Alicia Augello Cook, known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American singer and songwriter. A classically trained pianist, Keys began composing songs when she was the age of 12 and was signed by Columbia Records at the age of 15. After disputes with the label, she signed with J Records to release her debut studio album, Songs in A Minor (2001). Met with critical acclaim and commercial success, the album sold over 12 million copies worldwide and won five awards at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards. It contained the Billboard Hot 100-number one single "Fallin'." Her second album, The Diary of Alicia Keys (2003), was met with continued success, selling eight million units worldwide and spawning the singles "You Don't Know My Name", "If I Ain't Got You", and "Diary". Its release earned an additional four Grammy Awards.
Usher Raymond IV is an American singer, songwriter, and dancer. He is recognized as an influential figure in contemporary R&B and pop music. In 1994, Usher first released his self-titled debut album at the age of 15 and rose to fame in the late 1990s following the release of his second album, My Way (1997). That album featured his first Billboard Hot 100 number-one single "Nice & Slow" and the top-two singles "You Make Me Wanna..." and the title track. His third album, 8701 (2001), saw continued success and contained two number-one singles, "U Remind Me" and "U Got It Bad", as well as the top-three single "U Don't Have to Call". It sold eight million copies worldwide and won his first two Grammy Awards for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance consecutively in 2002 and 2003.
The 2004 MTV Europe Music Awards were held at Tor di Valle Racecourse, Rome, Italy. As in 2003, the awards ceremony was held in a 6,000-capacity big top arena constructed specifically for the main event.
The 47th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 13, 2005, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles honoring the best in music for the recording of the year beginning from October 1, 2003, through September 30, 2004. They were hosted by Queen Latifah, and televised in the United States by CBS. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year. Ray Charles, whom the event was dedicated in memory of, posthumously won five Grammy Awards while his album, Genius Loves Company, won a total of eight. Kanye West received the most nominations with ten, winning three. Usher received eight nominations and won three including Best Contemporary R&B Album for his diamond selling album Confessions. Britney Spears received her first Grammy of Best Dance Recording for her 2004 smash hit "Toxic".
The Diary of Alicia Keys is the second studio album by American singer Alicia Keys. It was released on December 2, 2003, by J Records. The album was recorded at several recording studios, and production was handled primarily by Keys with contributions from Kanye West and Kerry Brothers Jr., who described it as "an R&B album".
"Confessions Part II" is a song by R&B singer Usher, produced by Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox for Usher's fourth album Confessions. Written by Usher, Dupri and Cox, the song is a confession of a man to his woman about his impregnated mistress. This is a continuation of "Confessions Part I" which relates to a man's infidelity. Its personal content evoked rumors and early responses from the public even before its release, believing that Usher was asserting the truth; however, Dupri divulged that the story behind the album is about himself.
Contemporary R&B is a popular music genre that combines rhythm and blues with elements of pop, soul, funk, hip hop, and electronic music.
"You Don't Know My Name" is a song by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys, issued by J Records as the lead single from her second studio album, The Diary of Alicia Keys (2003). Written by Keys, Kanye West and Harold Lilly, its production, handled by the former two, is based on a sample of the 1975 song "Let Me Prove My Love to You", written by J. R. Bailey, Mel Kent and Ken Williams, and performed by The Main Ingredient.
"If I Ain't Got You" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys for her second studio album The Diary of Alicia Keys (2003). Inspired by the 2001 death of singer Aaliyah, the September 11 attacks, and other events in the world and in Keys' life, the song is about "how material things don't feed the soul". It was released as the second single from The Diary of Alicia Keys on February 17, 2004, by J Records. The single cover depicts Keys similarly to the subject of Man Ray's 1924 photograph Le Violon d'Ingres.
"My Boo" is a duet between American R&B singers Usher and Alicia Keys, written by the artists alongside Adonis Shropshire, Manuel Seal, and Jermaine Dupri, the latter of whom produced it with No I.D.—who is uncredited. It was included on the re-release of Usher's fourth studio album, Confessions (2004). The song was released as the album's fourth single on August 29, 2004.
The MTV Video Music Awards Japan 2005 were hosted by Takashi Fujii and Megumi at Tokyo Bay NK Hall, the awards included performances by Namie Amuro, Rain, Mariah Carey, Hoobastank, Jamiroquai and Ashanti.
The Element of Freedom is the fourth studio album by American singer and songwriter Alicia Keys, released on December 11, 2009, by J Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during May to September 2009 at the Oven Studios in Long Island, New York. Production was primarily handled by Keys, Kerry Brothers Jr., and Jeff Bhasker. Departing from the classicist soul music of Keys' previous albums, The Element of Freedom has a mid-tempo, low-key sound and features mostly love songs.
The 2002 Soul Train Music Awards were held on 30 March 2002 at the Los Angeles Memorial Sport Arena in Los Angeles, California. The show was hosted by Arsenio Hall, Yolanda Adams, Faith Evans and Shemar Moore.
The 2004 Soul Train Music Awards were held on March 20, 2004 at the International Cultural Center Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. The show was hosted by Alicia Keys and Babyface.
The 2005 Soul Train Music Awards were held on March 12, 2005, at the Paramount Studios in Los Angeles, California. The show was hosted by Brian McKnight, Fantasia, Nick Cannon and Nicole Richie.
The 2010 Soul Train Music Awards were held at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center in Atlanta, Georgia on November 28, 2010. The show was hosted by Oscar nominated actor Terrence Howard and Oscar nominated actress Taraji P. Henson. Performers included El DeBarge, R. Kelly, Erykah Badu, Ron Isley, Lalah Hathaway, Bilal, Cee Lo Green. Tributes were made to artists Ron Isley, and Anita Baker.
The 4th BET Awards took place at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, California on June 29, 2004. The awards recognized Americans in music, acting, sports, and other fields of entertainment over the past year. Comedienne Mo'Nique hosted the event for the second time.
The 5th BET Awards took place at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, California on June 28, 2005. The awards recognized Americans in music, acting, sports, and other fields of entertainment over the past year. Actors Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith hosted the event for the first time.
American recording artist Alicia Keys has appeared in numerous music videos. Her videography includes more than thirty music videos and three video albums. In 2000, Keys signed a recording contract with J Records and released her debut single "Fallin'", taken from her first studio album Songs in A minor (2001). The plot of its music video had Keys traveling to a prison to visit her incarcerated boyfriend and was continued in the video for her next single, "A Woman's Worth;" both videos marked Keys' first collaboration with director Chris Robinson, who would become a regular collaborator later. In 2004, another regular, American director Diane Martel, directed the accompanying music video for the second single from the singer's second album The Diary of Alicia Keys, "If I Ain't Got You", which featured rapper Method Man as Keys' love interest. It won the Best R&B Video accolade at the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards.
The 2020 Soul Train Music Awards took place on November 29, 2020, to recognize the best in soul, R&B and Hip-Hop music. The ceremony aired on BET, BET Her, VH1 and MTV2, with actors Tisha Campbell & Tichina Arnold hosting the ceremony for the third time.
