Over breakfast, I casually mention my impending Swizz Beatz interview to my husband. He looks up from his Honeynut Cheerios, face lit up and says, "Oh, yeah! I remember him."
For most artists, comments like this are the result of becoming a has-been, someone whom the music buying public has fondly relegated to the annals of CD purchase history. But in this case, it's the footnote in the next chapter of an artist who is back stronger than ever.
At the age of 26, the producer, whose real name is Kaseem Dean, ranks as an industry veteran. In the ten years of helming records featuring mega-stars such as Mary J. Blige, Nas, Jay-Z, DMX and many more, the Bronx native has sold an astonishing 80 million+ records.
You'd think with all those sales, which started at the age of 16, the former Ruff Ryder would follow the lead of numerous other rap impresarios and "retire," but he's at his production apex.
After a stint of being off the mainstream radar, Swizz is back in the studio producing hit songs for a slew of artists including Beyonce, The Game, R. Kelly, Busta Rhymes, Whitney Houston, Fat Joe, Nas, Ice Cube, Foxy Brown, Christina Milian, Lil’ Kim, Styles P., Redman, Memphis Bleek, Mary J. Blige and Joe Budden just to name a few.
He has five videos and eight singles on rotation, including hits such as the DMX banger "Pump Ya Fist," Memphis Bleek's "Like That," Young Guns' "Set It Off" and Cassidy's "I'm A Hustla," which he claims has been the biggest record, so far, of his career.
So what's the "The Monster" been up to for the past couple of years?
While taking a break from recording, Swizz established himself as a entrepreneur. He's co-owner of popular Arizona nightclub CBNC (Coyote Bay Night Club) and a new Las Vegas exotic car dealership at Caesar's Palace. Also, as owner of Full Surface Records, he's experiencing great success with his first signee, Cassidy, singer (and wife) Moshanda and a slew of up-and-comers including R&B singer Lamagic whom Swizz describes as "crazy." On top of everything else he's doing, he somehow manages to study painting with legendary pop artist Peter Max.
Swizz credits his prolific work schedule to sleeping just a few hours a night. We talked about how this affects his marriage, as well as working with Eve, his favorite artist collaborations and a slew of other fun topics.
Full interview
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