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.
Mya Marie Harrison is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, record producer, and actress. Classified as a "triple threat entertainer," she was born in Washington D.C. and studied ballet, jazz, and tap dance as a child. Her career began in television as a dance posse member, performing on BET's Teen Summit. She signed with record executive A. Haqq Islam's University Records, an imprint of Interscope Records to release her eponymous debut studio album (1998), which lyrically explored romance and coming-of-age scenarios. Met with critical and commercial success, the album was led by her first single, "It's All About Me", which peaked within the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100. Her collaborative singles — "Girls Dem Sugar", "Ghetto Supastar ", and "Take Me There" — were also met with commercial success.
Songs in A Minor is the debut studio album by American singer and songwriter Alicia Keys, released on June 12, 2001, by J Records.
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".
"Diary" is a song by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys from her second studio album, The Diary of Alicia Keys (2003). Written by Keys and Kerry Brothers, Jr. and produced by Keys, the song features the American group Tony! Toni! Toné! on bass, piano, guitar, organ and Wurlitzer, while Jermaine Paul provides uncredited additional vocals. It was released on May 24, 2004, as the album's third single. At one time, "Diary" had been released as a double A-side with "If I Ain't Got You".
"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.
The 48th Annual Grammy Awards took place on February 8, 2006, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning from October 1, 2004, through September 30, 2005. Irish rock band U2 were the main recipients with five awards including Album of the Year. Mariah Carey, John Legend, and Kanye West were each nominated for eight awards and won three; Alison Krauss & Union Station also won three awards; and Kelly Clarkson won two. Green Day were amongst the big winners, winning the Grammy Award for Record of the Year.
"(I Just Want It) To Be Over" is a song by American singer Keyshia Cole. It was written by the singer along with Alicia Keys, Taniesha Smith, and Kerry "Krucial" Brothers for her debut album, The Way It Is (2005). Production on the song was helmed by the latter. Released on April 5, 2005 as the album's second single, "(I Just Want It) To Be Over" became a moderate success on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, peaking at number 30. It also reached number one on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart, which acts as an extension to the Hot 100.
"Karma" is a song by American singer and songwriter Alicia Keys, taken from her second studio album, The Diary of Alicia Keys (2003). Written by Keys, Kerry Brothers, Jr., and Taneisha Smith, the song takes influence from hip hop and classical music. It was released as the album's fourth and final single on November 1, 2004, by J Records. Peaking at number 20 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 17 on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, it's the album's only single not to top a Billboard chart. A mashup of "Karma" with Stevie Wonder's 1972 hit "Superstition" titled "Karmastition", produced by Go Home Productions, was also released.
As I Am is the third studio album by American singer and songwriter Alicia Keys, released on November 9, 2007, by J Records. Recording sessions for the album took place at various recording studios from 2005 until 2007. Production was handled primarily by Keys, Kerry Brothers Jr., Jack Splash, and Linda Perry, with a guest contribution from musician John Mayer.
Alonzo Mario Stevenson, professionally known as Novel, is an American hip-hop/soul artist based in Los Angeles, California. He is a Grammy Award winning songwriter, singer, rapper and producer with also 5 Grammy nominations. He is the son of Motown's William "Mickey" Stevenson and the grandson of soul pioneer Solomon Burke.
Iman Jordan formerly known by his stage name Mateo, is an American pop/R&B singer-songwriter from Cincinnati, Ohio. He was formerly signed to the Krucial Noise imprint on Interscope Records, label imprint of Alicia Keys producer Kerry "Krucial" Brothers.
Frank Javiel Malave, better known by his stage name Frankie Cutlass, is an American Grammy nominated and award winning DJ, record producer, songwriter, and remixer from East Harlem, New York City. He was a member of the Funkmaster Flex's DJ collective The Flip Squad.
"Brotha" is a song by American singer Angie Stone, which appears on her second studio album, Mahogany Soul (2001). It was written by Stone along with Raphael Saadiq, Harold Lilly, Glenn Standridge and Robert C. Ozuna, while production was overseen by Saadiq and Jake and the Phatman. Along with the standard version, a remix version of the song, featuring singer Alicia Keys and rapper Eve, was released as the first single from the album.
Paul Boutin is a French-born American music mixer, audio engineer and a long-time collaborator with producer/songwriter/artist Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds.
Khaled Mohammed Khaled, known professionally as DJ Khaled, is an American DJ, record producer, and record executive. Originally a Miami-based radio hype man, Khaled has become known for his extensive curation of high-profile music industry artists and producers to record singles or albums. His distinctions are his booming voice presence, "motivational" abstractions, and numerous catchphrases. While his musical contribution is often questioned, Khaled's role has been described as "organization, direction, [and] promotion".
DJ Dirty Harry a.k.a. George M. Harry is a DJ and record producer who co-produced Grammy Winning and ASCAP Award winning song "No One" by Alicia Keys on album As I Am. He was part of the in-house production for Keys' production company, Krucial Keys, and from 2004 -2005 was the head of the company's A&R division in addition to signing a deal with Universal Music Publishing. "No One" became a Hot 100 number-one single. The album went on to sell 5 million copies worldwide.
