On November 4, 2016, Alicia Keys released her latest album, "Here." The album is a hip hop and rap album. Older fans are able to see her progression from a singer singing ballads to the hip hop artist she is today. This album is all about real-world issues, not just the violence and hate that rap and hip-hop music is often thought to contain. Overall, this album is a 10/10 because of the fact that Keys is using her platform to add to various conversations going on. Many times, musicians are knocked down on social media for sharing their opinions of everything from politics to the best restaurants in the world. Keys is using her music to raise her voice, which is brilliant.

1. "The Beginning (Interlude)"

This is a monologue by Keys, reflecting on her musical career and this album. She refers to herself as Nina Simone, who was a musician and civil rights activist whose musical styles is as wide as the number of styles covered on "Here." The end of the song resembles the introduction to Prince's "Let's Go Crazy." It starts of soft but gradually builds up to the end, leading into the intensity of the next track.

2. "The Gospel"

"The Gospel" talks about life growing up in what Keys says is the ghetto. Where this song takes place, there is poverty, and Keys expresses a need for jobs to help feed the children. The family she describes includes a drunk uncle, a yelling father, and a cousin who is a felon. She offers words of hope in the line, "Whatever's in the dark, can always become the light." Keys sees herself as an advocate for this community to make a difference and be something good that comes from a not-so-great place.

3. "Pawn it All"

"Pawn It All" is about trying to survive in New York. She talks about selling valuable items in order to get money to start over with life and to escape poverty. These items, to Keys, are not as important as freedom, and "freedom has no price." She does not want to leave New York so she is starting from where she began. She is okay with losing things in order to make a better life for her and those she loves. Failure is not an option for her.

4. Elaine Brown (interlude)

This "song" is Keys reading a poem "from the street." Her mother, perhaps her ancestors, is not free, but Keys does not feel that she has done anything to help release those who came before her from the prejudice and hatred that bound them. She feels that she has been too afraid to take action, but now she is willing to do something to help, not caring what happens, even if it means being shot and killed. Then, by doing something to change history and end racism, can her ancestors be free.

5. "Kill Your Mama"

"Kill Your Mama" talks about how humans are destroying the environment, "mama" referring to Mother Earth. This song is one of the the only songs on this album that has a melody. It mentions that our destruction of the environment is affecting our health and the weather. It gives some glimpse of hope that we can change how we are impacting the environment and we can prevent the complete destruction of the planet by changing our ways.

6. "She Don't Really Care_1 Luv"

This song tells the story of a woman who has seen a lot in her life and has been a lot of places, but is looking for love. Who she found is not for her. She is trying to have a child with this person, but she is worth more than he is giving her credit for. This is a common sight in society. Women downplay their worth and men follow suit. Women need to see themselves as worthy of finding a good person to be with who sees her strength and worth.

7. "Elevate (Interlude)"

This conversation discusses how people can reach the top by building on things that have been done or created. No matter how good or high people seem, someone can reach higher by building on what they accomplished and creating something just a bit more. Nothing is created or achieved out of nothing. Even the level of the gods can be touched by being elevated through various ideas and accomplishments.

8. "Illusion of Bliss"

"Illusion of Bliss" tells the story of a drug addict who is trying to overcome the addiction. While doing drugs, she has an illusion that everything is fine, but she has no control over the things she is doing. All she wants is someone to listen instead of judging and lying about her. She wants to get off the roller coaster of being an addict and she is tired of being sick. The song resembles a cry for help that many addicts cry, but are often cut down or judged by loved ones.

9. "Blended Family (What You Do For Love)"

Blended families are common in today's society, especially with high divorce rates. A common misconception of blended families is that the families do not fit well together and that everyone hates each other. This song seeks to break that down. Mothers joining another family love their husband's kids, taking them as their own. They love all of the kids in the family equally, loving the children they "married" as equally as their own children.

10. "Work On It"

"Work On It" is about a relationship that has developed quickly and they have taken things to a level sooner than others may have thought is best. People who are in a relationship knows what is best for them and their relationship. Others might try to tell them that they are taking things too fast and that it will not work. However, the couple realizes that it takes work and are working to get past the flaws of their partner.

11. "Cocoa Butter (Cross and Pic Interlude)"

"Cocoa Butter" talks about the insecurities that women have about their bodies, particularly about stretch marks. They go so far as to put cocoa butter all over the body. The general consensus from the discussion is that "stretch marks are your beauty scars." Women want to remove and hide these marks, but they are something to be proud of. People in general need to be secure in the bodies they are given and realize that everything about the body we are given are beautiful in their own way.

12. "Girl Can't Be Herself"

From a young age, girls and women are taught that they have to be something other than who they are. They have to wear makeup to cover their real selves. They are taught that curves are not an acceptable body type and short women need to wear heels to be taller. Women are scrutinized about what they have to look like and are deemed inadequate for not fitting into the mold. Society needs to realize that women are beautiful no matter what they look out.

13. "You Glow (Interlude)"

It is common to hear people call others the "N' word, even if the person is not black. It has become desensitized slang that seems to have lost its very negative historical connotation. The story in this interlude tells the story of a Black girl who heard this word being used to reference her class of White kids. This word needs to be taken out of everyday vocabulary and slang because it is so derogatory and hateful given its use in history.

14. "More Than We Know"

Low self-esteem is a common issue among both kids and adults. People underestimate the things they can do because they fear the things that they feel will be difficult and uncomfortable. These things tend to end up not being as bad as was initially thought, but they are not always fun things to deal with. People are more capable of dealing with these things than they give themselves credit for. If they do not experience things, they are trapped in their own bubble forever.

15. "Where Do We Begin Now"

This song discusses a love relationship between a same-sex couple. They are dealing with how people will react to them being in love and are questioning the strength of their love. These are common issues that arise in these relationships, or any relationship. They have questions about what their future holds, especially if it includes them being together. They want to sit down and talk about things before they thrust their relationship into the public.

16. "Holy War"

Media perceives war to be an acceptable subject to talk about but sex is unacceptable and obscene. People fear others and stay secluded in their safe little world. However, people need to break down the boundaries that divide and love others around them. It will take time with a bunch of baby steps, but it is important to go out into the world and love others without fear of what might happen and without boundaries.