R&B songstress Alicia Keys features in the latest issue of Blender magazine. As well as checking out outtakes from her shoot – shot by Andrew Eccles – below, peep Alicia’s controversial stance on Gangsta Rap:

We ask what other gangsta rappers she liked. And that’s when Keys drives a steamroller through the wall.

“‘Gangsta rap’ was a ploy to convince black people to kill each other,” she says, putting down the sandwich. “‘Gangsta rap’ didn’t exist.”

Come again? A ploy by whom?

She looks at us like it’s the dumbest question in the world. “The government.”

Alicia says Tupac and Biggie were essentially assassinated, their beefs stoked “by the government and the media, to stop another great black leader from existing.”
{Click here to read the rest of the interview

Wow. It’s kinda unexpected to see Alicia being so outspoken. It’s a pretty deep conspiracy theory, though, and I’m not entirely sure where I stand on the whole issue. You?

Your thoughts?

Though this will.i.am produced cut is far from being Mariah’s best effort – I’m really liking it for what it is – light, tongue-in-cheek, with enough hooks to have you humming along before it ends. I chose to interpret the song’s ‘I will hunt you down-esque’ lyrics comically; I mean she can’t really be serious, can she? LOL…

Hit or Miss?

It seems the release Ne-Yo’s third album ‘Year of The Gentleman’ is approaching much sooner than expected. The singer filmed the video for the set’s first single ‘Closer’ yesterday at the Santa Clarita Studios in California yesterday. Check out more pics from the shoot below:

These new albums/projects are coming thick and fast this year…

What do you think of the pics?

Teen stars Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown performed their hit ‘No Air’ on American Idol last night. For all it’s success, the song doesn’t really move me – ok, at best. About the performance, Jordin sounded great; Chris, however, has had better days.

What do you think of the performance?

According to reports, R&B star Estelle is receiving pressure from her US label to make changes to her appearance:

US label Atlantic Records wants Estelle to have surgery on her teeth to help her break into the American charts, say reports.

Her bosses also want her to ditch the boyish haircut she has in her ‘American Boy’ video and would like to give her image a complete overhaul, according to The Sun.

“The American executives are adamant she makes a lot of significant changes,” said a source. “They want rid of her tomboy hair and want her to get her teeth fixed.

“Estelle is not happy. She feels her teeth and the rest of her look are a big part of her character.”

The R&B star has spent the last three weeks at number one on the UK singles chart.

{Source}

The truth of the matter is anyone’s guess, however it does raise a few interesting questions. Do you feel Estelle should comply with what the label want of her or refuse? Is this another (unfortunate) case of image over talent?

Your thoughts?