Kasseem Dean (born September
1, 1978 in Bronx, New
York
) better known by his stage name Swizz
Beatz, although not of Swiss descent, is an American
record producer and
rapper. Swizz, wife R&B singer
Mashonda, and rapper
Cassidy helped launch his label
Full Surface Records.
Biography
With his aunt Chivon Dean, and uncles 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". He started working
with
Ruff Ryders,
Roc-A-Fella Records,
Elektra Records,
Epic Records,
Def
Jam Recordings, and
Bad Boy
Entertainment and his career blew up from there. But it wasn't
until his first solo album, 2002's
Presents G.H.E.T.T.O.
Stories, that
he started to get noticed for his production style and interesting
ideas. He released two singles "Guilty" and "Bigger Business" and
both had music videos.
Swizz Beatz has his own record label called
Full Surface which was helped developed by
Cassidy and is currently working on albums by
Cassidy,
Jay-Z, 2 Much,
50 Cent,
Drag-On,
Papoose,
Busta Rhymes,
Ruff
Ryders,
Whitney Houston,
Eve,
T.I.,
Lil Wayne,
Bow Wow,
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony,
Lil Jon and
Ludacris He is
also set to be recording the new album for his close friend
DMX which is confirmed to be titled
Walk with Me Now and
You'll Fly with Me
Later.
He then produced fellow Bronx
rapper
Remy Ma's single "Whuteva". It was
also confirmed he will be working with
Jennifer Lopez for the first time on her new
album .
In February 2007 the producer mixed the music for design duo
Heatherette's Fall 2007 New York Fashion
Week runway show.
Swizz Beatz released his first proper solo album titled
One Man Band Man on August
21, 2007, selling 45,000 records in its first week of release
including songs such as "
It's Me
Bitches", and "
Money in the
Bank".
On October 19, 2007, as an extension to his first solo project,
Swizz Beatz launched a contest called "Music Video 2.0" and
"
The Source Magazine Presents Share the Studio." The
contest and allows unsigned/indie music artists the opportunity to
compete on the Music Video 2.0 website for the chance to open for
Swizz Beatz at a NYC event.
Swizz Beatz also did an interview with MTV about his next album
stating he just leaked a record called "Hard Knocks" with Drag-On.
It's the first offering from Beatz's upcoming follow-up to
One
Man Band Man.
He later announced that his second album would be entitled
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.
Swizz Beats also helped produce and performs in I Can Transform Ya
by Chris Brown featuring Lil Wayne.
Personal life
Swizz has a son named Prince, born in 2000, with an ex girlfriend.
In 2004, Swizz Beatz married R&B singer
Mashonda. In January 2007 their son Kasseem Jr was
born. In April 2009, the couple announced their plans to divorce
after four years of marriage. Rumors have since surfaced online
suggesting
Alicia Keys was involved in
the break-up , but Swizz dismissed the rumors saying that that is
far from the truth . 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 aggravate
Mashonda and says that what he and Keys have is "so
precious".
Swizz Beatz is a painting collector and a painter himself on his
own free time . He donates the money he earns from his paintings to
the Children's Cancer & Blood Foundation.
Awards and Nominations
Urban Music Awards
Discography
Solo albums
References
External links
Wikis
Quiz
Map
Search
