It’s so easy to hate Alicia Keys. Besides being fine as crystal, the sister knows how to construct soulful pop songs with the flair of Stevie Wonder and the pop sensibility of Burt Bacharach. Yet, even with three best-selling albums, a truck full of awards (five Grammys in 2002 alone) and songcraft for days. Even if you give her a pass for those frequent Prince swipes (click these links to weigh the evidence and draw your own conclusions), there are still folks who believe Alicia Keys is an R&B poser.

In 2007, when Keys’ last joint All I Am dropped, my spiritual godfather Greg Tate wrote an inspired review called “Extensions of a Woman,” wherein he praised her for being damn-near a genius. Some of the villagers got a little rowdy, and like a scene out of Frankenstein complete with pitchforks and torches, one angry voice berated the singer/songwriter/producer by calling her “dumbed-down, mainstream, and utterly irrelevant as they come.”

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Nothing but love for Ms. Keys!

I love Alicia Keys .... I think she is one of the VERY VERY FEW people around that has some real talent. Far better and classier than other fools like Beyonce,Rihanna and Nelly Furtardo. Who are all undertalented, over exposed and over paid.

Alicia is gorgus. sexy, classy, fun and takes her work seriously. All her three albums have been outstanding and she deserves more recognition.

Alicia owned during that "Ladies First" concert. She turned the Target Center arena into an intimate club-like setting. I have to give her props for that. Her set felt very personable considering that setting. Beyonce closed as the "headliner" but people were leaving before she even got to the last song. And I got the distinct feeling that men were waaaay more hyped for Alicia than Beyonce. These guys were acting a damn fool over Alicia. She had a break out of acne, was wearing an unflattering outfit that made her appear pear-shaped, and could not dance a lick....very clumsy looking. Yet, people felt her in a different way than they did Beyonce. It was weird. The reviewers here in Minneapolis took note of how Alicia was the heart and soul of the concert and how Beyonce did not show any personality (like watching a music video) After that, Beyonce seemed to step up her game. Now she has an all-girl band and whatnot. (Still, when she played here last month the critics still noted her lack of personality lol) It would be interesting to see them tour together now.

I think Alicia is better live than on record. I have her "Diary" CD but did not feel the need to own her latest. I just kinda feel like she hasn't found her groove yet or something.

I was a little confused by As I Am too, like she might have been trying on the 'new thang' hat just to see how it fit. Her voice was a little gruffer too, which I don't mind a bit. Actually, that's what keeps me coming back to "No One" - she sounds like it's almost wearing her out to sing it. Some voices do lovely things when they're on the brink of deterioration, especially one as soulful as hers.

Alicia

Most people who call her a poser are those who claim to not listen to mainstream music and are stuck in the 60s - 70s, which is fine, but you simply CANNOT deny that AK is doing great music and is very talented. Her piano skills are SICK.

<3

I have high hopes 4 Miss. Keys.....but she is a long way from being "there".