Set the World on Fire! -- Alicia Keys at MSG

It's that time againnnn!! Time when I tell you all about my most recent encounter with my BFF Alicia Keys. Needless to say that I ordered my ticket within the first few days of it going on sale a few months ago. This time, I decided to see her perform at good ol' Madison Square Garden. I usually stay right here in Jersey, but it is a new day am I right? Anyway, the past few months have been extremely busy leading me to put my excitement for this upcoming concert on the back burner. 

It only took for me to walk into MSG and see the DJ at the entrance who was blasting all of Alicia's hits. I was exciteddddd!! If you're wondering, yes, I went by myself. Don't act surprised. There's a reason why I go to certain things alone. Anyway, the place was packed! I had floor seats, so I made my way to the bottom and waited for the show to start. As I looked up at the "nosebleed" section, all I could think was "damnnn homie!" It was a long way up! I always do that though.. no offense if you were sitting up there.. #iseeyouboo

Though the ticket clearly stated the show would begin "promptly at 7:30", I thought that was a hoax. Oh, but it wasn't. At 7:29, the lights dimmed and the show began. Impressive. Miguel opened up the show in his bright red suit, bless his little heart. He sang snippets of all our favorite songs of his.. Lotus Flower Bomb, Sure Thing, All I Want Is You.. but I was just tapping my foot waiting to do my *adorn 2 step* live and in living color. It was a very colorful performance, and he definitely delivered. 

I decided to take notes during this part of the show, because there was too much going on and I knew that I'd forget certain things. The people around me just kept looking at me take notes, probably wondering, "who is this girl?" Especially since I was sitting alone. I wanted to whisper in my Britney Spears voice, "It's Sasha B*tch." But I didn't. 

At this point in time, some annoying girls sat next to me, cup in hand, smelling like pure rum. Awesome. Something Miguel said that stood out to me most, during the interlude of one of his songs, "Some of the greatest songs were written in moments of vulnerability." True life, Miguel. *2 snaps* Every time he did sing something, these girls next to me kept yelling "I love this song!" Annoying, much? But what was funny was the old couple to the other side of me googling Miguel and reading up on his Wikipedia page. He also sang his latest ballad, "Do You Like Drugs", which reminds me of Mandeecees proposal on Love & Hip Hop. He added a twist to the song with a Jamaican beat and the light effects were on point. 

Finally, when "Adorn" came on, the crowd went wild. We were all standing up. *2 steppers unite!* He got off stage and walked around the audience as he sang. This was the end of his set, to which he let us know, "Alicia has the most supportive and passionate fans I've met so far." I think he's right. 

And now, the moment we've all been waiting for.... 

Photo from Madison Square Garden Twitter

I have never in my life felt that much energy when a person enters the room. All I kept thinking was that I wonder how it must feel to get so much love, especially being in your home town. Alicia is blessed. I will say that 90% of the concert everyone was on their feet. I don't know exactly what touch it is people say she lost, because I think she is at her best right now. She gave us all of our favorite classics, and included some of her new music from the latest album. 

When she sang "You Don't Know My Name", she showed the audience her funny side during the "conversation" with the guy she was calling. "You know the one with the braids?.. Well, actually, I cut my hair.. you like it?" This song led into "Tears Always Win", probably my favorite song from her new album. I almost fainted. This was legit. I was able to capture 30 seconds worth of it, and I think you get the idea.. it was awesome!

From "A Woman's Worth" all the way to "101", the crowd was on their feet singing along. I was up with no care in the world. I was singing, swishing my hips, raising my arms, stomping to the beat. She was on a roll. During her ballads, everyone would sit down and still sing along. Her voice was always raw and heartfelt. We ask, and she always delivers. When she got to "Fallin", even the old couple next to me sang along.

She took a few moments to tell us how much she loves Spring in the city, and told us one of her favorite songs was.. *cue the music...* DMX & Swizzy came out to "Up in Here." We were going IN!! *jumps up & down* "meet me outside, meet me outside!" That was a cool surprise. An even better surprise was when she came back on stage and kissed her hubby. Adorbz! 

She sang "Limitedless" & combined it with a little "Murder She Wrote." Now, I will say, if you've never seen Alicia dance reggae, you're losing. Those hips don't lie. So, behind the silk screen was a red light, and a silhouette of Alicia as she gave us a little sexy to start up "Fire We Make." I promise I tried to capture it, but my phone froze. And who came to accompany her on stage this time?.. None other than Maxwell himself, to sing his part of the song. That man. That voice. Whoo! Then, I heard the beat to "Unbreakable" and I was back up! She then followed with "Brand New Me" and again, the crowd went wild. She ended this part of the show with my all time favorite "No One." It was time to dedicate a song to a fan, and it went to someone named Sasha. My heart dropped for a second until I realized it wasn't me.. but either way, hearing her say my name still made it very personal.

We thought she was done, but you know Alicia likes to surprise us. She returned with "New Day" and "Girl on Fire." Killed it. Finally, Jay-Z was on the screen with the beginning of "Empire State of Mind" and Alicia came out to finish it up. It was amazing. Everything about the show was on point. It was just awesome, no bias. She did a fantastic job integrating all of her music. I am one happy fan. It's times like this that I am reminded why I love her so much. I left and bought myself some chicken and rice, and am back in Jersey contemplating life. I had several moments where I was in deep thought during some of her songs. She wouldn't be my favorite if she didn't give me something to think about. 

To this I say, until next time, Alicia. I'll be seeing you again soon. 

-- Follow me on Twitter @TrulyMsP

The Best Birthday Ever.. Again!

Here we are again.. It's that time of year.. My birthday! 

I know I said this in last year's birthday post, but THIS was definitely the best birthday ever! I mean, at least it doesn't get worse, right?! I'll tell you the story and you'll understand why I may have just had the best day of my life. 

I decided very early on this year that I would be traveling for my birthday. As I've gotten older I want to keep things a little more low key, and I've always wanted to spend my birthday soaking up the sun somewhere. Last month I booked my eight day trip to Miami to spend some time with family and friends just as I had imagined.. on the beach. 

Here's where things get interesting... The day before I flew out, Angie Martinez tweeted about a contest for a private studio session at a secret location with none other than Alicia Keys. As always, I immediately decided that I was going to sign up. Unfortunately, I was not able to sign up from my phone so I let it go. 

When I got home to pack that night, despite everything being so hectic, I remembered to log online to sign up for this contest. Now, I sign up for all things related to Alicia on a regular basis, but I figured "why not?" I filled out the quick application and turned off my computer, making this just one of the million entries I've completed. 

The next morning, I flew into the sunshine state and went to my friend's job. While I was getting my lunch I noticed that I had a missed call. I immediately recognized the number being from the radio station and called back. The girl who answered asked if I was Sasha, and when I said yes, she asked if I had signed up for this studio session with Alicia Keys. I really just thought that she was going to give me some more information on it, instead she said "you won!" My response was "No I didn't!" And I continued to insist that I didn't win until I figured I was being annoying. 

I was afraid to ask when the session was since I was not in Jersey. Good news! It fell exactly on the night of my birthday. Bad news! I would still be in Florida. When I told her, she thought I wasn't going to make it. Ohh, but I would be there. As soon as I hung up I ran to a computer to change my flight. My birthday plans had changed, but it was for the better. My vacation was cut short by FOUR days! I had a whole itinerary for my time there but hey, when Angie calls, YOU ANSWER!

Needless to say how excited I was to be going to this session, and obviously I was taking Kathy as my guest. Do you remember her from last year? We were a little more organized this time around and kept questioning what would be awaiting us. The secret location, by the way, was an awesome studio with lots of history. We got to the line and made a few friends and a lot of small talk. No one knew what to expect. 

Once we got inside, we were greeted by massive amounts of food, drinks, and the best cupcakes I've ever had in my life. Kathy and I sat in the second row, directly in front of the chairs where Angie and Alicia would be sitting. When Angie came out, she had brief conversation with us and got us more pumped up. Can I mention how much I love her though? She is seriously one of the biggest inspirations for the type of person I'd like to be on a professional level. I went to her BBQ this summer and have been following her work for as long as I can remember. I even learned to rap Busta's part in "Look At Me Now" because of her! 

Sorry, I got sidetracked. Anyway, Alicia came in and I was starstruck. I mean, just kidding. She is my BFF, so this was regular to me. We got to listen to a few tracks from her new CD, and a few throwbacks. In between songs she would come up to the audience to talk to us, and every time she walked by us I'd yell out "hey girl!" as I obviously do to all of my friends. Kathy was embarrassed! 

After the event was over, we were able to go take pictures with Alicia. When it was my turn I walked up to her to give her a hug and let her know it was my birthday. We took the picture we were asked to keep walking, BUT I stopped to talk to her. She vaguely remembered me from the meet & greet last year, wished me a happy birthday, and thanked me for going. She is all kinds of awesome and I am and will always continue to be a supporter of her in any way she chooses to express herself to us. Music, plays, movies, books.. I can't even describe my love for her. 

On our way out I was looking for Angie, and found her. She is also a sweetheart and took the time to talk to me as well. I can't complain about anything right now and you can find me walking on sunshine. It has been a whirlwind year and I started it the same way I ended it. Everything has come full circle. We're making this Alicia Keys/Birthday thing a tradition. Mark my words.. remember I said that last year too! Don't doubt me. 

By the way.. did you buy "Girl on Fire" yet? I got my copy today and I'm loving it! 

Until next time.

Not Even The King.

I will be broadcasting my favorite songs of the moment, every Monday. I call it "Music Mania" They will not always be current, or even in English. But I have a tendency to have many favorite songs-- often.. so why not share it with you all?

 

It's only right that I start with Alicia Keys.. of course! Well, it's no coincidence that right now I'm obsessed with her song "Not Even The King".. Listen to it and read the lyrics in the video to see why I can't get it out of my head.. "They can't afford what we got.. not even the king" What do you think of it?? Post your current favorite song for all to hear!  Until next time.. 

Cheater's Delight

 

I don't even know where to begin with this post. This conversation is one that I hear over and over again. We've heard about it in the news; celebrities and us regular folk alike. 

"She's a home-wrecker."

After time to process everything I've seen, read, and heard.. I've come to a realization -- there is no such thing as a home-wrecker.

You may be wondering what kind of idiotic conclusion this is... Of course there are women who throw themselves on men who are married or in committed relationships. They flirt, wink, show a little leg.. even that corny little laugh where she'll playfully nudge him just to get a chance to touch him and see his reaction. This is all an obvious attempt to see how interested the man is in her. As women, we often throw subtle, and sometimes not so subtle hints at men letting them know we're into them. Whether we are doing it intentionally or not, we are sending them a message.. I want you. 

In my opinion this doesn't necessarily separate one woman from the other. Flirting is basically human nature for both sexes. Fighting temptation is the battle. People are quick to judge the Alicia's, Angelina's, and Gabrielle's without knowing the full situation. Although some people do just cheat for the hell of it, the thrill, if you must.. others will stray away from their relationships because they are no longer happy within that relationship. No one forces anyone to have an affair, not only a physical, but an emotional one. 

I'm not here condoning a cheater, or a woman who is deliberately trying to take a man from another woman. Anyone who chooses to give in to that temptation is solely responsible for their actions. You can have all of the temptation in the world it is up to you and ONLY you to choose what it is you want to do. You have the power to say no, or even avoid the situation getting too far. Everyone is quick to blame the "home-wrecker" but very few put blame on the person who chooses to leave the relationship. This leaves the woman with the Scarlet letter pinned to her chest all of her life, whether she stays with this man or not, while he gets a "get out of jail free" card. 

I know there are some of you who disagree, and that's perfectly fine. This is always going to be a debatable topic. I just felt that we need to focus more on what's in front of us rather than what we want others to believe. Neither person is a victim here. As conscious adults, the decision to participate in these actions is mutual. Any self respecting person who flirts and doesn't get the response they want, will stop. It only continues to build up if the other person allows it to. That being said, now how about you just don't cheat. Make the conscious decision to either work on your relationship or get out of it.. that way no one cheats and no one wrecks a home. Simple. 

Until next time. 

 

Stick Fly : A Sasha P Exclusive Review

First off, this play was among one of the top Broadway shows I've ever seen- and I've seen quite a few. No, I'm not being biased because Alicia Keys had something to do with it. It was very well written and well executed. I'll get into that in a minute but let me just walk you through everything really quick. 

I got home from work, cranked up the music and started getting ready for my date. Sometimes I feel like Wendy Williams when she talks about different celebrities being her "friend in her head" because this date consisted of me, my friend Kathy, and Alicia of course. I must say that after only a little primping, I looked rather fabulous. My bus ride into the city consisted of me grilling the Dominican guy in front of me talking on the phone ridiculously loud, and staring at a cute guy that was sitting next to me. I was obviously very discrete, not letting either one catch me. Once we arrived in the city and I got a good look at the cute guy, he was cute alright, but his fingernails were dirty. Yuck. He caught a glimpse of me and stopped, I think he wanted to talk to me. Considering that I was grossed out, I kept it moving without looking back at him. 

My walk to the theater was even better than the first time I went a few days earlier. It was NYC at night, my absolute favorite time to walk around. There's something about the city air that always makes me very happy. Upon my arrival at the theater I made the necessary line, observing my surroundings. There was a lady who looked like Keyshia Cole's mother Frankie. Enough said. She acted like her too. Kathy finally joined me and we were ready to go inside. 

We made it to our seats and I was amazed when I got a look at the set. It was so beautiful. Kathy and I only had a few minutes to soak everything up before the show began. One of the topics, the crazy old usher. She was NUTS. She even asked Kathy if she was part of the cast. This was only one other testament to Kathy's star potential. The lights dimmed and the show began. I was sitting next to a young couple who was so immature I felt like I was babysitting. I tried ignoring them as best I could. This was pretty easy considering that I spent a lot of time not breathing because the girl sitting to my right had some ridiculous bad breath. I caught a whiff of it every time something funny happened in the play; that was pretty often. 


The play was genius. I laughed so much. Not to single anyone out, but Condola Rashad was brilliant. I had no doubts about it though. Her mother is Phylicia Rashad (Claire Huxtable) and her aunt is the one and only Debbie Allen. The cast dynamic was great, and the storyline kept the audience waiting to see what was going to happen next. There were moments that I could identify with, and others that made me think of people I know in those particular situations. Every time the piano played, I closed my eyes. It was as if Alicia was playing just for me. If you don't already know, I also play the piano so I have a different kind of appreciation for the music. The kind that only someone who plays an instrument can understand. 


Once the play was over, we walked outside and joined the crowd to wait for the cast to come out and sign autographs. I remembered Alicia's car and walked over to the best possible spot for her to see me when she came out. One by one they walked out, greeting their fans, signing autographs, joking around, and taking pictures. They were just as genuine as Alicia. Condola came up next to me and I got the opportunity to let her know how great I thought she was. I did the same as all of the other cast members walked past me. Mekhi Phifer came out and I almost melted. He was just as "foine" up close as I had imagined. I was able to get a picture with him. My face looks like a blimp, but it doesn't even matter. 


Alicia's bodyguard kept looking at me, the same as he was doing on Wednesday at the signing. He either thought I was pretty, or was thinking "not this girl again." HAHA!! I wanted to talk to him but he was busy and I wasn't about to get escorted off the premises. I needed to see Alicia again. I was already late for the bus, but I'd walk across the tunnel if I had to. I forgot to mention that Kathy and I were right in front of her car door, guaranteeing that she would at the very least look my way. Among the craziness, I didn't just want to blend in with the rest of the fans. She quickly mingled with everyone and was rushed towards the car by her bodyguard. I didn't think his big body would allow the sound waves of my voice to go past him. I'm not one of the loud, obnoxious fans, so I just asked "Alicia, did you read my letter?" I thought she didn't hear me, but she moved him out of the way and knew exactly where to look. She looked at me and said "Yes, I did." 


The fact that she remembered my face enough to look directly at me to answer my question, the sincerity in her voice, and how she stopped in her tracks for me -- I knew she was telling the truth. She signed Kathy's playbill, and looked to smile at me again. I thanked her. She got in the car and Kathy and I walked away. This was my opportunity to scream and let it all out. I did. Kathy ran into the middle of the street and was crying. Kathy is as big a fan of her as I am, so sharing this experience with her meant the world to me. I called my mother to tell her what had just happened. She was half asleep and do you know what her response was?! "When you get home make sure you turn the heater down." I hung up on her.


It has been one of the toughest years I have lived through. The hard times amount to nothing when taking the past few days into consideration. I think this says a lot about how I feel about Alicia. It is not just her music I love; It is the essence of her and everything she represents. My birthday isn't until next week, but at this point, we can skip it. It's already been the best birthday ever. I told you that this was just the beginning of my relationship with her, not just the one in my head.Trust me.

This is my life. Unpredictable. Crazy. Beautiful. 


... Oh yea, Kathy drove me home.



Follow me on Twitter: @TrulyMsP or e-mail me at sashap26@gmail.com if there's anything you want me to write about! Until next time!