Guide Note

Grammy Award winning R&B; Soul singer, songwriter and actress Alicia Keys hit the music scene with her debut album, Songs in A Minor, which sold over 235,000 copies in it's first week. It received both critical acclaim and commercial success. In 2003, Keys' second album The Diary of Alicia Keys was released and debuted at number one in the United States, selling over 618,000 copies in the first week of it's release. As of 2007, she has sold over forty-one million albums and singles. She works with the youth group Frum tha Ground Up and teaches children to achieve success in all aspects of their lives. Keys had had several film and television appearances. Her film debut was on the 2007 crime movie Smokin' Aces in which she played an assassin named Georgia Sykes.

Fast Facts

1. Name: Alicia J. Augello-Cook
2. Born: January 25, 1980
3. Birthplace: Manhattan, New York
4. Height: 5'6
5. Wrote her first song when she was 14
6. Nickname: Lellow
7. Discography
8. Grammy Awards: 9
9. Billboard Music Awards: 11
10. American Music Awards: 3
11. Film Debut: Smokin' Aces in 2007
12. Graduated from: Professional Performing Arts School at the age of 16

1. "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."
2. "I always want to stay focused on who I am, even as I'm discovering who I am."
3. "Keep a Child Alive is my passion and my mission."
4. "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."
5. "My mom always said, 'Don't date a guy who thinks he's prettier than you."