Swizz Beatz admits love for Alicia Keys

After a lot of diplomatic denials due to the ongoing, bitter court fight with his ex-wife, hip-hop aficionado, Swizz Beatz is finally putting his hands up and admitting he’s in love with Alicia Keys.

The two NYC natives have been spied hanging out together for months, but Swizz [born, Kasseem Dean] has been keeping the connection under wraps to avoid further acrimony from ex-wife, Mashonda.

“When he told Mashonda he was dating Alicia, I think she got jealous,” a friend of the couple told the NY Post. The couple filed for divorce in February but are still unable to agree a settlement that would leave Swizz free to date Alicia, or anyone else. Swizz admits he loves Alicia, “But we’re nowhere near ready for a baby or a ring,” Mashonda, however, is not letting go. “He’s been tightening the screws on her,” says a close friend of the singer. “It’s becoming intolerable.”

Swizz, 31, has put numerous settlement offers on the table, but Mashonda won’t budge. She has now asked a court for interim support for their 2-year old son, Kasseem Jr., saying she can’t adequately care for the child in Swizz’s Westchester mansion, of which she and their son now have sole use, with the bills paid by Swizz, on just $3,500 a month. “She just came back from Paris and London. She drives a Bentley Flying Spur and a Cadillac Escalade. I don’t think life’s too bad for her.” says a long-time friend of the pair.

Not surprisingly, Swizz’s lawyer Dan Rottenstreich agrees, “He has taken care of them above and beyond what’s required.” But Mashonda’s legal rep, Bernard Clair, has other ideas, “An application is pending before the court, where the facts will be developed.” he says with foreboding.

It sounds like this melody is not over yet. Stay tuned and we’ll let you know the next verse.