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Jet, March 18, 2002

Alicia Keys tied a Grammy Awards record by a female artist by winning five of the prestigious statuettes for her chart-topping album Songs In A Minor.

Keys, whose album is less than a year old, won in the categories of Best New Artist, Song Of The Year, Best R&B Female Vocalist and Best R&B Song for Fallin'. She also garnered Best R&B Album. Her impressive list of victories ties her with Lauryn Hill, who won five of the awards in 1999.

The singer/pianist, who did a tango dance during the evening while performing the medley of Fallin'/A Woman's Worth, told the applauding crowd: "I'd like to dedicate this to just thinking outside the box and not being afraid of who you are no matter what you do."

Keys' massive win total stumped some of the prognosticators who predicted that the Irish band U2 would walk away with virtually all of the top awards.

Besides Keys' historic achievements, the evening saw legendary vocalist Patti LaBelle, wearing a fiery red, low-cut gown (see page 41), bring the crowd to its feet when she joined Lil' Kim, Christina Aguilera, Mya and Pink in a rousing rendition of LaBelle's 1970s hit Lady Marmalade. That song was named Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals.

Mary J. Blige also received a sustained standing ovation when she gave a stirring performance of her hit No More Drama.

Destiny's Child, who won in the category of Best R&B Duo Or Group With Vocals for Survivor, performed in Spanish when they sang Quisiera Set with Latin singer Alejandro Sanz.

The biggest surprise of the lengthy evening was the complete shutout of India.Arie, who was nominated for seven awards.

Other Grammy winners included Janet Jackson in the pop category Best Dance Recording with All for You, and Sade's Lover's Rock as Best Pop Vocal Album.

In rock, Lenny Kravitz' Dig In was named Best Male Vocal Performance. He's won the honor four years in a row.

In rap, Missy Elliott's Get Ur Freak On was named Best Solo Performance. OutKast garnered the Best Performance By A Duo Or Group for Ms. Jackson. OutKast also won in the Best Rap Album for Stankonia. Let Me Blow Your Mind by Eve featuring Gwen Stefani, was named Best Rap/Sung Collaboration.

In the R&B category, Usher picked up the Grammy for Best Male Vocal Performer for U Remind Me and Gladys Knight, a multi-Grammy winner, was named Best Traditional Vocal Album for At Last.

Comic legend Richard Pryor's Richard Pryor ... And It's Deep Too! The Complete Warner Brothers Recordings (1968-2002) won in the package category for Best Album notes. It featured Walter Mosley.

In gospel, CeCe Winans won in the Pop/Contemporary Album category for CeCe Winans. The Blind Boys of Alabama, who have been together for more than 40 years, won the Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album for Spirit of the Century. Yolanda Adams earned the Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album with The Experience. For Best Gospel Choir Or Chorus Album, Love Is Live! by LFT Church Choir won with Hezekiah Walker directing.

In blues, Jimmie Vaughan won the Best Traditional Blues Album for Do You Get the Blues?

Damian Marley was named winner of the Best Reggae Album with Halfway Tree.

In spoken word, Quincy Jones's Q: The Autobiography of Quincy Jones was the top album.

In jazz, the winners were Dianne Reeves for vocal album with The Calling; Marcus Miller for contemporary album with M2 and Sonny Rollins in instrumental album by an individual or group for This Is What I Do.

In music video short form, the winner was Weapon of Choice with Fatboy Slim featuring Bootsy Collins, Spike Jonze, Vincent Landay and Deannie O'Neil.

Backstage, Lil' Kim, who showed up for the ceremonies on a motorcycle, told reporters that she was going to get drunk when the show was over. She said she rode the motorcycle because" I'm a girl who likes to ride. Motorcycles are just so pretty to me. It gets you to where you're goin' really fast." When told that she had on more clothing than the others who sang Lady Marmalade, she jokingly yelled out "Damn!"

Missy Elliott, who produced the revised Lady Marmalade, jokingly said she chewed Janet Jackson out when they performed together because she'd been such a fan of Janet and brother Michael for so long and had written both of them long fan letters. "I know she got some of'em. So, I told her I was mad." She said she still hopes to meet and work one day with Michael Jackson. She and Eve are trying to put together a project they can work on together.

At a poignant moment, Elliott said one of her main concerns is to ensure that the music of her late friend Aaliyah "never leaves. She remains here in spirit. I love her and I know she's looking down at me."