Alicia Keys’ five favourite hip-hop albums of all time
Alicia Keys’ relationship with hip-hop has been a long and rich one. Since the vocalist’s breakout in the early-2000s, she has collaborated with a range of rappers from Jay-Z to Kanye West, Mos Def and Common; Keys was the soulful accompaniment to much of the decades rap music.
Although Keys was dominant during the 2000s, she is still appreciated by other rappers to this day, and earlier this year, she teamed up with Brooklyn legend Jay-Z for a surprise performance at the 2024 Tony Awards; such is her connection to hip-hop.
Born and raised in Harlem, for decades the singer and pianist fused the sound and richness of classic soul with the grit of New York hip-hop. This earned the singer multiple Grammy awards and international recognition for her music.
The Unplugged creator has sat down to speak about her musical tastes on multiple occasions and unsurprisingly, the New Yorker has unveiled she is inspired by some of the greatest vocalists the world has seen. From Nina Simone to Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder, her musical palette boasts some of the most revered funk and soul acts to ever live.
However, as someone who was born and raised in the ‘Big Apple’ it is unsurprising that during an intervie with Complex Keys revealed that some of her favourite projects of all time are hip-hop albums, predominantly from the 1990s.
Concerning her personal life, in 2010, Alicia Keys married the legendary Ruff Ryders producer Swizz Beatz, and they remain a married couple in love to this day. As such, Keys is always being introduced to the latest talent and, through her husband, has her ear to the ground.
That said, it is impossible to ignore the greats of the early ‘90s. However, strangely, Keys is not just a fan of rappers from the East Coast but also the West Coast. Furthermore, one of her more contemporary choices is an artist that somewhat reflects her own musical style concerning the fusion of R&B, soul and hip-hop.
It wasn’t an easy task for Keys to slim down her list, but as one would expect it was eclectic —a little bit of soul, a little bit of rap, a touch of reggae with even some rock and alternative too.
Aside from the Patrice Rushen’s, Marvin Gaye’s and Curtis Mayfield’s of this world, the presence of hip-hop was a shock to many. However, it was refreshing to see her embrace many of the artists who have called upon her for her soft, silky vocals over the years.
With one of the West Coast classics mentioned described as the “rawest album of all time”, it is fair to say she likes her rap edgy. Below you can see all of the five rap albums Keys cited, presented in chronological order.
Alicia Keys’ five favourite hip-hop albums of all time:
- Dr. Dre – The Chronic, (1992)
- The Notorious B.I.G. – Ready to Die, (1994)
- Nas – Illmatic, (1994)
- Lauryn Hill – The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, (1998)
- Frank Ocean – Nostalgia Ultra, (2011)