Keys sees conspiracy against blacks in 'gangsta rap'
Associated Press
April 13, 2008, 4:20PM

NEW YORK — There's another side to Alicia Keys: conspiracy theorist.

" 'Gangsta rap' was a ploy to convince black people to kill each other. 'Gangsta rap' didn't exist," the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter tells Blender magazine.

Keys, 27, said she's read several Black Panther autobiographies and wears a gold AK-47 pendant around her neck "to symbolize strength, power and killing 'em dead," according to an interview in the magazine's May issue, on newsstands Tuesday.

Another of her theories: The bicoastal feud between slain rappers Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G. was fueled "by the government and the media, to stop another great black leader from existing."

Keys' AK-47 jewelry came as a surprise to her mother, who is quoted as telling Blender: "She wears what? That doesn't sound like Alicia."

Keys' publicist, Theola Borden, said Keys was on vacation and unavailable for comment.

Though she's known for her romantic tunes, she told Blender that she wants to write more political songs. 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," she said.

The multiplatinum songstress behind the hits Fallin' and No One most recently had success with her latest CD, As I Am, which sold millions.

hey phone lines that's heavy babe,i mean i always thought alicia keys was blessed ,but now she wants to be a political singer? i think that can destroy an artist, people want to be entertained ,not lectured to ,but back to the ''gangsta rap'' conspiracy theory thats like saying the c.i.a. planted actual tape recordings of m.l.k. having sex in a memphis hotel with his mistress,sure they spied on him ,but they did'nt make him screw his girl friend. tupac [r.i.p.]was a good actor ,as well as a good lyricist ,the other guy who was murdered too ,i forget his name ,i heard was whacked out at the hands of''shug'' knight, a known member of the bloods street gang in .l.a. tupac was in vegas ,well i guess just defending himself from patrons looking to hurt him and his crew ,unfortunatly ,that proved fatal.but you know ,it looks to me that when it's convenient ,any body will point the finger at whoever is subject to take the fall i.e.the government. i like the topic