Alicia Keyshas spoken publicly for the first time about the rumours that she’d begun dating Swizz Beatz, now her husband, while he was still married.

“We didn't start seeing each other until months after they had separated,” she said of the hip-hop producer and his ex-wife, No Panties singer Mashonda Tifrere. Their divorce was finalised last May and he and Alicia announced their engagement a month later and married in Corsica in July.

Alicia told Essence magazine that she was happy to open up now as she and Mashonda had made peace. “Things are really good now,” she revealed. “We are doing what is best for the children.”

Swizz, real name Kasseem Dean, has four children – a 10-year-old son, Prince Nasir; Kaseem Jr with Mashonda; daughter Nicole with British singer Jahna Sebastian (born while he was still married); and son Egypt with Alicia, born last October.

“Kasseem is very present in his children's lives. I wouldn't be able to love him otherwise,” the Empire State Of Mind singer added.

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