Alicia Keys announces Freedom Tour 2010 US

For all of our KRUtons aka KRUsaders for as Ivona would say AKRUtons (lol),

Here are the US tour dates for The Freedom Tour 2010. Sending all of you my love...THANK YOU for all of YOUR love & support! Because of all of you, record sales prove that as long as there is great music being made, lovers of music will support! Despite the album leak, The Element of Freedom sold over 417K the first week. Now that's what I call having The Element of Success. (Thank you Krucial for making music that we all love & appreciate!)

DATE CITY VENUE
---- ---- -----
March 03, 2010 Chicago, IL Allstate Arena
March 05, 2010 Detroit, MI Fox Theater
March 06, 2010 Detroit, MI Fox Theater
March 13, 2010 Mashantucket, CT Foxwoods Casino
March 17, 2010 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
March 19, 2010 Newark, NJ Prudential Centre
March 20, 2010 Atlantic City, NJ Mark Estess Arena
March 22, 2010 Boston, MA Agganis Arena
March 24, 2010 Baltimore, MD 1st Mariner Arena
March 25, 2010 Washington, D.C. Verizon Center
March 27, 2010 Miami, FL American Airlines Arena
March 28, 2010 Tampa, FL St. Pete Times-Forum
March 30, 2010 Atlanta, GA Phillips Arena
April 02, 2010 Dallas, TX Nokia Theater (Grand Prairie)
April 03, 2010 Houston, TX Toyota Centre
April 06, 2010 Los Angeles, CA Staples Centre
April 07, 2010 San Jose, CA HP Pavilion
April 09, 2010 Las Vegas, NV Mandalay Bay


It's all love baby!

Truly yours,

Jnyflower

Alicia Keys Drafts Drake for "Freedom" Album

Alicia Keys Drafts Drake For 'Freedom' Album
Newsroom | Posted on 11/16/09 | Filed Under: R&B News, Alicia Keys


Alicia Keys' decision to move back her album due to great music may have something to do with Drake.

According to longtime Keys' collaborator Kerry 'Krucial' Brothers, Keys has logged time in the studio with the "Best I Ever Had" rapper/singer.

"Wow this new Ak and Drake is fire! I love my job," Brothers wrote on Twitter over the weekend.

Later writing what could end up on a song, Brothers wrote "If you have something to say... U should say it right now".

Keys' forthcoming album "The Element of Freedom" was due December 8 but has since been moved back to December 15.

Announcing the slight pushback, Keys wrote "Luv having the freedom to create beautiful music, so I’m pushing the album back to DEC 15th... So many more amazing songs!!!," on Twitter.

"The Element of Freedom" also follows the release of the now Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs no.1 charting single "Empire State of Mind" (Jay-Z).

Andy Anh Ha

I first discovered this artist while visiting a friend of mine, Lisa. She had these amazing pieces in her apartment that really caught my attention. I asked her about the artist and turns out, he was actually a friend she had known while living in Tennessee. I love his work and every piece is hand made by the artist himself. I was impressed...Here is some information about him that I took of his website: www.andyanhha.com


Andy Anh Ha

I studied arts at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. There, I graduated with a BFA in Fine Arts with a concentration in Media Arts. I was born and raised in Nashville, TN and moved to Los Angeles after schooling. My paintings vary in style as so do the artists I am influenced by. I appreciate the arts from the Renaissance period to contemporary works. Artists that are influential include Rembrandt, Picasso, and Warhol. The outcome of my paintings would be labeled under mixed media. I tend to use a variation of styles, techniques, and mediums. Presently, my main focus is lotus flowers. The words I choose to place on these series relate to the beliefs of the mystical lotus flower, which to my understanding is "creative power and purity amid adverse surroundings." Words such as "able" relate to the circumstances in which the lotus blossoms in muddy swamps, yet maintains its integrity and beauty. This concept is similar to the saying "The rose that grew from concrete." The font is hand stenciled onto contact paper, carefully cut out, and painted over. For the finish, I have chosen to use some form of varnish. Depending on the message and feel of the individual piece, either polyacrylic and/or resin are applied. The outcome is design oriented with a painterly feel. I believe in an overall balance. The layout is influenced by my eastern culture, very simple but strong. The technique I use comes from my education. I love art. Thanks for reading.


THESE ARE SOME OF MY FAVORITES! GO TO HIS SITE TO SEE MANY MORE!

Tasha Reid (Yoon Mi Rae) - "Black Happiness"

My friend Denyce Lawton tweeted and sent me a link to this amazing Korean/Black rapper, Tasha Reid (Yoon Mi Rae). I was really impressed by what she was saying in her lyrics. This really touched my heart and I can now say that I am now a fan of hers! The personal message in the music is what captured me -- I love honest music. Let me know what you think! Thanks Denyce!!!




* Black Happiness by Tasha

My skin was dark from my past
People used to point at me
Even at my mom Even at my dad who was black, and in the army
People whisper behind my back
Said this and said that
I always had tears in my eyes
Although I was young
I saw my mother's sadness

Everything
seemed like it was my fault
Because of my guilt
I washed my face everytime during the day
With my tears I melt the white soap
I always hated my dark skin
why O why
Does the world judge me
When I hate the world
I close my eyes

I put my soul into the music my father gave me
I feel the volume
And fly higher and higher
Far away
la musique

(When I hate the world)
(Music soothes me)
(you gotta hold on)
(and love yourself)
(When I hate the world)
(Music raises me up)
(so you gotta be strong)
(you gotta hold on)
(and love yourself)

Time passed and I was thirteen
My skin was dark brown
Music doesn't judge color
They give me light
I lead my music
We lean on eachother
I don't feel lonely
Then one day
I was given a chance
I held on to my microphone

And suddenly I was on stage
I say goodbye to music and ask it to come back
Then I became nineteen
I have to lie
I put white makeup over my face
They told me to wear a mask
They said my mom's race was okay
But not my dad's
Every year my age was nineteen
During times when time stopped

I felt like I was in jail
And I leaned on myself
I spent endless, painful days
I ignored their warnings
And because I missed music
I tried to escape
But no, I got caught
I prayed all night
And now I'm free

Where the heart is...

I miss New York, the New York that is she.
Where Lady Liberty lies and boasts her strength and beauty. The city has always been good to me. She surrounds my spirit and makes me feel like life exists. She does not judge me, nor does she tear my soul into pieces with lies and misconceptions of beauty. I am the happiest when I am there in the core of her existence, listening to the noise of her heartbeat. She isn't blinded by her own lights & egos as Hollywood is blinded by its. Her humility is her grace.
New York offers guidance, clarity amongst the chaos wrapping it's energy around me embracing my uniqueness and eccentricity. Her hustle and her ambition provides encouragement; spreading through the city like a wind gusting through the towers as it cleans up what was left behind by the admirerers and thieves.
My heart is comforted and my emotions are safe like family secrets amongst the NY streets.
She gives me everything that I thought was lost -- the true essence of me.
The passion, the love, the energy, reminding me to love life.
To live. Breathe. And keep fighting to be what she had instill in me.

Not everyone loves New York, and New York doesn't love just anybody. It takes a nurturing and profound person who amplifies her free and expressive nature from her indecisiveness to the stubborn arrogance, to the gentle emotions and passion for life to really understand what is New York.
To love New York is to let her be, to share with the rest of the world all her glories.
New York is she.
You cannot tame a city that is so vibrant and so weightless.
I love New York.
But New York does not belong to me.
New York is she.
And forever
She is me.

"The Kru" is made up of "The Krutons"

As many of you know, our team is called "The Kru", but in order to incorporate all of our wonderful kyters and twitterkins into the mix I have officially decided to call you "The Krutons" (All matter, everything we see around us, is made up of protons, neutrons and electrons--and now we got KRUTONS!)

So after I had finally decided to let my twitterkins (The Krutons) read my blog about Kerry (bka "Krucial"), I realized that many of you share my sentiments about K. But then again, how could you not admire his unforgettable personality, charm and genuine connection. Kerry has a presence to him that makes you feel like he's been that friend you've had for over 20 year--that feeling of familiarity and it's because he is one of few who let's you see HIM and not a mirage or a halogram of who he is. I encourage all of you to comment and share your love, questions and thoughts about Krucial, as I share with you my journey; my love for music, my dedication to the people I love, and my gratitude to the people who support us and keeps us inspired: THE KRUTONS!!!!

Thank you to everyone who continues to follow us on twitter, join us on kyte, ustream, facebook, myspace and websites. We appreciate your love, support and especially your positive words of encouragement. I would like for all of you to know that every single one of your love is felt and that our inspiration is to keep bringing you GREAT music and content to keep making you proud. We do it for the love of music, but also for those who share our sentiments.

Music is what feelings sound like.

Photo of Kerry "Krucial' Brothers, Jr taken by Jnyflower Choe

It's Definitely Krucial (Kerry "Krucial" Brothers,Jr)!

The Multi - Grammy Award Winning Producer KERRY "KRUCIAL" BROTHERS, JR

It's such an amazing experience to see a TRUE talented producer at work. I'm not bias at all considering I loved Kerry's work with Alicia Keys, Keyshia Cole, Christina Aguilera & others, before I ever had the pleasure to know him. His love of music and his passion to create music with solid content shows in his dedication to the studio; working over 15 hours on average to create masterpieces after masterpieces. The people he works with have the most love for him and is completely commited to giving him their best; that's rare to come by. Everyone comes into the studio without their egos, without their winnings, without an entourage, without security, without all that is "Hollywood", but with their talents in their pockets and with love in their hearts. It's a working formula for success. Rev. Run once said "Teamwork makes a dream work. Always remember your network determines your net worth." and it's so evident in what is so "Krucial". Kerry is so Krucial (pun intended) to keeping music alive -- a name that fits such an extraordinary talent. Not many people can say that their music will be classic and iconic, but with everything that Krucial puts his magic touch to, it instantly can become a classic. There aren't enough words to describe the feeling I get listening to his treasures, but with every single one of them, I can't help but feel so proud -- so proud to be apart of the process; the journey, but it's mostly BEING PROUD OF HIM! Amazing producer, but also an amazing person! It's So Krucial!!! go to http://www.itssokrucial.com/ (COMING SOON!)I suggest everyone to go to http://www.kyte.tv/itssokrucial to watch him live as he invites his fans, friends, and the world to experience his process and to also share with you some of the music that inspires him.

Kerry "Krucial" Brothers, Jr Photo by Jnyflower Choe