Alicia Keys covers the May/June issue of Blender magazine (on sale Tuesday) and some of her quotes are already causing some controversy online. Many people are labeling her a “conspiracy theorist” for her views on “gangsta rap.” Peep the article snippet:
‘Gangsta rap’ was a ploy to convince black people to kill each other. ‘Gangsta rap’ didn’t exist.”
Keys, 27, said she’s read several Black Panther autobiographies and wears a gold AK-47 pendant around her neck “to symbolize strength, power and killing ‘em dead,” according to an interview in the magazine’s May issue, on newsstands Tuesday.
Another of her theories: The bicoastal feud between slain rappers Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G. was fueled “by the government and the media, to stop another great black leader from existing.”
Keys’ AK-47 jewelry came as a surprise to her mother, who is quoted as telling Blender: “She wears what? That doesn’t sound like Alicia.” Keys’ publicist, Theola Borden, said Keys was on vacation and unavailable for comment.
Though she’s known for her romantic tunes, she told Blender that she wants to write more political songs. If black leaders such as the late Black Panther Huey Newton “had the outlets our musicians have today, it’d be global. I have to figure out a way to do it myself,” she said. [SOURCE]
See full sized photos at blender.com..
A. Keys is lookin fly. Holla back CLatters!!
The cover is wack but the other pics are nice. Her responses are interesting to say the least. I wonder what her mom thinks about them.
I think the blue one should have been the cover. She’s doing her thing. Go Keys!!
I don’t know what to say…didn’t know that’s how she felt. I kinda figured she was into a political movement of some type, but didn’t realize she was a “conspiracy theorist”…
Interesting how she feels about Tupac and Biggie…makes REAL good sense…
I don’t like it. She looks like a cartoon on the cover.
We’ve yet to see what Alicia is going to do…
Idk why people get so much grief over their opinions?! oh well
I agre the pic with the blue dress should’ve been the cover….Anyway, she looks beautiful either way
Im sorry, RIP BIG and everything but I dont think he was going to be anyones great black leader.
Beautiful. Maybe it’s just me, but she looks a lot slimmer.
Alicia’s comments are not “conspiracy theories”, they’re intelligent statements. Who knows… Ms. Keys could be the next Assata Shakur (but only through her music).
don’t feel this is a conspiracy theory at all…its the outright truth as seen all around us everyday since those early days of “gangsta rap”. Hip Hop has become the internationally televised societal genocide of the African American. Those lyrics did at one point in time serve a purpose, but with said purpose served why are their still variations of it being spewed out from radio on the daily. Even the God fathers of the genre had the sense to realize there was more to life than the violence they came to know, but now with many of them dead or no longer respected, we continue to wallow in the filth that commercial hip hop brings us in the form of Young Jeezy, 50 Cent, Gucci Mane, and others. Most of these men, if given the effort could quite possibly do the world some good, but the money and fame beckons them. Honestly folks, its no conspiracy…it’s our sad reality.
The cover is ok I am not a big fan of hers she seems boring to me.
i think her comments may offend some people who like gangsta rap but her opinion is her opinion. most of what she said does make sense.
Ms. Keys is sooooo fab…I love her!!!
People call it a “conspiracy theory” bc they dont want people to take it serious, but i absolutely 100 percent agree with her views! annnd she looks great, finally an artist doing some positive with their celebrity.
I love here dress. Great color on Licia!
She looks very nice…I think they should’ve used one of the other pics for the cover. Anyways I think the statements she made were very well educated statements. If you research other conspiracy theorists you would notice how far they look into things through reserach and many times if they are not telling the truth, they are not far off from it. I completely agree with the gangsta rap theory and I’m sure rappers are gonna come at her, but I’m sure it won’t phase her at all.
I’m not going to agree or disagree with her comments. She’s allowed to her opinion, whatever that may be. At least she has one of her own instead of just saying what people want to hear or what makes her socially acceptable and has enough heart to say it. I just hope she can handle the backlash of her comments because you know that there are going to be some tabloids that will blow it out of proportion.
she looks hella good…get it!!!!
It’s always controversy when someone tells the truth, i.e. Obama’s pastor..smh it’s a shame!
shes a complex simplicity (Teedra Moses) shes really pretty
A.Keys looks really good I cosign with number 18!!!
I hope there isn’t a huge backlash on her for saying this.
@Angel what do you think about what alicia said? Do You Agree or disagree?
I personally think that it’s a possibilty.
At least she has an OPINION. Some celebs are just puppets and robots and say the same thing over and over again in interviews.
I am so humbled
I am so blessed
It was beautiful
It was so amazing
[repeat]
*off topic*
Alicia your lil show on MTV is HOT UNWASHED ASS!!! pure fuckery to the highest degree…just wacktasticial
She is telling the truth! oh yeah she looks lovely
she is FAB!
# 7 I agree!
And she looks nice & classy, I love her
This is not a conspiracy theory its the truth. Please crack open a history book to see how the government has in the past and continues to try to manipulate BOTH whites and blacks for the interest of elites. If you know the history of the country, then her statements do not seem odd at all. In fact, they are quite consistent with what many historians and political minded people know. The fact that the media is labeling her a “conspiracy theorist”, as though her comments are unfounded, just serves to obfuscate the truth. They don’t want us to know, but it’s already written, if we’d just READ it! Black, whites, latinos…all of us!
Alicia looks fly. That blue dress is slamin. She isn’t a conspiracy theorist at all. Give the woman some credit for stating an intellectual opinion that he feels strongly about without sounding or being crass or crude. Rock on Alicia!
#31 Liz you said it girl. A book will answer all questions people have!
WOW YEA SHE REALLY DIDNT SEEM LIKE ONE OF “THOSE PEOPLE” WHO THINK THE UNKNOWN IS A CONSPIRACY I HONESTLY PEOPLE WHO SPEAK ON WHAT THEY DONT KNOW WITH CONFINDENCE AS IF THEY WERE THERE THEMSELVES ANNOY ME AND ARE SHALLOW AND MUCH LESS STUCK IN THEIR OWN WAY OF THINKING BECUASE HAS ANYBODY EVER DEBATED WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE SO CLOSED MINDED BUT HSE HAS HER OPINION JUS LIKE I HAVE MINE … THE GOVERNMENT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH BIGGE AND TUPAC’S BEEF NOW THATS CRAZY IM PRETTY SURE THE GOVERNMENT DIDNT FORCE BIGGIE AND TUPAC SAY WHAT THEY SAID ABOUT EACH OTHER IN THIER RAPS ABOUT THEIR FAMILY AND EACH OTHER IM JUST SAYING THOUGH…….. MISSEZ
It looks like they got some good quotes out of Alicia, and she usually don’t give up any kind of dirt… Must have been a great combo… And I love what she said about’ Pac and Big and that whole thing being a conspiracy to shoot down black leaders. Word.
>>>>>>> no words:(
She looks Great as always. Sounds like she smoking crack on that gansta rap BS!
Was she smoking because she sounds crazy.
I have to agree with one of the other commentators, in that I don’t think Biggie or Tupac would have been the next “leaders” of the Black community. We’re too segmented for that. I also don’t think the government created Gangsta Rap. However, I would not be surprised if one of the reasons why Gangsta Rap has become what it is (so heavily supported by the mainstream media) is because it is being manipulated by the powers that be to keep the Black community stupid. Just like the majority of television is being used to keep all of America dumbed-down and unaware.
Her mother is white thats why she doesn’t think she knows about that kinda stuff. I’m not surprised Alicia Keys would have these kinda views, she comes off like one of those BLACK POWER women to me…
@9 Pac would have been a great black leader. He already had millions ready to follow him. That was a danger to the government. Another Malcolm X! RIP Pac! The Best to Ever Do It!
Hmm…well, the pic of her in the blue dress is lovely
Welcome to another episode of when “keeping it real goes wrong”. Shes going to get some backlash for this, plain and simple she just alienated alot of white people, I’m not saying thats her problem or she even that she should be concerned, thats just what it is. Alicia is just so hood with it sometimes, I just don’t know.
I like her even more now. But Biggie would definately not be a good black leader and Tupac was too conflicted. She sounds like one who has just started reading books like these and has become empassioned by them. It is easy
,especially when dealing with racism as much as we do, but as she continues in educating herself, she will see that real leaders are not televised at all.
I don’t know if biggie or Tupac would’ve been the next leaders cause honestly both of their lives were taken at such a young age. Who knows cause Malcolm X did drugs and all that and you see how he made a life changing turn. Anyways I think people forget what leadership is. Leadership doesn’t mean you have to be Dr. King, Nelson Mandela,etc. IT means to be the head and forward your followers. A prime example of leaders should be your parents, grandparents, Jesus, God, or whateva you worship. I think she was speaking the truth and obviously showed us that she is very intelligent, she actually researches, and she cares about her art of music instead of just the money cause I’m sure people wanted her to shut up about the issue.
Everyone has their theories..but the govt isn’t behind it. Just ignt black folks. My fav about the rap game is how black folks stared wanting Versace and Armani and Louis Vuitton, etc., etc. after rappers were paid to start mentioning it in their songs…lol….like Run DMC used to wear couture clothing!
This is the most interesting Alicia has EVER been! I love her music but never thought she had much personality. Who knew? If this is the direction she is heading then I am excited for the NEXT album.
ALICIA KEYS is one of the most INTELLIGENT artists of our generation, finally someone who can talk about more than the latest Nike’s Air Force Ones. How many artists today do you know who do that?? This is NOT a conspiracy theory this is THE TRUTH. People reaaaaaaaaally don’t know their history, the tactics haven’t changed.
People STILL don’t understand that music has the power to influence people by being played over and over and over and over? Music is POWER. The media as a whole is POWER. Why do you think people DO WHAT THE SONG SAYS in clubs and everywhere before they even realize it? Why do you think so many people around the world EMULATE what they hear and see on TV?
Taking an excellent quote from the blog “Toyas World” :
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If you actually read the article and take the time to understand what she’s saying, it makes perfect sense. She’s saying that “Gangsta Rap” convinced blacks to kill one another by pitting groups of blacks against groups of blacks. “Gangsta rap” further hardened the division between blacks of lower socioeconomic status. It was a mind game perpetuated even greater by the media’s continued attention to it. That “Gangsta” in front of rap denoted “beef” or negativity; thus, “Gangsta rap” and murder are correlated. Tupac and Biggie were killed by blacks, but the media and government played an indirect role by feeding it to the people.
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Music/the press, any medium, can be used as a tool to control the MINDS of the people that they TARGET. This is a form of brainwashing. If y’all don’t understand this, y’all are simply gullible and BLIND.
As much as I like Pac & B.I.G. music I don’t believe that the government played a role in their beef or murders. Let be honest with ourselves Pac and B.I.G. were not look that highly when they were alive by rap fans. It was after their death that the Pac cult and B.I.G. stans occured. During the Million Man March (1995) no one was saying “Where’s B.I.G.? Where’s Pac?” The powers that be knows that the only way black people can be a threat to the establishment is if they unite first on a local level then later on a city to city, state to state level. It kind of hard to lead a movement when your checking for your Billboard numbers each week. Also if Alicia Keys is going to make a statement like that she should at least back it up with something more than ‘i read a couple of books.’ As long as black ppl continue to ignored books from Cornel West, Noam Chomsky, Walter Rodney, Randall Robinson, Basil Davidson, Frantz Fanon, & James Bladwin…the power that be can sleep well.
yea well alicia, say “goodbye MTV” … shes gonna catch a lil heat for this one..with that being said..at least she spoke her mind
SMH People please read the article carefully! She said the government fueled it. She never said the government set it up and highered people to kill them. Ever heard of the saying adding “fuel to the fire” We all knew about the East coast West coast “beef” but it was the media and government who made it appear much worse than it was. They instilled fear into Americans that these “gangsta black people” are out to kill everyone. Ever notice how we can lose 50 soldiers and it will get mentioned for five minutes, but all of the news media can follow Beyonce and JAy Z for a week trying to find out if they are married. Which one is more important? That DC sniper got caught fairly quick, but there are so many murders like Pac and Biggie that have been swept under the rug and unsolved.
@ 52 LADY ARCHITECT : EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She said “FUELED”….big difference!
Miss Keys is telling it like it is…I Love her , and respect the fact that she is keeping if real and not sugar coating shit like all these other fake, whack female artists out here…Keep doing your thing Ms. Keys!!!
A lot of people think that the gov’t fueled the situation and if they didn’t…then they sure as hell not trying to find out who did. I don’t think she’s goin to get any “heat” over it becuz it’s not that serious of a comment. People say worst stuff than that at their dinner tables, politicians and celebrities alike. If the KKK can still march around then Im sure she can openly show respect for the Black Panthers. It’s not like the Panthers were killing people solely becuz of skin color, they protected the community unlike these punk ass gangs that are out today. These gangs have no positive mission or vision, just hate and I despise them as much as the KKK, they both are out to destroy the black community.
I can’t wait till the full article comes out because like someone else said on another blog this is like a snippet of the Rev Wright speech that was blasted in spots. I don’t think the government had something to do with their deaths maybe they could have help prevent them. Do ya’ll think the FBI weren’t watching these two. I still think Pac was set up in NY when he was shot at that studio. I do think the media had a big deal to do with the beef because all I can remember is getting the Source and Vibe and they were hyping it up adding fuel to the fire. Music does indeed have power and its definitely influential. I don’t see Biggie as leader because I wasn’t really into his music as was Tupacs. I think Tupac could have been a force had he lived long enough. I’m glad Alicia can speak her mind regardless if they agree with her or not. The thing about Alicia is she is aware she doesn’t have to be a pretty face and just sing songs. She is not afraid to lose fans because on one mainstream blog I read some of the comments and the white people who commented on what Alicia said they no longer like her because of her comments. Who knows maybe her people will release a statement to clarify what she meant.
Speaking of KKK did ya’ll hear about the state troopers who dressed with homemade KKK hats the date before MLK day. I saw it today on CNN. N these are the people who are suppose to protect and serve.
Alicia is talking bull and this is just a publicity stunt to keep her revered in the black community. Its obviously working. Black people always want to blame others, but its not untrue that blacks have played a part in the demise of blacks as a whole. No one, not even the govment is forcing blacks to kill each other, we do these things to ourselves. To deny there is hatred in the black community between blacks is silly imo.
Nice pics… but I would like to see her take the cover to another place… Always so peaceful and white picket fencey….I want a lil’ edge out of Alicia
I mean everyone including celebs have their views on ‘gangsta rap’, not just Alicia. Shes just being outspoken about her views which is something that people wouldnt even bring up in their interviews as it is controversial. She wouldn’t of spoken out her own opinions on this if she was scared people would agree or disagree with her statements. But its interesting to see what celebs think of this instead of talking about their success, fame. .but just talking about REAL issues. .
UHHH PEOPLE THE COMMENTS ARE OBVIOUSLY TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT AND SENSATIONALIZED TO SELL MAGAZINES, HENCE THE “BUY THE MAGAZINE ON TUESDAY TO READ MORE” LINE IN THE END. WHEN YOU FINALLY READ THE ARTICLE YOU ARE SHOCKED ABOUT HOW GENERIC AND TAME IT ACTUALLY IS..REPORTERS SENSATIONALIZE STORIES TO SELL MAGAZINES WHILE TAKING NO CARE FOR PEOPLES LIVES THEY ARE FUCKIN UP BY MISREPRESENTING THE TRUTH FOR THE SAKE OF HYPING SALES.