Giant Magazine has announced that the print edition will cease publication after the upcoming issue is released to newsstands. They will continue to operate under Radio One’s subsidiary company, Interactive One. Alicia Keys is featured on Giant Magazine’s final cover of the print edition. Check out the video and pictures below…
Swizz Beatz and ol’ flame MaShonda had it out on Twitter. Swizzy tweeted about haters and rising above and then shouted out that his boo’s album drops on the 15th and it’s FIERCE (ummmm… not so sure you should use that word Swizz). Well, Mashonda wasn’t having it and had to put her two cents in.
When will folks understand the vicious power of Twitter?? Whatever you say can and will be used against you.
KEKE PALMER:
Keke Palmer, the 16-year-old star of Nickelodeons No. 2 show True Jackson, VP, says a lot of thought has been put into the direction of her exploding career.
ALICIA KEYS:
It may be just about that time to seriously begin adding trailblazer to Alicia Keys extensive resume.
TUPAC SHAKUR:
A song from late rapper Tupac Shakur has been included among selections from Mozart, Muse and Dame Shirley Bassey as part of the Vatican’s official MySpace Music playlist.
It’s seriously time we add trailblazer to Alicia Keys’ extensive resume. In an industry first the R&B starlet has released her latest album “Element of Freedom” exclusively through Facebook. Her 1.3 million Facebook fans can listen to tracks for free and place pre-orders for the album, which officially drops December 15. The promo is sponsored by American Express and powered by Involver, a music app available on Facebook. We’re about to login to Facebook and become fans/stans.
This past year has been bit of a whirlwind for Alicia Keys.
She has collaborated with Jay-Z on the chart-topping single “Empire State of Mind”–including an electrifying pre-game World Series performance–and is currently enjoying her own hit record with “Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart” from her upcoming fourth studio album, The Element of Freedom.
In the forthcoming December ‘09/January ‘10 issue of Uptown, Keys discusses her professional and personal aspirations–from marriage, acting, music and gossip.
Keys addresses the rumors concerning her alleged affair with producer Swizz Beats, formerly married to singer Mashonda. “I felt I had to speak out about things and clear my name,” she says. “But as time went on I realized it was a waste of energy. I think it’s better to just keep things moving. People will take [your business] and run with it in whichever direction they choose.”
Rumors aside, Keys is focusing on the positives in her life, such her charity work with the Keep a Child Alive foundation, and her new company AK Worldwide.
Her album, The Element of Freedom, will drop on December 15. –Caroline Acosta
Today we take you behind the scenes of Alicia Keys new video “Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart“. In this video directed by Syndrome, Alicia has the power to bring life to the lifeless. The clip will premier on BET’s 106 And Park Monday November 16th. Her new album “The Element Of Freedom” drops December 15th.
Snoop Dogg’s Empire State of Mind Remix is hot. I like how he not only shouts out the east coast but also its rappers. After the fued between east and west and Tupac and Biggie, it’s nice to have some unity between our favorite rap stars.
Why You Should Watch: The songstress reaches new heights (literally) in the video for the first official single off her upcoming album ‘The Element of Freedom.’
Jay-Z and Alicia Keys took to the field to perform their Big Apple anthem ‘Empire State of Mind’ before Game 2 of the World Series between the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies in the Bronx on Thursday night. And, as promised, Hova kept it clean for the Bronx Bombers’ fans while his entire band supported the hometown team and donned Yankee jerseys.
When co-founder and Global Ambassador Alicia Keys wanted to raise money for her charity Keep-A-Child Alive, a charity that is dedicated to providing life-saving anti-retroviral treatment, care and support services to families whose lives have been affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa and India, she called upon her famous friends, of course. Stars like Halle Berry, Chris Martin, John Mayer, Queen Latifah, Iman and Padma Lakshmi joined the singer for a night of glitz and glam in New York City where Halle proved to be the night’s heaviest bidder, taking home a one-of-kind, 18k gold, blue kyanite and ruby necklace for $40,000 — all of which benefited Keep-A-Child-Alive.
The necklace, which was co-designed by Alicia for jewelry line The Barber’s Daughters, is inscribed with an inspirational quote from the singer that says “Always shine/ light on the/world./Alicia Keys”. And while Alicia proudly wore the necklace during the event, Halle took it home. You can find similar (and less expensive) versions of the necklace at thebarbersdaughters.com.
LAS VEGAS — When it comes to attracting big names for charity, Justin Timberlake has no trouble. Saturday night in Las Vegas saw the wide reach of JT’s star power, with a diverse lineup of artists from Snoop Dogg to Taylor Swift taking part in his second annual Justin Timberlake & Friends Concert, benefiting Shriners Hospitals for Children at Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino. While last year’s show boasted many onstage collaborations, Justin had high hopes for this year’s event — which included the aforementioned Doggfather and country queen, plus Alicia Keys, TLC, Timbaland, Ciara and Jay Sean.
“There were a lot of acts this year that weren’t able to get here till today, so there weren’t as many collabs as I had in my brain,” Timberlake told MTV News during rehearsals. “But I think that’s always the case, it’s kind of like [when] you do an album and you write, like, 40 songs, and then 12 of them make it. … But still, just having everyone out and getting to see them do their set — there are a couple of things that have never been performed onstage. There’s a new song from [Timbaland] tonight, from his record that we did together. I think Snoop’s doing a new song from his new record. So it’s kinda cool for them too, because it’s like perfect test marketing.”
The night saw Justin wearing many hats (including a fedora) — acting as emcee, performer and maestro. He even kept the crowd updated with the Yankees/Angels score in between sets. But the fans were there for music, and they sure got their money’s worth.
Jay Sean kicked off the night’s performances, accompanied by U.K. beatbox champion MC Zani. The duo took a different take on the British singer’s current hit, “Down,” starting off with a beatbox intro and acoustic guitar, until launching into a full version of the song with Justin’s band — which served as the house band for the whole evening.
Next up was Taylor Swift, and Justin assured everyone that there would be no Kanye-style stage crashing on his watch. “Don’t worry, guys, I got security on the sides, so no one can come up and ruin her set,” Timberlake told the crowd.
As soon as Swift hit the opening notes of “You Belong With Me,” she had the crowd on their feet. Her raucous set was full of hair tosses and hip swings, impressive for the silver dress she performed in, dripping with what looked like diamonds. Her set got even more dazzling when she strapped on a shimmery acoustic guitar for “Love Story.”
Justin introduced the next artist as “one of the greatest musicians of my generation.” Alicia Keys then strutted across the stage in a stunning pair of red pumps, and took a seat at her piano to belt out “Doesn’t Mean Anything.” After the song, Alicia addressed the crowd.
“I wanna tell you a little about myself, where I’m from,” she said, launching into the hook from “Empire State of Mind” then going right into “Fallin’,” which sounded even more impressive with the house band’s backup singers. The Mandalay Bay Events Center could barely contain the energy.
For the next performance, JT told the crowd, “Ladies and gentlemen, asses up, give it up for the one and only, legendary T-L-C!” Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins and Rozanda “Chilli” Thomas‘ first performance in six years sent the crowd into a frenzy, as the duo tore through a barrage of hits — “FanMail,” “Ain’t 2 Proud 2 Beg,” “What About Your Friends,” “Baby Baby Baby,” “Creep,” “Waterfalls” and “No Scrubs.” While founding member Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes is no longer with us, her presence was still in the room as her vocals were filled in by live performance footage on the screen.
The next performance brought the night’s first on-stage collaboration. After Justin got the crowd moving to “Señorita,” he welcomed Ciara onstage for “Love Sex Magic.” The crowd stayed on their feet for the rest of Ciara’s set — “Goodies” and “1, 2 Step.”
Next up was Snoop Dogg, who performed “Drop It Like It’s Hot,” “What’s My Name” and new single “Gangsta Love.” Continuing the night’s collaborations, Snoop told the crowd, “Since my homeboy Justin asked me to come out here tonight, I’m gonna ask him to come out right now.” The guys broke into “Signs,” doing a little two-step action.
Justin took the reins, jumping into a medly of “Summer” and “Chop Me Up,” with Timbaland coming out to do his verse on “Chop.” Tim stayed on stage for “Give It to Me,” which had girls spilling into the aisles to dance. The duo then broke into the brand-new song that Justin had promised, the title of which they never announced. It features an anthemic chorus with the lyrics “Turn me on now” and a breakdown that repeats “What’s your name?/ What’s your number?/ I’m glad I came, so you can take my order.”
Two hours into the show, it was time for Justin to take over. JT launched into an acrobatic mash-up of hits — both his and other artists’. It started with an acoustic rendition of “Like I Love You,” then transitioned to Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” during the “Like I Love You” chorus. Next was Kings of Leon’s “Use Somebody,” mixed with the lyrics of “Cry Me a River,” then going back to the KOL chorus. “Lovestoned” followed, blended with Coldplay’s “Viva la Vida.”
The night seemingly was coming to an end as Justin sat down at a piano for a heartfelt performance of “What Goes Around … /… Comes Around,” but although he announced it was his last song, he changed his mind.
“I’m in the mood,” he told the Vegas crowd. He shouted to his band to freestyle on the next song, and they settled on “Until the End of Time.”
The show ended just shy of midnight, capping off another successful year for Justin and his charity. Honors are especially due for Justin’s bandmembers, who spent nearly three hours on stage backing up the night’s performers.
Alicia Keys wants you to feel free of boundaries on her forthcoming album The Element of Freedom.
The co-star of Jay-Z’s current single, “Empire State of Mind,” says her fourth album has a “feeling theme.”
“The music is really strong, and the drums are really aggressive, but my voice is vulnerable and delicate,” Keys said in a statement.
Keys goes on to say the album is focused on “eliminating all of the boundaries and all the limitations, so that you can feel your freedom and express your freedom in every way you possibly can, and that’s what I did with this album.”
The Element of Freedom is led by Keys’ recently released single “Doesn’t Mean Anything,” which currently sits at no.16 on the Billboard R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart.
The Element of Freedom is slated for release December 1.
Apparently not to be outdone, Lil Mama decided that she needed to jump up on the stage when Jay-Z and Alicia Keys were performing Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind”. Even going so far as to strike a pose at the end of the song with the pair as if she were one of the performers. Watch the clip below as Beyonce attempts (but obviously fails) to stop her.
Singer-songwriter Alicia Keys has launched AK Worldwide, a new company that will handle her various projects, particularly those outside of the music business.
“It really explores the ways I can affect the world in a positive way, even outside of music,” Keys told the Associated Press Tuesday. “It is really about finding ways to bring forth things into the world that will give you and all the people that encounter them, and myself, inspiration.”
The first project for the 28-year-old is The Barber’s Daughters, a handcrafted jewelry line engraved with messages of hope and wisdom.
“The words, when you read them, they really do resonate with you. They kind of inspire you to want to find that place in yourself,” she said, sporting a silver oval ring that read: “May you find inspiration and meaning soaked in the wonders of the imagination cradled in compassion of the heart and hold a will to make difference.”
There are also plans for a new Web site, www.iamasuperwoman.com, devoted to spotlighting inspirational women and causes that will fill a missing gap in the blogosphere, Keys said.
“It really calls out to all those brilliant, amazing, fantastic women every day that are doing their thing and need kind of a community to support each other,” she said.
Her fourth studio CD, “The Element of Freedom,” is scheduled for release on Dec. 1.
The following was posted on by Mashonda, who is a professional singer and estranged wife of Hip-Hop artist Swizz Beatz. She wrote the open letter to Alicia Keys, who is allegedly involved in an intimate relationship with Swizz. Mashonda felt the need to get some things off her chest, as written below.
After having a great evening with my son and enjoying some fun twit chat, I decided to sign off and get some work done. However, a few hours later I was advised that I should check @aliciakeys twit page (twitter). I’ve never reached out to her on twitter before. I feel our issues are a lot more serious than a website conversation. Not to mention that I’ve reached out to her many times in the beginning of this whole thing, as any wife would do. Unfortunately, I never succeeded in getting a response. The 1st time I meet AK, my husband introduced us to each other at an event. ( I have no choice but to call him my husband, until he is not anymore) In the messages that I sent to her (AK), I made it very clear that on the contrary of what she might be hearing, I am still married to my husband, living with him and just had a child. Its been two years and I still have not received a response. What I do receive, is constant displays of selfishness and disconcern to me and my son.
I was a fan of AK’s last album, we were both signed to J Records and I always checked up on her projects. I sang her songs and admired her for creating Superwoman and Karma, I would never deny her, her talent. I believed in her until I found out she was possibly sleeping with my husband. The affair was denied by both, until it was finally admitted months later.
Already I can hear some of you saying ” why are u blaming her, You cant make someone leave their wife, You cant break something thats broken”. Well, my marriage was not broken, as far as I knew we were celebrating our sons birth and getting ready to celebrate our 5 year wedding anniversary . Call it blind love, whatever. I call it being a devoted wife.. As far as me blaming her and not blaming him, thats false. Me and my husband have worked out our differences. We are in a good place as people and as parents. I accept his choices and I am comfortable enough with myself to move on. I am so very blessed in many ways.
My concern with AK is no longer the fact that she assisted in destroying a family but that she has the audacity to make these selfish comments about love and wanting to be with someone, even after knowing their situation. How is this the same Superwoman that I sang out loud with in my truck? I ask myself sometimes.
If you are reading this Alicia, let me start by saying, you know what you did. You know the role you played and you know how you contributed to the ending of my marriage. You know that I asked you to step back and let me handle my family issues. Issues that you helped to create.
Im not saying everything was perfect all the time but no relationship is perfect. We made a vow to God and I believe you should have respected that, as a woman. I know you owe me or my son nothing but I just wish you would’ve handled things more carefully. I’m not judging you, I put you and the whole situation in the hands of God, the Higher Power. Just know that as a woman, I expected so much more from you. I never had intentions on reaching out to you this way but after reading your twits tonight, and the constant disregard, you left me no choice. I feel that after 1 and a half years of you hiding this affair and acting like it doesnt exist, that now is the time to confront it, since you talk so openly about it now
This is not a publicity stunt, I dont have a record coming out. I just need to close this chapter in my life and that means confronting our issues. There is a small child involved. His dad loves him to death and he wants to spend more time with him but hes afraid because he knows we don’t have a relationship. This is my main concern. My son NEEDS his dad and I NEED to be comfortable with you. For him!
I know many will see my point and many will not be able to look into what’s real because they only want to see Alicia Keys the celebrity, not the human. This is not for the “people”, this is for you. Like I said I was left no choice but to reach out to you this way. By now, Im sure you want to find a balance in this as well.
I read your tweets tonight and I felt they were very insensitive. You have no idea how much pain I was caused because of this affair. Its baffling to me that you don’t understand what I might have gone through with this situation. I dont consider myself a victim anymore, Ive learned alot from this! I just ask you to try and be a bit more realistic and delicate to the situation, at least until my divorce is final. I felt me attending the party would have been a starting point for us, since you shook my hand after I offered it, but I suppose I was wrong.
If its so, that you and my husband are meant to be together, then God bless you both and I hope you never have to deal with what I did. I would not wish it on my worst enemy. If you two being together forever is the case, its more of a reason for us to get along, because I’m not going anywhere. Theres a child to be raised.
To answer your tweet, choose smart over spark. Sparks burn everyone, be smart! Its simple actually, just think of the shoe being on the other foot.
Stay blessed and lets work this thing out with respect and dignity.
Unseen behind the scenes footage of Lil Mama at MTV VMAs crashing Jay-Z’s & Alicia Keys performance of “Empire State of Mind”. This is obviously a parody/spoof.
MTV Reports – During the MTV Video Music Awards on September 13, Lil Mama crashed the stage during the show’s finale, the debut performance of Jay-Z and Alicia Keys’ “Empire State of Mind.” Jay called Angie Martinez’s Hot 97 radio show to talk for the first time about Mama’s move.
“To interrupt that moment for us, I don’t think that was the right thing to do,” Jay said.
Jay also compared the Mama incident to Kanye West spoiling Taylor Swift’s winning moment. “It was a lot of planning that went into that performance. To disrupt that was outta line,” he said.
Hov also said Mama’s actions angered him, but there wasn’t much he could do when she came onstage uninvited. “What I’mma do, fight Lil Mama?”
Mama told MTV News, in the wake of the incident, that she came onstage because she was overwhelmed with inspiration. Alicia Keys told the “Today” show that she and Jay wished Mama had stayed in the crowd. “We can appreciate her being overwhelmed and inspired,” Keys said, “but we would have appreciated it if she would have did it from her seat.”
Jay is overseas performing, so he won’t be on hand when VH1 salutes Def Jam during their “Hip-Hop Honors” program taping Wednesday night (September 23).
“There’s a lot of people in Def Jam,” he said. “They’ll cover for me.”
Jay’s Blueprint 3 is the #1 album in the country for the second week in a row. For that, he thanked the fans.
In this interview piece with Kathy Lee and Hoda, Alicia Keys discusses subjects from her climb with Clive Davis, to Kanye West’s remorse, to her collaboration performance with Jay-Z on MTV’s VMA… including a brief response in regards Lil Mama’s crash of Empire State Mind.
Says Alicia:
“We can appreciate her being overwhelmed & inspired, but we would’ve preferred she did it from her seat.”
