Alicia Keys
Alicia Augello Cook was born in New York City, NY in 1981. She is professionally known as Alicia Keys. She is an American Actress, pianist, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Keys father is half African American and half Jamaican; her mother is of Italian and Irish decent. Her parents separated when she was two and she was primarily raised by her mother. At four Alicia got a part in The Cosby Show as one of Rudy’s sleepover friends. Alicia began piano lessons at the age of seven. During her teenage years, Keys would hang out with her friends in Harlem. She has reported she had a diverse group of friends growing up in New York. Her friends were of diverse backgrounds including: African American, whites, Asians, Dominicans, and Hispanics. “I felt I could talk to all of them, my mixed race background made me a broad person, able to relate to different cultures.” At twelve she attended Manhattan’s prestigious Professional Performance Arts School and she majored in choir. She attracted the attention of record companies while in high school and signed with Arista Records in 1998. Keys debut album, Songs in A Minor, went platinum five times over. Keys married hip hop producer Swizz Beatz in 2010 and they have two sons. Alicia Keys has won many awards including 15 Grammy awards. She continues to self identity as “black”. “Any woman of color, even mixed color, is seen as black in America, so that’s how I regard myself.”