaland says. "I said to myself, 'I'm just gonna be her brother.' Oh man, I was fightin', I was fightin' a lot—a big war. But I loved Aaliyah."

Timbaland worked with Aaliyah throughout her career, producing a number of her hits like "One In A Million," "Try Again," and "Hot Like Fire," before she died in a tragic plane crash in August 2001.