Alicia Keys, photographed by Mark Seliger for the “Become A Drug Dealer” campaign for the Keep a Child Alive charity in 2004. 

Alicia wears a shirt printed with the text “drug dealer,” which was apart of KCA’s ad campaign. Proceeds from the purchase of the shirts, which came packaged in official police evidence bags, went to buying the necessary drugs for children in Africa with HIV/AIDS. Designed by advertising agency Fallon New York, it featured the phrase: “A buck a day buys the drugs that keep a child alive.”

Just some of the other celebrities and artists that modeled the shirt included Lil’ Kim, Common, Darryl McDaniels, Tyson Beckford, Naomi Campbell, and lan Cummings.

Later on World AIDS Day in December, Alicia attended and performed at “The Pusher's Ball” backed by the “Become A Drug Dealer” campaign to benefit the Keep A Child Alive charity at The Angel Orensanz Foundation Center for the Arts in New York City. The cocktail party and concert event was named the "Pusher's Ball" based on the foundation's efforts to get people to 'push' these life saving drugs to children in Africa. The event was the brainchild of Keep a Child Alive Founder and longtime AIDS activist Leigh Blake. It served to raise funds and honor some remarkable people doing work in the AIDS community. 

The event featured a lineup of performers. Among them were Keep a Child Alive spokesperson Alicia Keys, and Lenny Kravitz who performed "Let Love Rule" and "Higher Ground," Anthony Hamilton who performed "Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone," Lou Reed who dueted with Alicia in a rare performance for "Satellite of Love," Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds who dueted with Alicia on John Lennon's "Imagine," Angélique Kidjo who performed "Afrique," and "Africa is the Center of the World" with rapper Common and legendary vibraphone player Roy Ayers. The event also featured a solo performance by rising star and 13-year-old musical prodigy Karina Pasian. Other celebrity guests and presenters included Spike Lee, Russell Simmons, Iman, Run DMC, Tyson Beckford, Mos Def, Gloria Rubin, Alan Cumming, Don Cheadle, Lil Kim, and Clive Davis among others.

 

Alicia Keys, photographed arriving at “The Pusher's Ball” to benefit the Keep A Child Alive charity at The Angel Orensanz Foundation Center for the Arts in New York City on December 1, 2004.

On World AIDS Day (December 1st) Empire Entertainment produced a star-studded event to help raise funds for Keep a Child Alive, a relatively new charitable organization that directly provides life-saving anti-retroviral drugs to children with HIV/AIDS in Africa.

The cocktail party and concert event was named the "Pusher's Ball" based on the foundation's efforts to get people to 'push' these life saving drugs to children in Africa. The event was the brainchild of Keep a Child Alive Founder and longtime AIDS activist Leigh Blake. It served to raise funds and honor some remarkable people doing work in the AIDS community. 

The event featured a lineup of performers. Among them were Keep a Child Alive spokesperson Alicia Keys, and Lenny Kravitz who performed "Let Love Rule" and "Higher Ground," Anthony Hamilton who performed "Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone," Lou Reed who dueted with Alicia in a rare performance for "Satellite of Love," Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds who dueted with Alicia on John Lennon's "Imagine," Angélique Kidjo who performed "Afrique," and "Africa is the Center of the World" with rapper Common and legendary vibraphone player Roy Ayers. The event also featured a solo performance by rising star and 13-year-old musical prodigy Karina Pasian. 

Alicia can be seen wearing a white top underneath with black text, which reads “drug dealer.” The entire event was backed by the “Become A Drug Dealer” KCA campaign designed by advertising agency Fallon New York. The campaign featured tee shirts printed with the text “drug dealer.” Proceeds from the purchase of the shirts went to buying the necessary drugs for children in Africa with HIV/AIDS.

 

Alicia Keys, photographed performing during “The Pusher's Ball” to benefit the Keep A Child Alive charity at The Angel Orensanz Foundation Center for the Arts in New York City on December 1, 2004.

On World AIDS Day (December 1st) Empire Entertainment produced a star-studded event to help raise funds for Keep a Child Alive, a relatively new charitable organization that directly provides life-saving anti-retroviral drugs to children with HIV/AIDS in Africa.

The cocktail party and concert event was named the "Pusher's Ball" based on the foundation's efforts to get people to 'push' these life saving drugs to children in Africa. The event was the brainchild of Keep a Child Alive Founder and longtime AIDS activist Leigh Blake. It served to raise funds and honor some remarkable people doing work in the AIDS community. Among those honored were John Demsey, the President of M.A.C. Cosmetics and Chairman of the M.A.C. AIDS Fund; Anneliese Estrada, Creative Director of The Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS (DIFFA) the oldest and one of the largest funders of HIV/AIDS service and education programs in the US; Stephen Lewis, the U.N. Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa; and Dr. Shaffiq Essajee, the Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at NYU School of Medicine, for their courageous work in providing treatment and AIDS research.

The event featured a lineup of performers. Among them were Keep a Child Alive spokesperson Alicia Keys, and Lenny Kravitz who performed "Let Love Rule" and "Higher Ground," Anthony Hamilton who performed "Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone," Lou Reed who dueted with Alicia in a rare performance for "Satellite of Love," Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds who dueted with Alicia on John Lennon's "Imagine," Angélique Kidjo who performed "Afrique," and "Africa is the Center of the World" with rapper Common and legendary vibraphone player Roy Ayers. The event also featured a solo performance by rising star and 13-year-old musical prodigy Karina Pasian. Other celebrity guests and presenters included Spike Lee, Russell Simmons, Iman, Run DMC, Tyson Beckford, Mos Def, Gloria Rubin, Alan Cumming, Don Cheadle, Lil Kim, and Clive Davis among others.

Empire Entertainment served as event producer and were responsible for all elements including talent coordination in collaboration with J Records. The event was generously sponsored by AOL Music and M.A.C. Cosmetics. 

The entire event was backed by the innovative “Become A Drug Dealer” KCA campaign designed by advertising agency Fallon New York. The campaign featured tee shirts, packaged in offical police evidence bags, printed with the text “drug dealer.” Proceeds from the purchase of the shirts went to buying the necessary drugs for children in Africa with HIV/AIDS. Official advertising featured figures like Alicia Keys, Lil’ Kim, Tyson Beckford, Naomi Campbell and Alan Cummings wearing the dealer shirts.

 

Alicia Keys, photographed backstage during BBC Radio 1’s “One Big Sunday” show at Victoria Park in Leicester, England on September 8, 2002.

Alicia among others like Romeo, Appleton, Holly Valance, Supergrass, and Puddle of Mudd performed for more than 100,000 on Sunday for the BBC’s grand outdoor music event, which traveled the UK to Swansea, Ipswich, Falkirk and lastly Leicester, earning a reputation for showcasing some of the biggest current names in music. 

Alicia performed hits like “How Come You Don’t Call Me,” “Girlfriend,” “A Woman’s Worth,” and the chart dominating “Fallin’”.

 

Alicia Keys, photographed performing exclusively for BBC Radio 1Xtra for an audience of less than 100 at BBC’s Maida Vale Studios in London, England by Rhodri Jones on January 20, 2010.

Photographer Rhodri captured this image with a Canon EOS Rebel XTi camera, with a shutter speed of 1/200 of a second and a 50 mm lens.

The session & interview was broadcast on 1Xtra & Radio 1 with Trevor Nelson from 7pm on Saturday 23rd January 2010.

Later into the year Alicia would make her debut performing for day one of BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend on May 22nd in Bangor, Wales. 

 

Alicia Keys and DJ Trevor Nelson, photographed at the BBC’s Maida Vale Studios in London, England on January 20, 2010.

Alicia performed an exclusive set for BBC Radio 1Xtra for an audience of less than 100 competition winners. She did a set of classics including “Fallin’,” “Superwoman,” “You Don't Know My Name,” “Teenage Love Affair,” plus “Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart,” and “Doesn't Mean Anything” from her new album “The Element Of Freedom” released last November.

 

The session & interview was broadcast on 1Xtra & Radio 1 with Trevor Nelson from 7pm on Saturday 23rd January 2010.

 

Alicia Keys, interviewed for BBC Radio 1Xtra at BBC’s Maida Vale Studios in London, England on January 20, 2010.

Alicia performed exclusively for Radio 1Xtra for an audience of less than 100 competition winners. She did a set of classics including “Fallin’,” “Superwoman,” “You Don't Know My Name,” “Teenage Love Affair,” plus “Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart,” and “Doesn't Mean Anything” from her new album “The Element Of Freedom” released last November.

 

The session & interview was broadcast on 1Xtra & Radio 1 with Trevor Nelson from 7pm on Saturday 23rd January 2010.

 

Alicia Keys, interviewed by DJ Trevor Nelson for BBC Radio 1Xtra at BBC’s Maida Vale Studios in London, England on January 20, 2010.

Alicia performed exclusively for BBC Radio 1Xtra for an audience of less than 100 competition winners. She did a set of classics including “Fallin’,” “Superwoman,” “You Don't Know My Name,” “Teenage Love Affair,” plus “Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart,” and “Doesn't Mean Anything” from her new album “The Element Of Freedom” released last November.

 

The session & interview was broadcast on 1Xtra & Radio 1 with Trevor Nelson from 7pm on Saturday 23rd January 2010.

 

Alicia Keys with mother Terri and crew, photographed walking past Bryant Park on their way to ABC’s Good Morning America (GMA) on Broadway & 44th St. in Times Square, New York by Kevin Ready on May 31, 2002.

Alicia appeared on GMA on May 31st to perform songs like "Rock Wit U" on live TV. She'd perform on the show a number of times.

 

Alicia Keys and members of the Agape Orphanage in South Africa, photographed during the “We Are Together” premiere held at the Clearview Chelsea Cinemas at the 2007 Annual Tribeca Film Festival in New York City on April 26, 2007.

British director Paul W. Taylor first met the children of Agape while volunteering in South Africa during a summer break from film school in 2003. He spent three months with the children who had lost their parents to AIDS. Made aware of their beautiful choir, he saw the potential of their voices. And so Taylor returned a year later with producer Teddy Leifer with the intent of making a film and facilitating the recording of the children's CD to raise money to expand the orphanage. “We Are Together (Thina Simunye)” is his debut documentary.

Pouring their hearts into each song, these powerful, angelic voices drew in attention from England to New York, where the young stars got a chance to perform at Keep a Child Alive’s annual Black Ball benefit with artists like Alicia Keys and Paul Simon. "We, South Africans, sing before we eat. We sing when we're happy, sing when we're sad. It's a healing thing. Not everyone has music or stereos in their homes, but we can all sing," explains South African pop star Zwai Bala. And it is through singing that the children rise through difficulties and travel to New York to spotlight their cause. 

The film picked up much acclaim worldwide including winning both the Special Jury Prize and Audience Award at the Tribeca Film Festival. All profits from both the film and CD were donated to charities to help children affected by HIV/AIDS in South Africa.

 

Alicia Keys and director/writer Joe Carnahan, interviewed by Chuck the Movie Guy for their 2006 film Smokin’ Aces in January 2007.

Alicia made her big-screen debut as Georgia Sykes, a contract killer in Smokin’ Aces alongside rapper Common. She tells Entertainment Weekly about the debut: “It's a little intimidating at first when you walk onto a set and all the people there are actors,” she says. “Some of them are huge names like Ben Affleck or Ray Liotta, and here you are this movie virgin who doesn't know how it all works. But it was a very supportive environment.”

She continues: “Having so many incredible actors surrounding me enabled me to [do my best]. I worked very hard on it, and I felt good about my big-screen debut. I didn't want to play the piano-playing singer. I didn't want to play a singer. I wanted to do something that was completely and totally not me. And this character Georgia Sykes is not me at all. Not one bit Alicia is in there, except she looks like me.''

Written and directed by Joe Carnahan, who had just quit work on Mission Impossible III, wrote a draft of what he called a version of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, with dark humor and heavy violence. It would soon be worked into Smokin’ Aces. Several cast members signed on because of Carnahan's association to his prior 2002 hit Narc.

The film centers on the chase for Vegas performer turned mafia informant Buddy “Aces” Israel (Jeremy Piven), whom has been placed with a million-dollar bounty.

Casting includes Ryan Reynolds, Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Andy García, Taraji P. Henson, Ray Liotta, Chris Pine, and Matthew Fox, all co-starring as the various individuals attempting to either capture, kill or protect Israel. The film received mixed reviews upon release, but grossed a profitable $57 million at the box office from its $17 million budget. It has since developed somewhat of a cult following for its over the top style and performances.

 

Alicia Keys, accepting her Grammy award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for “No One,” awarded by the late Prince at the 50th GRAMMY Awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on February 10, 2008.

“No One” won her Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, winning over Jill Scott and Mary J. Blige, and for Best R&B Song.

The big 50th honored The Recording Academy’s legacy and paid tribute to its future with a list of honorees and performers. The primary ceremonies were televised in the US on CBS. Alicia was the evening's opening musician, duetting on piano with a half-century old clip of Frank Sinatra for "Learnin' The Blues.”

She returned to the stage to perform "No One,” lifting the audience higher as she brought out guitarist John Mayer onstage for a melodic guitar solo.

 

'The next 50 is here:' the 50th GRAMMYs promotional photo card featuring Alicia Keys (48 of 50) from 2008.

On February 10, 2008 the 50th Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Earlier in the month, Alicia performed “No One,” from her latest album “As I Am” released the prior year in November, including other hits at the Super Bowl XXLII in Arizona. Her “As I Am Tour” would commence later in the month, touring world-wide into December.

The big 50th honored The Recording Academy’s legacy and paid tribute to its future with a list of honorees and performers. The primary ceremonies were televised in the US on CBS. Alicia was the evening's opening musician, duetting on piano with a half-century old clip of Frank Sinatra for "Learnin' The Blues.”

Late English singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse won a total of five awards that night, including Best New Artist as well as Record Of The Year and Song Of The Year for “Rehab,” while Kanye West took home four, including Best Rap Album for Graduation.

Alicia’s “No One” won her Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, winning over Jill Scott and Mary J. Blige, and for Best R&B Song.

She returned to the stage to perform "No One,” lifting the audience higher as she brought out guitarist John Mayer onstage for a melodic guitar solo.

 

“The Next Queen of Soul”

Unpublished shot of Alicia Keys, photographed in lower Manhattan for her cover story of the 881st issue of Rolling Stone magazine by Mark Seliger on September 13, 2001. 

Published November 8, the photographs for the magazine’s cover were captured in lower Manhattan, just two days after the World Trade Center attacks, a mile and a half from Ground Zero. The shoot was originally scheduled for September 11th. 

Immediately after the shoot, Alicia and her crew were escorted to a police checkpoint at Fourteenth Street, then uptown to Washington, D.C., where a tour bus was waiting to take the young star and her band to Atlanta for a show the following night at Chastain Park Amphitheatre on the 14th. Alicia was scheduled to open for singer Maxwell, despite her debut album already selling more than 3 million copies. 

 

“The Next Queen of Soul”

Alicia Keys, photographed in lower Manhattan for her cover story of the 881st issue of Rolling Stone magazine by Mark Seliger on September 13, 2001. 

Published November 8, the photographs for the magazine’s cover were captured in lower Manhattan, just two days after the World Trade Center attacks, a mile and a half from Ground Zero. The shoot was originally scheduled for September 11th. 

Immediately after the shoot, Alicia and her crew were escorted to a police checkpoint at Fourteenth Street, then uptown to Washington, D.C., where a tour bus was waiting to take the young star and her band to Atlanta for a show the following night at Chastain Park Amphitheatre on the 14th. Alicia was scheduled to open for singer Maxwell, despite her debut album already selling more than 3 million copies. 

In the wake of the catastrophe, Alicia felt the shoot had to be something relevant: "To see Chambers Street and the Brooklyn Bridge lookin' like some old spot you might see in Kuwait on TV just puts things in perspective for me," she says. "Some people live with war every day, and we just these small-ass little children who always been protected for one reason or another. The things that people hold in high esteem is fuckin' stupid. That's the reason why I wanted this shoot to mean something. I couldn't go in there and just put on some clothes. I couldn't possibly do a fuckin' photo shoot after what just happened. I would feel like the person I despise. The physical is such an important part of today's society, and that's sickening, sickening, sickening, and it makes it more sickening when something like this goes on.”

She continues: “The last couple days I been thinkin', 'What's happenin' to this world? What's really goin' on?' Couple weeks ago we was dealin' with that plane shit with Aaliyah, and now it's a whole nother thing. It's strange. For me, I can't take myself out of that equation. I feel like everyone who died in that building was part of me. The thing that keeps goin' through my head is the phoenix that rises out of the ashes. Although there's despair and confusion, that's definitely not the end of the world, and it's not gonna stop us. It's gonna make us stronger."

But Alicia felt conflicted: “All day I been seein' everyone rockin' flags in they hats and on the street, and I'm torn," she says. "I look at that flag, and I'm not able to completely go there for some reason. I see lies in that flag. I can't suddenly be all patriotic. But this is about human life beyond any country or flag. That's why it makes me feel so strange. Because I'm so torn, and there's so many layers involved."

 

“Heard Alicia sing a tune

 (I thought of you)”

In the November issue of Ebony magazine in 2008, Alicia spoke of an encounter with the late and great Luther Vandross: “He was one of  the people I admired tremendously and who just embraced me almost like a little sister,” she says. “I remember like yesterday, I was in Amsterdam and I was like tons of hours ahead, and I get the call that he wants to speak to me. I’m like, ‘Wow, he wants to speak to me? Great.’ So I’m in my room, and it’s probably 3 a.m., so of course I get up out of my sleep to speak to him. He was like, ‘I just wrote this song, and it goes like this…’ He sang me that song [“Think About You”], where he put my name in it. I was screaming! I couldn’t believe he did that. I thought that was so beautiful and just a testament of the type of guy he was. Such an embracing person.”

Upon hearing his passing on July 1st 2005, Alicia was performing at the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans: “I can't believe it, I'm so sad," Keys said backstage. "There's something in the back of your mind that wishes someone was playing a big prank on you. That's how I felt when I found out. I couldn't even believe it. I'm happy to say I can call him my friend. I think he's such a wonderful man that's left behind such a beautiful legacy. That's something that will truly inspire generations to come. We will absolutely miss him. We pray for his family, that they heal, and ... My goodness, this is so sad." Alicia dedicated “If I Ain’t Got You” to the late icon.

Friends, family and celebrities gathered at New York's Riverside Church on July 8 to attend the nearly three-hour funeral service of one of the most beloved R&B singers. A chorus of artists, including Usher, Alicia Keys, Ashford and Simpson, Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin, would end the service by singing one of Luther’s songs "The Power of Love,” as sounds of applause filled the room.

 

Alicia Keys, hosts Free Marie and A.J. Calloway, Monica and Missy Elliott, photographed on set of the 102nd episode of BET’s 106 & Park at 524 West 57th Street in late 2003.

Alicia was on the show to perform and promote 'Diary. She would appear on 106 a number of times in the future.

 

Alicia Keys, interviewed backstage of the Fox Theatre in Detroit, Michigan on October 9, 2001 by host Toussaint Rich for Video Vibe TV.

Alicia was supporting act for Columbia Records singer Maxwell’s “Now Tour.”

 

Alicia Keys, exclusively interviewed for Billboard on October 30, 2009 about her new album “The Element of Freedom” and performing “Empire State of Mind” with Jay-Z a day prior at the opening of Game 2 of the 2009 World Series with the New York Yankees vs Philadelphia Phillies at Yankee Stadium.

Alicia and Jay were scheduled to perform the opening game of the World Series in early October, but, due to wet weather the duo did not perform as they would be outside on the field. They ultimately performed the hit live at Yankee Stadium before Game 2 of the World Series in late October, on a custom-made stage adorned with Yankees flags while images of New York City flashed across several large screens throughout the stadium.

“Being apart of the World Series yesterday- it was really unbelievable,” Alicia says to Billboard. “Being able to do that record [‘Empire State of Mind’] with Jay is so, so incredible because I’ve been a fan of his for a long time and some of my first memories of even before I was signed, before I even had the opportunity to do music, was me listening to ‘Reasonable Doubt.’ I always figured at some point we’d be able to do some type of collaboration,”

She continues: “Being able to walk out on that field with all those people rooting for New York, […] We both felt like big kids a little bit because it was like a dream come true in a way.”

The Yankees beat Philly (3-1).

 

(L-R) Yolanda Adams, Mary Mary (Erica and Tina Atkins), India Arie, Alicia Keys, Jill Scott and host Oprah, photographed during the taping of “The Oprah Winfrey Show” by George Burns in 2001.

With the spotlight on rising female singers, the episode included performances from Yolanda Adams, Alicia Keys, Mary Mary, India Arie and Jill Scott. Airing on Thursday, June 21, 2001 at 4 p.m.

Alicia recalled the taping to Jet magazine in August: “That was an unforgettable experience to be around so many artists who I admire and are truly artists. The vibe in there was so nice.”

J Records LLC’s chairman, Clive Davis, wrote Oprah a personal note asking her to have Alicia on her show to debut her talents. Oprah accepted. And this was Alicia’s very first television feature, promoting Songs in A Minor. The following day on the 22nd, Alicia appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, airing at 11:30 p.m. Jet magazine revealed that celebrated host Jay Leno “couldn’t wait to hear [Alicia] perform” during the taping of the show. So he came to watch her perform during the sound check, donning his casual jeans and sneakers.

 

Alicia Keys, interviewed by Oprah Winfrey on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” after performing her hit “Fallin’” and a rendition of Beethoven’s “Für Elise” in 2001.

With the spotlight on rising female singers, the episode included performances from Yolanda Adams, Alicia Keys, Mary Mary, India Arie and Jill Scott. Airing on Thursday, June 21, 2001 at 4 p.m.

J Records LLC’s chairman, Clive Davis, wrote Oprah a personal note asking her to have Alicia on her show to debut her talents. Oprah accepted. And this was Alicia’s very first television feature, promoting Songs in A Minor. 

 

Alicia Keys, photographed on Polaroid during the video shoot for “Girlfriend” filmed on location in East London, England by Patrick Hoelck on October 8, 2002.

“Anybody who knows me knows I love Wu-Tang. I just love their style because it’s so soulful and so hard at the same time, and I just couldn’t get enough,” she said during a “B-sides” session. “So, I wanted to do my version of ‘Brooklyn Zoo,’” she continued. “I wrote this whole song kind of about a relationship between a guy and a girl. I was dating the guy, but it felt like this girlfriend he had for a long time, a homegirl, was just all up in the mix so I was jealous.”

“I’ll never forget the first time I heard ‘Girlfriend’ in my car in New York on the BQE in my gold 626 Mazda, and Funk Master Flex played it for the first time — dropping all these bombs on it. I almost crashed because this was my dream. So ‘Girlfriend’ was an amazing memory for me.”

 

Alicia Keys, photographed on Polaroid during the video shoot for “Girlfriend” filmed on location in East London, England by Patrick Hoelck on October 8, 2002.

Patrick Hoelck is an American film director and photographer based in Los Angeles and New York City. He’s known for his creative photographic and directing skills. Hoelck directed the video for “Girlfriend.” 

In April 2011, Hoelck published Polaroid Hotel, an imagery book paying tribute to the art of Polaroid photography by capturing intimate moments of his life and career throughout 17 years.

“Girlfriend” was the fourth and final single from Alicia’s debut Songs in A Minor (2001), released on November 25, 2002. The Patrick Hoelck music video uses the Krucialkeys Sista Girl Mix of the song. Appearing on the album, an interpolation from Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s “Brooklyn Zoo” can be heard. Robert “RZA” Diggs and Russell “ODB” Jones are additionally credited as songwriters from this sample. 

In an interview with YRB magazine in 2001, Alicia recalled the first time she heard one of her songs played on the radio: “I will remember it forever and ever,” she says. “You know the first I heard on the radio was ‘Girlfriend’ and it was in New York. Coming back from something, it was late night. The studio or something. It was really late. Me and [Kerry ‘Krucial’ Brothers], we was in the car […] We were going some place on the BQE. That we never travel and there was like this twisted construction going on […] So we in the BQE, we twisted, we lost, we don’t know where we goin’, what’s the exit? We just all over the place. So we finally turn around ’cause we think we know where we are goin’ now and all of a sudden I hear ‘This is Funk Master Flex. You need to hear this.’ and I friggin’ hear the chords to ‘Girlfriend’ and I’m like ‘wait, wait, wait a minute… I know that.’ You know for a minute ’cause you don’t believe it. I thought it was the original. Maybe it’s the Ol’ Dirty Bastard joint." 

She continues: "Then the song drops and my Flex brought it back like 19 times and dropped 39 bombs on it. I was screaming. I’m like ‘Oh shit.’ I’m about crash into the damn construction. I mean I was so excited that I was about to crash into the stupid construction on the BQE. [Kerry’s] like ‘yo chill man, chill. Drive.’ I was just too excited.”

 

Alicia Keys and radio programmer Elroy Smith, photographed hugging together at the Chicago Theater in Chicago by Ken Bedford on April 2, 2005.

Following her performance at the Chicago Theater for her "Diary Tour" with new-comer John Legend, Alicia greeted Elroy, who thanked the singer for recognizing him for helping to launch her career during her televised Grammy acceptance speech. Elroy’s stations were the first to play the hit single "Fallin’."

"The Diary Tour" covered 34 cities across the United States between February and April, new-comer John Legend opened for all dates. Alicia and John had previously worked together when he sang background vocals on the single "You Don’t Know My Name."

Alicia said to Billboard that the tour would be “conceptual” and “thematic” in nature. She last toured the United States as part of the Verizon Ladies First tour with Missy Elliott and Beyoncé in 2004. “That tour only played 18 cities, so I didn’t get to go to a lot of places,” she says. “I wanted to come back and tour America.”

 

Alicia Keys with DJ Kulcha and DJ Goldfinger, photographed in the legendary Beat Street Records store at 349 Fulton Ave in Downtown Brooklyn, N.Y. during an in-store record release for Alicia’s Songs in A Minor on June 26, 2001.

 

Alicia Keys and Beat Street Records owner Gary Jamal, photographed in the legendary Beat Street Records store at 349 Fulton Ave in Downtown Brooklyn, N.Y. during an in-store record release for Alicia’s Songs in A Minor on June 26, 2001.

“She would not leave; she was here for so many hours,” Gary recalls to Billboard magazine. “She kissed everybody hello, and when they told her she had to go, she said ‘These are my fans, and I’m staying until everyone gets their autograph.’”

Favored shopping destination for some of the industry’s biggest DJs and hip-hop artists. Specialising in used and hard-to-find original records. Hip-hop accounted for most of the store’s 5,000-plus vinyl titles, Jay-Z did an in-store back in 1996 before his first album, Reasonable Doubt. Foxy Brown filmed the video for her song “B.K. Anthem” in front of the store, and MTV often used the location in its video countdown programming. Artists who have made in-store appearances for record releases at Beat Street include Lil’ Kim, Sean Paul, Red Man, Ghostface Killah, Carl Thomas, Capone-N-Noreaga, Erick Sermon, and the late Aaliyah. 

The original 500-square-foot store opened in 1981. Four relocations later, the store finally settled at 349 Fulton Ave., adopting the Beat Street name in 1984, after the film. Owned by three brothers: Gary, Ricky and Fred Jamal, the brothers were more interested in the music side of the business. They took over Beat Street in 1990 with the intention of transforming it into a music-only store. “We’re not a Tower Records or a Virgin,” Fred the eldest says to Billboard. “But we try to special-order a lot of titles that you wouldn’t see at Virgin.” Fred continued: “This business is not a profitable business at all. We never really got into it for money. We just loved it, and we got into it because we enjoy it.”

 

Alicia Keys, photographed as she performs at the Q102 Jingle Ball concert at the Tweeter Center in Camden, New Jersey by Steve Trager on December 14, 2001.

Empire State of Mind collaborator Jay-Z headlined the concert. Other acts on the bill included Enrique Iglesias, Craig David, Toya, Lifehouse, Michelle Branch, and J Records’ O-Town.

 

Alicia Keys and backup singers Amanda Brown and Whitney Keaton, photographed as they perform at the North Sea Jazz Festival at the Ahoy Hall in Rotterdam, The Netherlands on July 13, 2008.

For the cover story of Keyboard magazine’s June issue in 2010, Alicia Keys is interviewed about her fourth studio album The Element of Freedom. Here she speaks on some of her musical influences for the recording: 

“At the beginning of making this record [The Element of Freedom], I really wanted to explore some interesting combinations of sound and style. Take the Police—I listen to them a lot. Obviously, they have that kind of ska vibe to them, but then they definitely still have a soulful thing, but then they still have a pop sensibility in terms of where the chord changes and melodies go. So I love that. Second, I was really into Genesis, because I just loved the darkness of it, and the way they experimented with drum machines, but also with live drums, and how they crossed between the two. Some songs start out really dark, like “Mama,” but then the choruses would just open up. I really wanted to understand what that was about. Third, I listened to a lot of Fleetwood Mac. That was because one of my closest friends invited me to see them for her birthday. At first, I was like, 'Sure.' [Rolls her eyes.] Everybody was singing along to every word, and I was the only one who didn’t know the words. I felt a little embarrassed. But it was cool, because it opened me up to a whole other sound, and drum style, and group. Of course I knew their big songs—everybody does. But to go deeper in, like the Tusk album… that was the one that I really went back and zoned on. So, those were the kinds of things I was listening to, and I did start concentrating a lot on the songwriting style, and that influenced the chords I would use, and the way I wanted the choruses to be. It was about just opening up the flow. I knew I wanted to experiment, and plus, I was in my studio collecting tons of keyboards. My engineer, Ann Mincieli, is a collection addict. So, she’d be like, ‘I saw this new…’"

 Photography by Randall Slavin. 

 

Alicia Keys and Dan Miller of boy band O-Town, photographed in London in March 2001.

The boy band singer recalls the interaction to social media: “O-Town was in London promoting our 1st album when Clive Davis invites us out to ‘the J Records new artist showcase’ for our label mate, Alicia Keys. It was obvious that she was a beast and quite honestly, destined for much bigger things than us. She was always the sweetest to us and showed nothing but love and support to O-Town.” 

Songs in A Minor wouldn't be released for another 3 months.

 

Unpublished shot of Alicia Keys, photographed for the March issue of the Spanish edition of Elle magazine by Spanish photographer Bernardo Doral in 2010.

 

“Alicia Bares Her Soul”

Alicia Keys, photographed exclusively for the November issue of Ebony magazine by Gian Andreas Di Stefano at nightclub Hiro at the Maritime Hotel in Manhattan in 2007.

Lead acrobatic dancer Tatyana Petruk of Aerial Artistry taught Alicia how to suspend in the air for her cover shoot. Working with the creative team nonstop until the singer left to go to the premiere of The Nanny Diaries. 

Harriette Cole of Ebony writes: “There’s nothing ordinary about superstar Alicia Keys. So we decided to go for something extraordinary in the creation of this cover story,” 

“EBONY’S photo director, Dudley Brooks, and I presented her with the concept of showcasing the Many Moods of Alicia Keys—from the fantastic to the ethereal, the vulnerable to the invincible. She was game! We booked time in an amazing space, a nightclub called Hiro, in the bowels of the Maritime Hotel in Manhattan. Little did we know that acrobatic dancers work nights there. We enlisted the support of Tatyana Petruk, the lead dancer at Hiro, to teach Alicia how to position herself on a ring suspended in mid-air. We wanted to invite the Superwoman in Alicia to come forth. Suffice it to say that we were not disappointed!” “She was completely willing to go with the flow of Alicia—sharing the fullness of her with us, with the EBONY readers—as she offers this newest expression of her creativity, her third studio album, As I Am.”

 

“Alicia Bares Her Soul”

Alicia Keys, photographed exclusively for the cover of the November issue of Ebony magazine by Gian Andreas Di Stefano at nightclub Hiro at the Maritime Hotel in Manhattan in 2007.

Lead acrobatic dancer Tatyana Petruk of Aerial Artistry taught Alicia how to suspend in the air for her cover shoot. Working with the creative team nonstop until the singer left to go to the premiere of The Nanny Diaries. 

 

Alicia Keys and photographer Warwick Saint, photographed on set in 2003.

“She was just a really, really good hearted human being that was very, very enjoyable and fun to shoot,” says the photographer. “And it’s one of the-one of my most iconic album covers [Diary] I’ve ever done. Just really proud of it. Proud to have experience with her. With such an iconic musician.”

Warwick’s imagery would later be used for Alicia’s poetry collection book Tears for Water in November 2004.

 

Alicia Keys, photographed for The Diary of Alicia Keys in NYC by Warwick Saint in 2003.

Warwick used a Pentax 6x7 film camera to capture the singer half covered by a piano. 

“This image is a test shot, and it was actually taken from the Polaroid,” the photographer tells social media. “In the days of film photography, you would capture your best shot on a Polaroid because that's when the energy on set seems to be more relaxed. You're just doing a light test, and everybody appears to be kind of relaxed.

Then, when you say, ‘Okay, now we're shooting,’ and you load the film into the camera, there's this sense that now we have to do it.

Sometimes, that wouldn't be the best shot because there's all this anticipation and energy that now it has to be the perfect shot. In this particular instance, the Polaroid was the best shot and it gave very beautiful quality for this album cover. I'm really, really proud of it. Kudos to Alicia Keys.”

A painter, photographer, and mixed media artist, South African-born Warwick Saint has captured the visual landscape of millennial culture. In the 2000's, He reimagined the role of lighting in photography by adapting techniques from scientific applications of flash and stroboscopics. Creating album covers for artists including Missy Elliott, Whitney Houston, and Lady Gaga. In 2018, He moved beyond traditional photography and began exploring his work through painting.