THINGS THEY SAY: A.KEYS-”MUSIC SAVED MY LIFE…”

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Growing up in the tough streets of Hell’s Kitchen in NYC gave Alicia Keys no other option but to find a way to make it out of the hood. For Alicia music was definitely her way out which inevitably saved her from becoming just another statistic. According to the songstress, her mother sent her to dance and music lessons to keep her off of NYC’s mean streets.

She says,

“It was the best thing she ever did for me. I’d go and hang out with my friends, but would only do it for 45 minutes as I had to get to my next class. My extracurricular lessons gave me a real sense of focus and drive and they helped to keep me out of trouble. Gang culture was everywhere and there were altercations all the time. You’d often find yourself in situations where you wished you had something more than just your hands. So I would carry around a little shank, a home made knife. When my mother found it she was so upset and couldn’t understand why I had it. I needed a knife, just in case. I definitely understand that feeling of wanting to protect yourself.”

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Posted under Things They Say by J'More