Alicia Keys Quotes

"Oh my God, the (hip-hop) videos! The imagery is so awful! I just can`t get with it at all. The best thing I can say about it is that sometimes you have to see that kind of stuff so as to have a more balanced view about why it`s so bad." (her opinion on the use of women, sex and sleaze in today`s rap/hip-hop videos)

"I always want to stay focused on who I am, even as I`m discovering who I am".

Keep a Child Alive is my passion and my mission.

I love Bono. I really respect what he has done for Africa and how he has used his fame to do good in the world. I hope I can do half as much in my life.

I believe AIDS is the most important issue we face, because how we treat the poor is a reflection of who we are as a people.

"My mom always said, `Don`t date a guy who thinks he`s prettier than you.`" (In Style/Sept/2006)

I think music and socialism and politics have always gone hand in hand. As artists we used to be way more instrumental in providing a soundtrack to the heartbeat of what`s going on in the world. We all don`t have to think the same thing but it`s important to state what we think. There is such a fear of termination of one`s career if they have any intelligent thought about politics and that`s messed up.

I have big everything on the bottom but I love my legs. You`ve got to love what`s yours.

I love my heritage! I have my mother who is an Irish-Italian, and my father who is African, so I have the taste buds of an Italian and the spice of an African.

And I love kick boxing. It`s a lot of fun. It gives you a lot of confidence when you can kick somebody in the head.

When I was younger, studying classical music, I really had to put in the time. Three hours a day is not even nice - you have to put in six.

I`m very happy with my body.

But when I first fell in love with the piano, I knew it was me. I was dying to play.

A lot of times I watch TV and I watch film and there`s so many things I`d love to talk about that I feel don`t get the opportunity to be shown. Sometimes things become very stereotypical and one-sided, and I feel like it`s such a colorful world.

Stevie Wonder`s records introduced me to `70s soul when I was 12 or 13.

If I didn`t love it, I would not record it.

I`m not ashamed of what I am and that I have curves and that I`m thick, t like my body.

I really like to live my life in a low-key fashion.

A Minor is one of my all-time favorite keys to play in. It`s a very moody key, and also `A` is the first letter of my name. It just represents the songs through my eyes.

My mother is an actress, and she used to drag me from theater to theater and reading to reading.

If I want to be alone, some place I can write, I can read, I can pray, I can cry, I can do whatever I want - I go to the bathroom.

I`m a very caring person.

Sometimes I`ve gotten photographs back and people have literally shaven off pieces of me, and I tell them to put it back.

I feel like B sides are always better, no matter whose record it is.

I would hate to make music and people love me for something that isn`t me.

Soul music is timeless.

I`d rather not have anything than be a liar.

The last thing I want is to walk into my house after a long day and see all the Grammys and awards. It would make me feel weird.

Once people see this `Unplugged,` I just want them to feel the spontaneity, to feel passionate... I want you to see another side of me, that`s free, and feel where my head is, where whatever happens, happens. I want you to feel inspired.

My mom is definitely my rock.

I lived with my mom in a really small apartment. My bedroom was like in the living room. That`s why I still love to sleep on couches now.

Not because I`m trying to be fabulous, but I love those big crazy Jackie O shades.

I promised myself that I`d never actually admit to listening to New Kids on the Block.

Simplicity makes me happy.

I see what happens when one gets very attached to material things. That`s just not what my life is.

It`s not until I hear songs that I`ve done, that I realize how much of an inspiration music from the `60s and `70s has been.

I`ve always been strong-minded, but I wonder.

I love the written word so much, I know it`s gonna flow naturally.

I love my own music.

Adam Levine and I remade the Rolling Stones` classic Wild Horses, and it is right up my alley, that whole style. It has a style of its own but still stays very true to the classic arrangement, and I love it.