Alicia Keys Blender interview

[DrunkBomber]

Thanks MTV.

 

In an interview with Blender Magazine published March 19, 2008, Keys caused a stir in the media, stating that she believes the rivalry between Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur was fueled "by the government and the media, to stop another great black leader from existing." [42] She also claimed that "Gangsta rap' was a ploy to convince black people to kill each other. `Gangsta rap' didn't exist." However, she did not reveal what she believed to be the original source of "Gangsta rap". During the interview she revealed that she wears a gold AK-47 pendant around her neck “to symbolize strength, power and killing ’em dead.”

[CrimsonWeltall]

Gotta work on the street cred

[iamshack]

Thanks MTV.

 

In an interview with Blender Magazine published March 19, 2008, Keys caused a stir in the media, stating that she believes the rivalry between Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur was fueled "by the government and the media, to stop another great black leader from existing." [42] She also claimed that "Gangsta rap' was a ploy to convince black people to kill each other. `Gangsta rap' didn't exist." However, she did not reveal what she believed to be the original source of "Gangsta rap". During the interview she revealed that she wears a gold AK-47 pendant around her neck “to symbolize strength, power and killing ’em dead.”

 

By no means am I excusing Alicia Keys for sounding like an absolute lunatic, but you seem to have a habit of discussing race at every chance you can get.

[Flash Tizzle]

How the hell did this escape mention for nearly a month?

[whitesoxfan101]

I agree with her that gangsta rap was just a mythical ploy to get black people to kill each other. Problem is, that wasn't something caused or aided at all by the government or media, it was caused by the gangs themselves and people like Suge Knight that ran the industry in the 90's. I have always been a big fan of hers, and I'm both shocked that this has escaped mention this long and disappointed to hear she is into AK-47 chains and playing the silly blame game.

[DrunkBomber]

By no means am I excusing Alicia Keys for sounding like an absolute lunatic, but you seem to have a habit of discussing race at every chance you can get.

I havent went near any other threads about Wright or anything in a while. I just saw this wasnt up and added it. Thanks for the concern and contribution though.

[Controlled Chaos]

4. I will not post statements for the purpose of angering others

5. I will not prod posters repeatedly on a subject or chase them across topics to make a point

6. I will try to make posts that actually add to the discussion at hand

 

I guess these don't apply to certain posters...or maybe since we're not in the buster...anything goes.

 

 

[NorthSideSox72]

I may have disagreed strongly with DB's posts in those other race-issue threads, but I see no problem with posting this article for discussion. I think it has some relevance to current culture. Let's try not to make this about any specific poster, alright?

 

And this isn't the Buster. Although I have a feeling this thread may end up there.

 

[NorthSideSox72]

It seems interesting to me that we often don't hear about the political and societal views of major celebs (movies, TV, music types), but then when they do, they often end up sounding like whackos. I wonder if that life makes them so insulated from reality that they lose their grip on perspective and common sense.

 

[StrangeSox]

My favorite part is her claiming that Tupac or Biggie could have been "great black leaders."

[mr_genius]

this is an excellent new conspiracy theory. i tip my cap to you, Alicia Keys.

[Texsox]

4. I will not post statements for the purpose of angering others

5. I will not prod posters repeatedly on a subject or chase them across topics to make a point

6. I will try to make posts that actually add to the discussion at hand

 

I guess these don't apply to certain posters...or maybe since we're not in the buster...anything goes.

 

Thank you for expressing you point of view, I deleted my comment.

[CanOfCorn]

The older I get, the less I care about what "famous" people think. Maybe I would care more if I wrote songs, acted in movies, played some sort of professional sport or was a born "celebrity" (I'm looking at you Paris). I like to call it cynicism. She is entitled to her opinion, no matter how crazy it is...and I am entitled to think she is bats*** crazy...no matter how famous or how much money she has.

 

And by the way, life is waaaaay to short to find fault any way you can.

 

But, that's just my opinion, I might be wrong.

[Texsox]

The older I get, the less I care about what "famous" people think. Maybe I would care more if I wrote songs, acted in movies, played some sort of professional sport or was a born "celebrity" (I'm looking at you Paris). I like to call it cynicism. She is entitled to her opinion, no matter how crazy it is...and I am entitled to think she is bats*** crazy...no matter how famous or how much money she has.

 

And by the way, life is waaaaay to short to find fault any way you can.

 

But, that's just my opinion, I might be wrong.

 

I don't see how you can be wrong. Your opinion is your opinion. I feel about the same way regardiung anyone's opinion. Only after they have built up some credibility do I even bother. For example there are a few posters here that I will really try to learn from, and a whole bunch that just annoy.

[whitesoxfan101]

It seems interesting to me that we often don't hear about the political and societal views of major celebs (movies, TV, music types), but then when they do, they often end up sounding like whackos. I wonder if that life makes them so insulated from reality that they lose their grip on perspective and common sense.

 

Maybe I'm wrong, but I just think having that much money has an effect on some people. If you went around asking athletes their opinions on politics and society, I bet you'd hear some weird stuff from them too. That's the best I can do, because it seems like a lot of the whack jobs come from hollywood, music, and sports, and tens of millions of dollars are the one common denominator among them.

Edited April 15, 2008 by whitesoxfan101

[Balta1701]

If you went around asking athletes their opinions on politics and society, I bet you'd hear some weird stuff from them too.

I have 2 words for you.

 

Carl. Everett.

 

That is all.

[whitesoxfan101]

I have 2 words for you.

 

Carl. Everett.

 

That is all.

 

Well yeah, exactly. I guess my point was you hear about musicians and actors messed up opinions on life a lot more often than athletes, but it's only because athletes don't speak out as much. If athletes did speak out more, they'd be just as weird IMO and the money is the common denominator among these people.

[lostfan]

I would still hit it

[iamshack]

I honestly enjoy not hearing about the opinions of celebrities, especially regarding politics. I'm so tired of people like George Clooney or Matt Damon or Sean Penn acting as if their opinion has any more bearing on anything than anyone else's. Contrarily, their opinions should be viewed with less reverence as they often live a life that is so far from the common American experience as to be irrelevant.

 

That being said, as for her comments in regards to Tupac or Biggie, look how far Sean Combs has come. Look how far Snoop Dog has come. I'm not sure these guys are "black leaders," but they have certainly grown up to contribute quite a bit more to society than we would have thought they would had they been murdered 13 years ago...

Edited April 16, 2008 by iamshack

[FlaSoxxJim]

Maybe I'm wrong, but I just think having that much money has an effect on some people.

 

I am soooo willing to take that chance if someone would just give me the $hitload of money I need to do the experiment right.

 

[juddling]

well....here is AK's PR attempt to make her original comments see a bit less crazy.....take it for what it's worth...USA interview

 

NEW YORK (AP) — 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.

 

 

[Kyyle23]

Which is worse, a celebrity who says something completely loony and stands by it, or a celebrity who says something completely loony then turns around because of the backlash and claims they were misquoted?

Edited April 17, 2008 by kyyle23