Name | Swizz Beatz|Img = Swizz beatz at hot 97 summer jam 2007.jpg |
---|
Background | solo_singer |
---|
Birth name | Kasseem Dean |
---|
Born | August 30, 1978 The Bronx, New York, United States |
---|
Instrument | Keyboard, sampler |
---|
Occupation | Record producer, rapper, record executive, painter, artist |
---|
Years active | 1998–present |
---|
Genre | Hip hop |
---|
Label | Full Surface, Ruff Ryders, Atlantic |
---|
Associated acts | DMX, Alicia Keys, Eve, Jay-Z, Beyonce, Drag-On, Cassidy, T.I., G-Unit |
---|
Url | http://swizzbeatzonline.com |
---|
Kasseem Daoud Dean (born August 30, 1978), better known by his stage name, Swizz Beatz, is an American record producer, DJ, and rapper. 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.
Early life
Kasseem Daoud Dean was born to an
African American Muslim father and a
Puerto Rican Christian mother. Dean didn't see much of his father, a postal worker, due to his parents being separated, and was raised by his mother. He was born and raised in the
southwestern area of the
New York City borough of
The Bronx. It was there where he spent most of his childhood, 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. The next five years would find him landing hit after hit and becoming more in demand with each production.
Career
1998-2002: Ruff Ryders and Full Surface
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.
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. 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.
Undaunted by the disappointing sales of his last album, One Man Band Man, Swizz Beatz is already hard at work 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
Although 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, 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. 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 Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, Bono, Lenny Kravitz, Alicia Keys, Mary J. Blige and John Legend.
Swizz Beatz also was named the first "Producer in Residence" at New York University. This will last from the 2010-2011 academic year.
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.
On twitter in 2010, Swizz Beatz revealed his new sneaker line with Reebok.
Personal life
In 2004, he married
R&B; singer
Mashonda Tifrere, together they have two children, Prince Nasir Dean (born 2000), Kassem Dean Jr. (born 2007). In April 2008, they announced their plans to divorce after four years of marriage. Rumors have since surfaced online suggesting singer
Alicia Keys was involved in the break-up, but Swizz has since then stated this is not true. In May 2009, Swizz Beatz admitted to having a relationship with Alicia Keys. He explained that he's kept their relationship under wraps because he didn't want to upset Mashonda and says that what he and Keys have is "so precious." Beatz' divorce from Mashonda was finalized on May 7, 2010.
In May 2008, singer and producer Jahna Sebastian gave birth to a daughter, Nicole, whom Swizz Beatz had fathered. In May 2010 Beatz confirmed he was engaged to singer Alicia Keys, and that Keys was pregnant with Beatz' fourth, and her first child. 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. Keys and Swizz Beatz held a wedding celebration on the French island of Corsica on July 31, 2010. Alicia Keys gave birth to their son, Egypt Daoud Ibarr Dean, on October 14, 2010.
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.
Awards and nominations
2009: Urban Music Awards Best Producer (won)
Grammy Awards
*2010, Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group "On to the Next One" [Nominated]
*2010, Best Rap Song "On to the Next One" [Nominated]
*2010, Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group "Fancy" [Nominated]
Discography
; Studio Albums
One Man Band Man (2007)
Haute Living (TBA)
; Compilation Albums
G.H.E.T.T.O. Stories (2002)
Ryde or Die Vol. 1 (1999)
References
External links
Official website
Interview, HitQuarters Jun 02
Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz Engaged? PopEater, January 27, 2010
Meet Alicia Keys' secret boyfriend, Swizz Beats NY Daily News, May 17, 2009
Category:1978 births
Category:African American rappers
Category:African American Muslims
Category:American record producers
Category:African American record producers
Category:American hip hop record producers
Category:American Muslims
Category:Living people
Category:People from the Bronx
Category:Ruff Ryders artists
Category:2000s rappers
Category:2010s rappers