Alicia Keys and Swizz Beats are one of Hip-Hop’s most beloved and long-lasting couples, but back at the turn of the 21st century, none other than J. Cole was reportedly trying to spark up a romance with Alicia Keys. According to HipHopDX, J. Cole was so set on meeting the Keys artist that he went to one of her concerts and strategically positioned himself so that he could get her attention after her show. Alas, J. Cole was unsuccessful, and history played out with the two artists finally crossing paths much later in their lives.

During Alicia Key’s recent interview for Complex‘s 360 with Speedy Morman, the 15-time Grammy Award-winner reacted to the hilarious story about her curving a teenage J. Cole, and according to her, she has no recollection of J. Cole’s story.

Alicia Keys performs live at the Apollo Theater for SiriusXM and Pandora's Small Stage Series in Harlem, NY on November 11, 2021 in New York City.
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

“[J. Cole] has this very crazy story,” Speedy Morman says, introducing the story. “He was 14 and you were 19, at the time, and you were both in Texas. He went to a show, and he had plans for you guys to cross paths, and he was gonna give you a look [that would] make you come up to him. And it didn’t happen that way! Did you ever hear that story?”

In response, Alicia Keys said, “I heard the story, and I think the story is amazing. Definitely can’t say that I remember the look I don’t know if the look made it to me. He might have had the look, but I might not have been there. I might have been too far to see the look.”

“I don’t remember it, but he clearly remembers it, and it’s a good vibe, you know, because it’s really cute because everybody has a story like that,” she continued. “You know that person that they just ‘if I could just get in front of them they would feel me I know it.’”

Elsewhere in the interview, Alicia Keysdetails some of her unreleased J. Cole records, so check out her full Complex interview below. To hear her discuss J. Cole’s unrequited teenage romance, just skip ahead to the 17:05 timestamp.

[via]