Remember when Alicia Keys was single and the spiciest thing she had going on was her piano playing and belting out hits on stage? Those days aren't necessarily long gone, but Alicia is now a family-oriented celeb who puts a lot of emphasis on her relationships and children.
And in addition to the kids she's given birth to, she's also a stepmom to her husband's kids, including Kasseem Dean Jr., who's in the spotlight more than his siblings (who also have different moms).
So what's the story with Alicia Keys as a stepmom? There are some interesting details to uncover.
Swizz Beatz And Alicia Keys' Love Story Is... Uncomfortable
In Hollywood years, Alicia Keys and her husband Swizz Beatz have been together forever. They recently celebrated their 11th anniversary and share two children. But the pair also has quite a history.
Years ago, Alicia Keys was even accused of "stealing" her now-hubby from his ex-wife, whom Beatz wasn't yet formally divorced from when Alicia became pregnant with the couple's first child.
In fact, Beatz's ex-wife, Mashonda Tifrere, claimed that her then-husband stepped out on her and even filed for divorce without any hint of trouble beforehand.
As for Keys and Beatz, but before the ink dried on Beatz's May 2010 divorce, Alicia and her man were announcing their engagement and baby bump -- the same month.
The tumultuous relationship beginnings, however, gave way to what seems like a very strong marriage today. It does make sense, though, given the fact that Swizz and Alicia reportedly knew each other as kids.
But the most convincing piece of evidence is that not only is their marriage strong, but their blended family stronger? The fact that Swizz Beatz's ex-wife wrote a book about co-parenting with him and Alicia -- and it wasn't to drag them.
Mashonda Tifrere Respects Alicia Keys As Her Son's Stepmom
Though some scorned exes would take to social media (or the tabloids) to diss their former spouse's new flame, Mashonda has grown a lot since she accused Swizz of stepping out on her. In 2018, she released a book titled 'Blend: The Secret to Co-Parenting and Creating a Balanced Family.'
The book, which features a foreword by none other than Alicia herself, is about "three adults who loved and were deeply committed to raising Mashonda and Swizz's four-year old son Kasseem."
With its numerous five-star reviews, the feel-good tome weaves a story about "how [Tifrere] and her co-parents used communication, patience and love to create an environment where they were able to work as a team and all the children involved could thrive."
From the book's description and the publicity surrounding it, fans can assume that Alicia and her husband's ex are on great terms, and that the trio became a fully functional blended family for the sake of Kasseem Dean Jr.
True, Kasseem is often photographed with his dad and his mom, plus his "bonus mom," as Tifrere seems to regard Alicia as. It does seem as if Alicia is a great stepmom, being that she's a good mom to her own biological kids and clearly involves Kasseem Dean Jr. in their lives.
But some reviewers remind readers of Mashonda's book that things aren't always what they seem in novel form.
What About Kasseem Dean Jr.'s Other Siblings?
Skimming over Swizz Beatz's Wikipedia page, fans can plainly see that he has a total of five children. He has two (Genesis and Egypt) with Alicia, Kasseem Dean Jr. with Mashonda Tifrere, and two others that don't seem to be named often.
In fact, Swizz -- real name Kasseem Daoud Dean -- welcomed his first child with Mashonda back in 2000. Unfortunately, the birth was a stillbirth. The same year, Dean also welcomed a child named Nasir Dior with a woman named Nichole Levy.
Fans can assume that this only added to the tragedy of Mashonda and Swizz's child not making it, but it seems that Swizz didn't reconnect with Nichole after their child was born; he and Mashonda went on to get married in 2004.
Then, Kasseem Dean Jr. came along in 2006. And in 2008, Swizz -- still married to Mashonda -- welcomed a third child with Jahna Sabastian. The daughter, named Nicole, was reportedly kept a secret from Swizz for at least a year. By that time, Tifrere and Swizz announced they were splitting, but it took two years before their divorce was finalized.
It's a long, twisted, and awkward story, but fans say it's all made worse by the fact that Mashonda released a book that seems to praise Alicia and Swizz. In fact, one reviewer didn't enjoy the book and stated, "A man who abandoned his own family to get with another woman and everything is gravy?"
Many other fans of Alicia might share the same opinion, but fortunately for her and Swizz, it seems that they've worked things out with all of Swizz's past and his various children.