ALICIA KEYS BECOMES BLACKBERRY’S GLOBAL CREATIVE DIRECTOR

[Hip-Hop-Lives]

ALICIA KEYS BECOMES BLACKBERRY’S GLOBAL CREATIVE DIRECTOR Blackberry taps Alicia Keys to attempt to set the brand back on fire. The Grammy-winning singer was on hand for the announcement today at RIM’sBlackBerry 10 launch event in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. In her new position, Keys will work closely with app developers, content creators, retailers, carriers, and the entertainment industry to further shape and enhance the BlackBerry 10 platform through music, books, film, and apps. “Alicia Keys has come to BlackBerry because she believes in the product andtechnology, and subscribes to our overriding philosophy to ‘Keep Moving’: to empower people through mobile computing and communications,” saidBlackBerry President and CEO Thorsten Heins. “We are excited she will be bringing to us her enormous capabilities, as well as a vast network of relationships in the entertainment, social media and business communities, to help shape our brand and grow our business.” Alicia shared her excitement over her new job. “I have been using theBlackBerry 10 for a few weeks now, and I’m truly inspired by its innovation,” she said. “It has entirely revolutionized the experience. I know the potential this platform has to help creative people be more productive, and help productive people be more creative. This is such an incredible age to be living in, with such profound advances in communications and technology. As Global Creative Director, my goal is to inspire creativity with this platform, and I’m so excited to jump right in.” As part of BlackBerry’s “Keep Moving” Project, she plans to use the device to create a music video for each city she tours in on her “Set the World on Fire” tour, launching this March.