Dr. Dre Global Impact Award goes to Alicia Keys

On January 30th Alicia Keys will be awarded the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award following some big names in the industry such as John Legend, who was honoured in 2022 and Missy Elliott in 2023. But what is this award exactly?

It was initially called Grammy Global Impact Award and it was created to honour the Black music creators who influence society in a special way, celebrating not only their musical excellency but their entrepreneurial and philanthropic achievements as well. It’s all about amplifying Black voices, not just within the Academy but across the entire music industry.

This award is part of the Special Merit Awards and is handed out at the Black Music Collective event, just a few days before the Grammys. So, why Alicia Keys?

“Alicia embodies everything the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award represents: her artistry knows no bounds, her advocacy inspires meaningful change, and her influence has profoundly shaped culture. We are honoured to celebrate her extraordinary legacy and the transformative contributions she continues to make in music and beyond.” says the Academy’s CEO Harvey Mason Jr.

Keys has sold over 65 million albums, racked up over five billion streams, and is officially the number-one RIAA-certified female R&B artist of the millennium. She’s also a New York Times bestselling author with her memoir, More Myself: A Journey. In 2023, she debuted her musical, Hell’s Kitchen (now on Broadway), inspired by her own life growing up, which earned her Tony and Grammy awards nominations (including one for the 2025 Grammy Awards for Best Musical Album).

And that’s not all. Alicia co-founded She Is the Music, a nonprofit supporting women in the music industry and she also owns a skincare and make up brand called Keys Soulcare.

Is there anything this woman can’t do?