Alicia Keys Performs Live On The Today Show
 Monday, April 21st, 2008

Alicia Keys is a woman with a powerful voice.  She was on The Today Show with Meredith Vierra today, and sang her hit single "No One," which you know is one of ConnieTalk's faves!  It was part of the TODAY Show's Summer Concert Series.  Check out the video.  How many pop singers really belt it out live like this?

Keys is currently touring for "As I Am," and stopped by Rockefeller Plaza to perform and chat with Matt Lauer.  Lauer asked her about the recent interview she did with Blender Magazine, which got her some harsh criticism from the hip hop community: rapper 50 Cent responded last week with "I don't like Alicia Keys no more...I think if you ask Ice Cube the same sh*t, he'll tell you, 'F*** Alicia Keys' for even saying that."

Blender quoted Keys as saying the gangsta rap "didn't exist" anymore, and that it is a "plot to convince black people to kill each other."  In a press release last week, Keys said she was misrepresented:

Anyone who knows me and my character knows that I am not a conspiracy theorist or, by implication, a racist.  My comments about gangsta rap were in no way trying to suggest that the government is responsible for creating this genre of rap music.  The point that I was trying to make was that the term was over-sloganized by some of the media causing reactions that were not always positive.  Many of the gangsta rap lyrics articulate the problems of the artists' experiences and I think all of us, including our leaders, could be doing more to address these problems including drugs, gang violence, crime and other related social issues.

Matt Lauer asked her if she would like to expand on her press release last week, but Alicia said "I've already addressed this issue, and I would like to really move on to more positive things.  When things have been misunderstood or misrepresented, I don't think they deserve as much attention."


Alicia Keys has a foundation that provides life-saving medication, support and orphan care to children and families affected by HIV and AIDS in Africa.  To watch and download free videos, donate, and/or learn more about how Keys is helping children in need, visit http://www.aliciainafrica.com/.

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