Alicia Keys on Co-Parenting With Husband's Ex: "It Is a Beautiful Partnership"
Updated April 26 2021, 12:27 p.m. ET
When it comes to Alicia Keys, she's been fairly open about motherhood — but less so when it comes to married life. The "Girl on Fire" singer shares two sons with her husband. But who is her partner, exactly? Let's take a closer look at Alicia's partner.
Alicia Keys is married to Swizz Beatz, and they have two children.
Alicia and the popular music producer, Kasseem Dean (whose stage name is Swizz Beatz) have been married since 2010. They have two children together: a son named Egypt Daoud Dean, who was born in 2010, and their second son named Genesis Ali Dean, who was born in 2014.
"What is so amazing is, both my husband and I, we started music so young. We were 14 and 15 years old when we first started everything," Alicia told Entertainment Tonight in September 2020. "So it is really incredible to just see him creating this amazing Verzuz platform with Timbaland, and for us to just both be at our height and place where we have really continued to grow and evolve."
"It is an honor to do that together and to be able to do that with our first loves," Keys continued. "Each of our first loves is music, and to be able to do that continuously and for there to be genuine love and real connection, that's incredible."
In addition to their two children and mutual passion for music, the singer also shares three stepchildren from her husband's previous marriage to Mashonda Dean: Prince Nasir Dean, Kasseem Dean Jr., and Nicole Dean.
"We love each other," Alicia told ABC News of co-parenting her husband's children with Mashonda. "I mean, we hang out with each other and go to dinner together. Our family is one big, beautiful family ... It is a beautiful partnership. I'm very, very proud of that. It is a real thing, and it's possible."
What is Alicia Keys’ real name?
Many fans may be surprised to find out that Alicia Keys was born Alicia Augello-Cook. While trying to make it as a professional singer, like many artists, the then budding young talent wanted to create a stage name.
According to the Associated Press, Alicia’s mom — Terria Joseph — actually helped her pick her name. The singer revealed that she went through the dictionary trying to choose a last name and stopped on the word "wild."
She revealed to Newsweek at the time that she asked her mother her thoughts on the name Alicia Wild.
"It sounds like you're a stripper," her mother bluntly replied. With the words "wild" out the door, she settled on keys. "It's like the piano keys. And it can open so many doors,” she explained to the outlet.