Alicia Keys says her blockbuster hit "If I Ain't Got You" was inspired by Aaliyah's death.
Ten years after her breakthrough debut, Alicia Keys is reflecting on one of her biggest hits. The R&B songstress shares that “If I Ain’t Got You” was inspired by the sudden death of Aaliyah.Jacked from The Rap Up
“‘If I Ain’t Got You’ was also such an incredible song for me, it just means so much. Certain songs change everything. This was one of them,” she said of the single from 2003’s The Diary of Alicia Keys. “The song idea came together right after Aaliyah passed away. It was such a sad time and no one wanted to believe it. It just made everything crystal clear to me—what matters, and what doesn’t.”
The piano ballad still holds a special place in her heart. “I remember writing the beginnings of it on a flight somewhere and then finished it in the hotel once I got where we were going,” she added. “It came quickly and I was so moved to write it and it doesn’t matter how many times I sing it, I love it with the same intensity as when I first wrote and recorded it.”
She also reminisced about working with a then unknown Kanye West on “You Don’t Know My Name.” “Here was this new and extremely eager guy who had so much to prove,” she wrote. “I remember the first day we got together to work on what would become ‘You Don’t Know My Name.’ He played me the rough idea of his first hit single ‘Through the Wire.’ He was just as much a ball of fire then as he is now.”
Alicia will release the 10th anniversary edition of her Grammy-winning album songs in A minor on June 28 and perform at this year’s BET Awards.
14 comments:
Such trite lyrics from such a tragic situation.
THE DIKE IN THIS HOMEWRECKING LEACH IS JUST CRYING TO GET OUT. STFD BITCH, YOU LOST ALL UR "SUPERWOMEN" POINTS BY GOING AFTER ANOTHER WOMEN'S MAN. I COULD UNDERSTAND IF THE NIGGA WAS DIVORCE BUT DAMN.........
I HAVE ZERO TOLERENCE LIAR'S, AND THIS IS ONE OF THEM. Man i used to love me some alicia keys. Oh Well.........BYE BITCH.
Did she even write it? I won't knock a keys for her talent she can play the piano and has an ok voice. Most of her songs sound like they lack any real soul. Sounds like someone typed into a computer: need a song that sounds neo soul but won't scare white people. Then a bunch of whack ass future a keys songs came out.
I use to be a big fan of Alicia Keys now she is such a disppointment.
As long as shes pleasing white folks with her souless music, why alter it?
@2:46 is that you mashonda lol
Wont bye her stuff either and Alicia if you are reading this leave Aaliyah name out your mouth. please go to your hoes-is hubby and probably ugly-azz child.
I agree with the poster above me, about her leaving Aaliyah's name out of her lying mouth, talking about what matters and what doesn't, she must be talking about the matter of stealing a man from his family, and having a baby with him when he wasn't divorced and still sleeping with his wife at the time, and no this ain't mashonda, this is a gossip blog reader to this website who contributes regular comments almost daily.
Anonymous said...
As long as shes pleasing white folks with her souless music, why alter it?
JUNE 9, 2011 3:48 PM
+++++++++++++
I'm poster 2:50 and yea I wouldn't suggest that she change it I'm sure she's making bank. It just annoys me that people put her on a pedestal like she's the 2nd coming of Stevie Wonder or Roberta Flack when her music is as Micky Mouse as Britney Spears.
I also post sometimes as an anonymous poster when I don't want to reveal my name on that day.
I never bought an A Keys record, but I have liked one or two songs. I always thought she was WAY overrated and underwhelming but I would have never knocked her before. The whole Swiss/Mashonda/Akeys thing really really really changed how I felt about her...she seemed well liked and like a homegirl, before. Oh well, more fall out in the age of information, I guess. Now I won't even listen to her on the radio. Does that make me petty???
Total agreement with everyone here. AKeys certainly not on the level of Stevie or Roberta. She does of course have talent. However, since the sh$t hit the fan, my opinion of her is in the toilet. She seems like a crazed narcissist, who not believes her own crap. She did seem like a down home-girl at first, but now she's in the clouds somewhere believing no one cloud possibly be on her level. Whatever that is... I digress.
@NubianGoddez LOL!, now that was funny:)
she has always been that fake ass person who thinks no one else is on her level.truth is a lot of fake (singers) are on her level.and please keep the dead persons name out of your mouth.(let her rest in peace)only the white folks mainly like you now.
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