| Swizz Beatz | |
|---|---|
Swizz Beatz at the Hot 97 Summer Jam. |
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Kasseem Dean |
| Born | September 13, 1978 The Bronx, New York, United States |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupations | Record producer, rapper, record executive, painter, |
| Instruments | Keyboard, sampler |
| Years active | 1998–present |
| Labels | Full Surface, Ruff Ryders, Atlantic |
| Associated acts | Fat Joe, DMX, Alicia Keys, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Kanye West, T.I., Chris Brown, Lloyd Banks, G-Unit, Drag-On |
| Website | http://swizzbeatzonline.com |
Kasseem Dean (born September 13, 1978),[1] better known by his stage name, Swizz Beatz, is an American record producer, DJ, rapper and painter. At the age of 17, he gained attention in the hip-hop world through his friendship with rapper DMX. Grady Spivey and rapper Cassidy helped launch his label Full Surface Records. He is married to Contemporary R&B superstar Alicia Keys and has one child with her, as well as three other children.
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Dean did not see much of his father, a postal worker, due to his parents' separation in his early life. He was raised by his mother in the South Bronx, where he spent most of his childhood. This was where he first encountered Hip hop and began deejaying. He began deejaying after he got some equipment from his stepfather and his uncles. He later relocated to Atlanta as a teenager due to having too many fights at Harry S. Truman High School; there he started to work for his uncles, Joaquin and Darrin Dean, who were co-CEOs of the Ruff Ryders label. Forgoing the practice of using samples, he mostly used the Korg Trinity and Triton Keyboards and tried to accentuate the performance aspect of his music.
With his uncles (Chivon, Dee, and Waah Dean) involved with the Ruff Ryders label, he began to produce tracks at the age of 16. He sold his first beat at 17 which became DMX's hit single "Ruff Ryders' Anthem". In 2001 at the age of 23 he established his own record label, Full Surface, in a joint venture with Clive Davis of J Records.[2] The first artist signed was Philadelphia-based rapper Cassidy. But it was not until Swizz's first compilation album, 2002's Swizz Beatz Presents G.H.E.T.T.O. Stories, that he started to get notices for his production style and interesting ideas and Cassidy began to get attention. He released two singles "Guilty" and "Bigger Business", both charted on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and were accompanied by music videos.[3] Swizz Beatz along with being associated with Ruff Ryders & Roc-A-Fella Records, began to produce for artists from labels such as Elektra Records, Atlantic Records, Epic Records, Def Jam Recordings, and Bad Boy Entertainment and his career largely grew from that point.
In February 2007, the producer mixed the music for design duo Heatherette's Fall 2007 New York Fashion Week runway show.[4] On August 21, 2007, Swizz Beatz released his second solo album, titled One Man Band Man.[5] The album sold 45,000 records in its first week[6] and includes singles "It's Me Bitches" and "Money in the Bank".[5]
On October 19, 2007, Swizz Beatz launched a contest called "Share the Studio", presented by Music Video 2.0 and The Source magazine. The contest was intended to be a continuation of the work from his debut album.[7]
In 2007 Swizz Beatz signed longtime friend Drag-On,[8] legendary Cleveland-based rap group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony,[9] and former Ruff Ryder member Eve[10] to his label.
Undaunted by the disappointing sales of his last album, One Man Band Man, Swizz Beatz is working on his second album (his second as an artist, however, it will be the third album he has released). In late 2007 Swizz Beatz confirmed it will be called Life After the Party in an interview with Format Magazine saying[11]
| “ | The opportunities that I’ve got from doing my album (One Man Band Man) are much bigger than just producing. A lot of things came from me being able to put a voice to my face. It was me just expressing myself and having the opportunity to – it was the one man band. And now I’m doing part two, which is Life After the Party. | ” |
April 24, 2009 Swizz Beatz did a promo song for Hennessy Black, entitled "When I Step In The Club". A video was made and was directed by Hype Williams.[12]
In 2010 on his Twitter Swizz Beatz renamed his album three times. He first announced he was calling it King Issues but later on that day settled on The Perception of Greatness,[13] and on August 23 while in a studio session with Mary J. Blige in New York City, Swizz unveiled his new album title Haute Living, stating that it's the perfect phrase to represent what he's all about.[14] Swizz Beatz announced while being interviewed on BBC Radio that he was planning to release it on September 13, to coincide with his birth date.[15] The album will be released under his actual contract with Everest Entertainment/Atlantic/Warner, who signed the rapper in August 2010. Confirmed guest appearances include Bono, Travis Barker, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, Lenny Kravitz, Alicia Keys, Mary J. Blige and John Legend.[16] On February 12, 2010, he and 81 other artists including Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Jamie Foxx, Will.i.am, and Usher, debuted "We Are the World 25 for Haiti" during the Opening Ceremonies of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. In 2010, inspired by Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Fridays series, Swizz Beatz launched his own series of free weekly mp3s titled Monster Monday. The first song, "DJ Play that Beat" featuring Estelle, was released on October 25. Other Monster Monday tracks include features from Rakim, Pusha T, DMX, Busta Rhymes and Pharrell.[17][18]
In 2011, Swizz Beatz won his first Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group with American rapper Jay-Z, for the song "On To The Next One". The first single from Haute Living titled Everyday (Coolin') Produced by Joe Lindsay was released through monstermondays.com on March 28, 2011. The song features Eve.[19] During an interview with Paper Mag, Swizz Beatz reveals some of the collaborations that will make their way on Haute Living. One of them is called ‘Skyscrapers’ featuring Kanye West and Bono.
| “ | "We got this song–it’s me, Bono and Kanye on this one song called “Skyscrapers.” I recorded with Kanye in the studio and then I recorded with Bono in this actual studio right here. Mary J. Blige is on the album; John Legend is on the album. But they’re on the album in super amazing ways. It’s not like a compilation–it’s a nice mixture of creativity. I had no boundaries with it; I had great partners on the album–Reebok was supporting me. | ” |
On May 21, 2011, Swizz Beatz confirmed that Dr. Dre was working on the album with him.[21]
Swizz Beatz produced hit songs for many elite rap, hip-hop soul and R&B, such as DMX ("Party Up (Up in Here)"), Beyoncé ("Check on It", "Ring the Alarm"), T.I. ("Bring 'Em Out"), Styles P ("Good Times"), Cassidy ("Hotel", "I'm a Hustla"), Busta Rhymes ("Touch It") and many more.
In 2003 he began to expand his label; Big Tigger, Keith Sweat, Bounty Killer and Yung Wun were all in talks to signing with Full Surface but in the end only Yung Wun was signed. Yung Wun, whom Swizz took under his wing and was executive producer of his album, The Dirtiest Thirstiest and co-produced the lead single "Tear It Up.[22][23][24]
In 2009, Swizz Beatz produced many popular singles including "Nasty Girl" by Ludacris featuring Plies, "Who's Real" by Jadakiss featuring OJ da Juiceman, "Million Bucks" by Maino, "Million Dollar Bill" by Whitney Houston, "I Can Transform Ya" by Chris Brown featuring Lil Wayne and "On to the Next One" by Jay-Z .[2]
Swizz Beatz also was named the first "Producer in Residence" at New York University. This will last from the 2010-2011 academic year.[25]
In 2006 he became a partner involved in the popular clothing company Kidrobot, a creator and retailer of limited-edition art toys and apparel.[2][26]
On Twitter in 2010, Swizz Beatz revealed his new sneaker line with Reebok.[27][28]
Swizz Beatz not only collects paintings but also paints on his own free time. He donates the money he earns from his paintings to the Children's Cancer & Blood Foundation.[29]
Since 2011 Swizz Beats has been the official face of Lotus cars.
Kasseem Dean (Swizz Beatz) is the CEO of Megaupload Limited, a major filehost based in Hong Kong.
In 2000, his first son by Nicole Levy, Prince Nasir was born. In 2004, he married Mashonda, together they have one child, Kasseem Dean Jr. (born 2006). In April 2008, they announced their plans to divorce after four years of marriage. In May 2008 UK singer and producer Jahna Sebastian gave birth to a daughter Nicole, whom Swizz Beatz fathered.[30] In May 2009, Alicia Keys admitted to having a relationship with Swizz Beatz. In May 2010 Beatz confirmed he was engaged to Alicia Keys, and that she was pregnant with Beatz' fourth, and her first child.[31] During the time of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the couple took part of a union and had the unborn child blessed in a Zulu ceremony, which took place in the Illovo suburb of South Africa.[32] Keys and Swizz Beatz held a wedding celebration on the French island of Corsica on July 31, 2010. Most attendees agreed that Beatz did very well for himself.[33] Alicia Keys gave birth to their son, Egypt Daoud Ibarr Dean, on October 14, 2010.[34][35]