Posted on 04/15/2008 4:54:13 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
*In an interview with Blender magazine, Alicia Keys says she believes that "gangster rap" and the bicoastal feud that resulted in the deaths of Tupac and Biggie were created by The Man.
"'Gangsta rap' was a ploy to convince black people to kill each other. 'Gangsta rap' didn't exist," said Keys, 27, in the magazine's May issue, on newsstands tomorrow.
The singer also says that the rivalry between slain artists Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G. was fueled "by the government and the media, to stop another great black leader from existing."
The Grammy-winner, who wears a gold AK-47 pendant around her neck "to symbolize strength, power and killing 'em dead," says she wants to get more political with her material in future projects.
She said 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."
Let me be the first to say, “It’s Whitey’s Fault!”
Gee, I wonder if she’s going to vote for Obama?
Don’t these people EVER accept responsibility?
Typical.
Talent does not equal brain power.
A wasted mind is a terrible thing.
The mastermind himself.
Gee, another high-profile black outed as a racist. Another in a long line.
“Don’t these people EVER accept responsibility?”
Absolutely not.
I always thought it was a gangsta conspiracy to drive me nuts every time someone with a loud set of speakers drives by. (Boombaboombaboomba)
We need a picture.
We need one for Cheney, Rice, Rove and Rush, too! LOL
the next time he play San Fran.
NEW YORK - Alicia Keys says she's not a conspiracy theorist. In a statement issued Tuesday, Keys said she was clarifying "comments that were made during my recent Blender magazine interview since they have been misrepresented."
According to an interview in the magazine's May issue, the 27-year-old singer says: "`Gangsta rap' was a ploy to convince black people to kill each other. `Gangsta rap' didn't exist." She also is quoted as saying that she wears a gold AK-47 pendant around her neck "to symbolize strength, power and killing 'em dead."
"We stand by our story," Blender spokeswoman Kate Cafaro told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
"My comments about `gangsta rap' were in no way trying to suggest that the government is responsible for creating this genre of rap music," Keys said in a statement issued by J Records. "The point that I was trying to make was that the term was oversloganized 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."
As for the AK-47 remark, Keys said Tuesday that AK-47 is a nickname given to her by friends "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."
When AP attempted to reach Keys last week about the Blender interview, her publicist, Theola Borden, said the singer was on vacation and unavailable for comment.
The multiplatinum star behind the hits "Fallin'" and "No One" most recently had success with her latest CD, "As I Am," which has sold 3.4 million copies, according to Nielsen Soundscan.
I looked & couldn’t find one.
I need to get Photoshop so I can build my own instead of ripping off OP’s!
I hope the UPS man hears about this.
“Gee, I wonder if she’s going to vote for Obama?”
Millions and millions of them. Isn’t it just wonderful!!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.