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” :

—————————–
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.
—————————-

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.

I have to say that I love Alicia and I think that she’s a true talent and a
powerful inspiration for our community, but I am going to have to agree
with Blackluv and Genie. I do feel that “gangsta rap” has been
manipulated, molding, shaped, contorted, contrived and completely twisted
into something only reminiscent of what it orginally was, an artistic
expression/depiction of life in the raw. These rappers were speaking on their
reality, of course with plenty of liberty to captivate an audience and plenty of
bravado to garner respect. Then the mainstream media did what it does
best and sensationlized it, made it marketable… with just enough edge to
make it both scary and intriguing to the youth and just plain scary to their
parents (which made it even MORE intriguing to the youth) and rappers
either a) continued with their movement to be heard b) cashed in on a trend
or c) tried to balance a and b. But do i think the seed had already been
planted before mainstream/gov’t came to the hood to shine the spot light on
the next “great” threat, pile some sh*t on top to fertilize it and stood back
and watched it grow into a mess of weeds for our people to get entangled
in?…..well, you can probably guess I do. I don’t think it was a conspiracy…
it was exploitation at best. I do think Alicia is just searching for answers
and has become emboldened by her passion… but Blackluv is right…she’ll
realize “The Revolution will not be televised” .

I agree about reading the whole article before we really know what Alicia said. However, I also believe that blacks should take more responsibility in the future of our culture and how we raise our kids. The government might have “fueled the fire”, but we have a choice whether we continue to support music that is violent, materialistic, and degrading. I’m not claiming to be holier than thou, but I’m getting older now (26), so these are things I’m beginning to think about.

Tell Alicia to stop smokin’ that ish her voice would get better and it would stop her from making crazy statements. Crack and the guns flooding the urban street led to the violence in our communities. Gangsta rap wasn’t even populary in many of the place plagued by drugs especially in the Northeast.
Is she revolutionary enough to have her politics match her music? Probably not, she traded in her braids and eccentric clothes for a long weave and glamorous dresses. Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill she is not

Pac and Biggie? Great black leaders? Ummm, no.

So many other hard working, upstanding, black men out there? And those two could have been our leaders? No thanks. They wouldn’t be leading me anywhere.

I think Alicia just needs to keep making music and keep her opinions to herself. Or share that crack she’s so obviously smoking.

What is Alicia Keys talking about?

If it’s the truth, then, its the truth. Let Alicia say what she wants. She waited until the right time to start this, anyhow. She built her brand up first, let people know she was here to stay, and then started spewing her political thoughts. A lot of people on here are talking about the backlash. That’s how the media and government, etc, keep us in check. Most of us are too scared to speak to the truth. Even in a eloquent manner, because we FEAR backlash. That is how significant issues spiral out of control, until there seems there is no hope. Ameriaca is gonna get it, because everyone around here is to SCARED to stand up, until they are literally forced to fight. By then too much damage is done.

LOL @ #43 for the “when keeping it real goes wrong”! That’s what’s up!

Look, I can see where Alicia is coming from when it comes to Gangsta Rap music, but at the same time how are you gonna lift Biggie and Tupac up? Like Chris Rock said in a stand-up show, “Biggie and Tupac weren’t assassinated; them niggaz got shot!” They were two of the greatest MC’s, but not everything they spoke about in their rhymes were uplifting to the Black community. They did their fair share of calling women out there names, killing and drug-dealing. Gangsta Rap served a purpose when it first came out because some of it was talking about the injustices going on in the ghettos of L.A. and police brutalities. Not just about gang life.

So I expect some interviewers to ask her about Gangsta Rap during an interview just to see if they can get more out of her.

@ 63, Lauryn Hill and Erykah both rock STRAIGHT WIGS from time to time, they’ve rocked glamorous clothes, matter of fact Erykah wears prada in the issue of ESSENCE where she graces the cover. Jill Scott straightens her hair too. Alicia’s hair doesn’t define who she is and doesn’t make her any less black/for the cause. James Brown straightened his hair, he was a proud black man.

She sounds brainwashed

@68 no one is saying straight hair and designer clothes make one less black, her whole style went from edgy to mainstream musically and style wise. Lauyn, Erykah and Jill rock designer duds while still maintaining their own unique style, she on the other hand look like a clone of every other female artist out there now

#70, Alicia can’t help if she’s light skinned or she dress more womanly, if she dressed the same as she did years ago y’all would still be calling her gay…Make up your mind

It’s interesting that she has said something like this. Especially as a young black woman that this society i.e. white America, has chosen to embrace. It’s interesting that she still has the clarity to think these type of thoughts and the nerve to evoke them with what she has to lose. It will be interesting to see if the white man gives this story legs or if he chooses to let it slide because she can still be used. Add onto that, the absolute fact that the majority of average black people that have not attained anywhere near as much as she has in this society are complete idiots and believe that we’re steps away from unity with their gods, white people. There’s evidence for her claims, especially the fact that Eazy E was invited to the White House and spoke to Ronald Reagan. Many of these so-called “gangsta” rappers are federal agents sent out to make this dumb-ass music and put spirits on the people. All these music labels have witches on their payroll that come and bless the master tracks on these records with different spells to insure that the music will enrapture the people. Music has always been used as a means to control the people and it is no different today. As a matter of fact it’s at it’s worst. I don’t understand why what she says is deemed conspiracy theory. Why can it not just be her opinion based off of the research that she has done? I disagree about her belief in Tupac or Biggie, especially Biggie, being any potential leaders. I think that she’s going into idolatry with that, but once again, it’s her opinion. Honestly, it’s refreshing to hear a black person with a real independent thought. Hopefully it’s sincere.

To Post #9…she was talking about TUPAC not Biggie…

Black follks need to get over this blame shit, and come up with some solutions. Raymond Washington started the Crips (Tookie came later), Eazy-E started gangser rap with NWA. We are 37% of the prison population. Black women are getting AIDS faster than any other segment of society. Here in L.A., black gangs members are shooting each other (and others) like this is the wild wild west, and it’s happening nationwide.
Quit the blame game and come up with solutions. Heart disease, high blood pressure, alcohol, drugs, you name it, we are on the verge of becoming extinct. We’ve got enough anger already (have you seen the way many blacks folks walk around with scowls on their faces). Acknowledge negative issues, but don’t let them dominate you, cause if you do, you lose, and we are losing.

She is deep, she looks like Alliyah “rip”