Alicia Keys's interview in Blender mag caused some controversy and she is clarifying some of the comments she made, specificially when she said that "Gangsta rap was a ploy to convince black people to kill each other. 'Gangsta rap' didn't exist." She saying now that she didn't mean to imply the feds were behind the creation of the music genre.
Keys, 27, also said in Blender that 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 the magazine’s May issue, now on newsstands.
But the mention of 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."
Yesterday, Alicia issued a long statement to take back and explain everything she said: "I feel it is necessary to clarify the comments that were made during my recent Blender magazine interview since they have been 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."
"Additionally, regarding the AK-47 reference, AK-47 is a nickname given to me by some of my friends in jest, as an acronym for 'Alicia Keys' and a metaphor for wowing people with my music and performances -- "killing 'em dead" on stage. The reference was in no way meant to have a literal, political or negative connotation."
"The recent implications about me are too radical and too dramatic a departure from whom I have continually demonstrated myself to be. I work so hard and give so much of myself to bring about positive change to this world, and I only wish those efforts received as much press and attention as the misinterpretations of the Blender article."
Comments
Alicia keyz yu r so pretty yu've waz 1 of favorite sings and yu still is thxxxx 4 leting mii rite yu bye mija rite bac if yu kould!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: alicia zapata | April 26, 2008 6:34 AM