Michael Jackson Had A Crush On Alicia Keys, Her Husband Swizz Beatz Reveals How He Set Them Up
Swizz Beatz reveals Michael Jackson had a crush on Alicia Keys and recalls arranging their 2009 meeting, shortly before the King of Pop's death.
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Add BollywoodShaadis on GoogleMichael Jackson's admiration for music is a well-established fact, but it turns out that the King of Pop had an especially soft corner for fellow singer Alicia Keys. The 45-year-old singer had just begun her musical career when Jackson released his final studio album, Invincible, in 2001. As Keys charted her journey to stardom, Michael had allegedly developed a crush on her.
During a recent podcast appearance, Alicia's husband, rapper Swizz Beatz, revealed that he found out about Michael's crush and thought it was "cool" to arrange a meeting between the two music stars.
How Swizz Beatz arranged Alicia Keys' meeting with Michael Jackson
The rapper, whose real name is Kasseem Dean, shared the story during an appearance on The Real Report With Tony Yayo and Uncle Murda. According to the music producer, he learned about Jackson's reported crush on Keys through the singer's sister, Janet Jackson. Swizz recalled:
"I found out that Michael had a crush on my wife. In a cool way, but Michael's a Virgo, so I don't know. I'm a Virgo."
He explained that Janet had apparently told Keys about her brother's admiration for the R&B singer, prompting Swizz to arrange a meeting. He said:
"And so I think Janet was the one that told A.K., and she was like, ‘You know, my brother always had a crush on you.' So I thought it was cool to set up for her to meet him. Just for both of them to just have that moment as fans of each other."
Yes! Rather than viewing the situation as a reason for concern or insecurity, Swizz saw it as a great opportunity for two musicians to connect. He arranged for the couple to visit Jackson at his Los Angeles home shortly before the pop icon's death.
Looking back on the encounter, Swizz said Jackson was welcoming and relaxed around his guests. Jackson's children were also at home, and Swizz and Keys had brought gifts for them. He recalled:
"We set up the meeting at the crib. We go to the house; Michael was so cool, Michael was so cool, bro. Just seeing him in his real element. He had his beautiful kids there. I remember we brought gifts for the kids."
The visit also gave the couple a glimpse of Jackson's enthusiasm for his planned return to the stage. At the time, he was preparing for his This Is It concert residency in London, which was scheduled to begin in July 2009.
According to Swizz, Jackson was excited about the performances and demonstrated some of his dance moves for Keys while discussing what he planned to do onstage. Swizz said, "He was just excited about going on a tour. He was just like, 'Yo, when I do this, I'mma hit 'em with that,' showing A.K. some of his moves."
Unfortunately, the planned residency never took place, as Jackson died shortly after the visit. Still, Swizz says it was a memorable experience for him.
Swizz Beatz recalls Michael Jackson casually offering him one of his iconic Thriller plaques
Beyond the conversation about music and Jackson's dance moves, Swizz remembered two more unexpected details from the visit that he cherishes to this day. The rapper-producer recalled that Jackson's personal chef prepared a jerk lobster dish that left a lasting impression. Swizz said he was still searching for the chef because he wanted to find the person responsible for the meal.
The meal was only one of the many things that caught the producer's attention during his visit to Jackson's estate. Swizz recalled noticing framed plaques celebrating Thriller, the pop star's landmark 1982 album, resting on the floor against a wall.
Swizz recalled, "I said, Mike, you just got the Thriller plaque on the floor?" Jackson reportedly dismissed the memorabilia as “just things” and offered Swizz one of the plaques. Swizz declined because he did not want to appear too eager to take it. He also believed he would have another opportunity to visit Jackson.
The producer said the two had begun discussing the possibility of working together on music with Keys, making him think their connection would continue. Swizz explained, "We're about to work on music. He wants to work with AK. We're about to produce a song together."
The collaboration never happened. Jackson died on June 25, 2009, before Swizz could return to his home. He said, "I was like, I'm going to double back. I'm going to get at it another time. I ain't never seen him again."
What are your thoughts on Swizz Beatz setting up his wife with Michael Jackson? Let us know.
Image courtesy: Instagram
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