For the Conspiracy Theorist in You: Alicia Keys on ‘Gangsta Rap’

“If Malcolm or Huey had the outlets our musicians have today, it’d be global. I have to figure out a way to do it myself” - Alicia Keys 

America’s favorite bright skinned darling has people buzzing with her apparent closeted radicalism.  In the latest issue of Blender magazine, Alicia Keys, openly shares her opinion of a coordinated conspiracy to promote black-on-black violence through the media created genre ‘gangsta music’.  She says:

“‘Gangsta rap’ was a ploy to convince black people to kill each other,” she says, putting down the sandwich. “‘Gangsta rap’ didn’t exist.”

Come again? A ploy by whom?

She looks at us like it’s the dumbest question in the world. “The government.”

Add another line to her résumé. Alicia Keys: piano stroker, budding actress… and conspiracy theorist? This is the side of her that doesn’t square with the media-trained pro—the side your mom probably doesn’t know about when she hums “No One” on the way to Walgreens. This Alicia pores over Black Panther autobiographies (“I’ve read Huey Newton’s, Assata Shakur’s, David Hilliard’s …”). This Alicia says Tupac and Biggie were essentially assassinated, their beefs stoked “by the government and the media, to stop another great black leader from existing.” This Alicia wears a gold AK-47 pendant around her neck, “to symbolize strength, power and killing ’em dead.” (“She wears what?” her mom asks Blender. “That doesn’t sound like Alicia.”)

No, it doesn’t sound the Alicia Keys we’v come to know sensible love songs.  But, I think this is a conspiracy we’ve all connected the dots on already.  I know the light clicked in mind after hearing Kevin Powell speak about his experiences as a journalist covering the so-called “East Coast/West Coast Beef” of the mid-90s.  I always wondered if that was a gun on her chain.  But, when I just knew that it was, I’d think “there’s no way in hell Alicia Keys is walking ’round the world kissing cheeks with white folk with a uzi on her neck.”  Well, there’s a first for everything, ’cause I was obviously wrong about that one. 

Anyway, what I learned later in the article makes me think that I’m the last one to be put on to this side of Ms. Keys.  I mean, I was surprised to see her chilling extra hard at the 2006 Black August Concert, but didn’t think much about it afterward.  Come to find out, the NYPD had been surveilling AK for suspicion of ANARCHY!

This might surprise the Grammy committee: Last year, the New York Police Department declassified documents revealing that they’d put Keys under surveillance prior to the 2004 Republican National Convention. The department released a statement explaining that they’d targeted “those openly talking of anarchist actions.” Keys, who had spoken publicly against President Bush and donated $500 to the Democratic National Committee that year, was suddenly labeled an enemy of the state. “Hell,” she says. “Someone’s gotta be an anarchist.” (SOURCE: Read full article @ Blender)