Alicia Kicks Off TODAY Concert Series

Already a megastar R&B singer, Alicia Keys is on her way to becoming a major movie star as well, with a starring role in the yet-to-be-released “The Secret Life of Bees” under her belt and the lead role in Oprah Winfrey’s biopic on legendary singer Lena Horne reportedly in the works.
“I’m very excited about all the possibilities. ‘The Lena Horne Story’ would be a dream part for me to play,” the 27-year-old singer told TODAYs Matt Lauer Monday on Rockefeller Plaza.
Keys is on a concert tour featuring songs from her fourth and latest album, “As I Am,” which debuted last November. She kicked off TODAY’s Summer Concert Series in front of an enthusiastic crowd with her first national television performance of the hit single from that album, “Teenage Love Affair.”

She brought along with her a sneak preview of the music video of the song that’s being released next week on BET. “It’s an homage to Spike Lee’s ‘School Daze,’ ” she told TODAY’s Matt Lauer. The song is about a teenager’s first love – “You know that feeling when you first fall for somebody?” she said. “You can’t get enough of them.”
Keys also performed her singles “No One” and “If I Ain’t Got You” from the album that’s already sold more than a million copies, taking her total sales for a career that began in 2001 to more than 25 million worldwide.
The philanthropist, author, songwriter, singer and actress has enjoyed nearly universal acclaim during her career. But an interview in the May issue of “Blender” magazine has embroiled her in controversy.
The magazine reported that Keys said the musical genre gangsta rap “didn’t exist.” According to Blender, she said the music is “a plot to convince black people to kill each other.” She added in reply to a question that it was a government conspiracy.
Keys issued a press release last week in which she said the magazine misrepresented her comments.

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