I've had the urge to write this since the middle of last year when the allegations about Alicia Keys and Swizz Beats were at their height. It seemed that no one could resist dragging her name through the mud. Comments running along the line of, 'how can she sing about female empowerment and do that to another black woman' were thrown from every which way. People were and still are so consumed with knowing the dynamics of the relationship that they forget all of her accomplishments. I have to first address the fact that an official statement has never been published by Swizz Beats or Alicia's team. We have become so enamored with chasing the personal lives of celebrities that we don't care how sordid we get. Some people couldn't even give an unbiased review of 'Element of Freedom' without referencing the alleged affair. So I ask, how relevant is an artist's personal life to their music?
If we judge one person's music by their actions then we should do the same for all. No one is getting on Lil Wayne for impregnating 2 women at the same time. I can't, for the life of me, understand why, but Chris Brown still has a loyal following (who openly bash Rihanna). Need I remind you that Chris Brown is a convicted felon?
Ok, so we are going to judge her music on her personal life. Well then, can we talk about her philanthropic work? What other artist in her age bracket has promoted their organization as much as she has? I have yet to see an interview or concert where Keep A Child Alive was not prominently displayed and talked about. This fact alone should totally diminish the blemish of her alleged role in the the dissolution of a marriage. I am totally about what a celebrity does with their power and she has always been the model of celebrity philanthropy, shaping up to be like Bono.
If you choose to break free from the mass and give 'Element of Freedom' a listen, you will surely find enough to satiate your thirsty mind.
