Swizz Beatz Recalls Michael Jackson's Crush On Alicia Keys

Learning that Michael Jackson had a crush on Alicia Keys could have been awkward, but Swizz Beatz apparently wasn't threatened by the King of Pop's admiration. Instead, the producer helped arrange a meeting between the two singers, giving Keys an opportunity to spend time with one of music's biggest legends before his death in 2009.

During an appearance on The Real Report With Tony Yayo and Uncle Murda, Swizz recalled learning about Jackson's interest in Keys through an unexpected source. According to the producer, Janet Jackson had apparently mentioned her brother's feelings to the singer, whom Swizz would marry in 2010. "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 joked. Swizz explained that he believed Janet had told Keys, "You know, my brother always had a crush on you."

Rather than make things uncomfortable, he saw an opportunity to bring two artists together. "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," he explained.

The meeting eventually took place at Jackson's home, where Swizz and Keys were welcomed into a surprisingly relaxed environment. According to Billboard, the producer remembered bringing gifts for Jackson's children and watching the singer enthusiastically discuss his upcoming concerts. The visit came as Jackson prepared for his This Is It residency in London, scheduled to begin in July 2009.

"Michael was so cool, bro. Just seeing him in his real element," Swizz recalled. He said Jackson was particularly excited about returning to the stage and even demonstrated some of the dance moves he planned to perform, showing Keys what audiences could expect from the shows. Sadly, Jackson never made it to those performances. He died on June 25, 2009, at 50, just weeks before the residency was scheduled to begin.

Swizz also shared a rather amusing detail about Jackson's attitude toward his own accomplishments. While visiting the house, he noticed framed Thriller plaques sitting on the floor against a wall. Jackson offered to let him take some home, but Swizz declined because he didn't want to appear too eager. Even after Jackson dismissed the awards as "just things," the producer resisted the temptation. Considering Thriller remains one of the best-selling albums in music history, turning down a piece of memorabilia directly from Michael Jackson was quite the exercise in restraint.