Swizz Beatz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Swizz Beatz
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Swizz Beatz in 2025
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Kasseem Daoud Dean
September 13, 1978 The Bronx, New York City, U.S.
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| Other names | The Monster |
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| Years active | 1994–present |
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Works
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| Board member of | Brooklyn Museum Monster Cable Reebok |
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| Children | 5 |
| Awards | Full list |
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| Genres | East Coast hip-hop |
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Kasseem Daoud Dean (born September 13, 1978), who is known by his stage name Swizz Beatz, is an American rapper and record producer. He was born and raised in the Bronx, a part of New York City. Swizz Beatz started his music career as a DJ in 1994. When he was 18, he became known in the music world through his family's record label, Ruff Ryders Entertainment. He worked closely with the label's main artist, the rapper DMX.
Swizz Beatz became a major figure in East Coast hip-hop by working as DMX's producer and DJ. He later started his own record label, Full Surface Records, in 2001. He signed many artists to his label, including Eve and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. He also released his own albums, like One Man Band Man (2007), which was a top 10 hit on the Billboard 200 chart.
As a producer, Swizz Beatz has created hit songs for many famous artists in hip-hop, pop, and R&B. Some of his most famous productions include "Ruff Ryders' Anthem" and "Party Up (Up in Here)" for DMX, "Upgrade U" for Beyoncé, "Bring 'Em Out" for T.I., and "On to the Next One" for Jay-Z.
He has won a Grammy Award and has been praised by many in the music industry. The famous artist Kanye West once called him "the best rap producer of all time." Besides music, Swizz Beatz is also involved in fashion design and art collecting. He is married to the singer Alicia Keys, and together they are known for their contributions to music and art.
Contents
Life and Career
1978–2006: A Star from the Bronx
Swizz Beatz grew up in the North East Bronx, where he was first introduced to hip-hop music. He learned to be a DJ as a teenager using equipment from his family. After moving to Atlanta, Georgia, he began working for his uncles, who ran the Ruff Ryders record label.
At just 16 years old, he started producing music for the label. A year later, he sold his first beat to the rapper DMX. That beat became the hit song "Ruff Ryders' Anthem" from DMX's famous 1998 album It's Dark and Hell is Hot. This success launched his career. He went on to produce popular songs for other big artists like Jay-Z and Noreaga.
In 2001, Swizz Beatz started his own record label called Full Surface Records. His first signed artist was the rapper Cassidy. In 2002, he released a compilation album, Swizz Beatz Presents G.H.E.T.T.O. Stories, which helped him and Cassidy get more attention. He also released his own singles, "Guilty" and "Bigger Business," which were successful on the R&B/Hip-Hop charts.
2007–2018: Making His Own Music
In 2007, Swizz Beatz released his first solo album, One Man Band Man. It featured the hit singles "It's Me..." and "Money in the Bank". The album was a success, reaching number seven on the US Billboard 200 chart.
During this time, he also signed more artists to his Full Surface label, including his longtime friends Eve and Drag-On. He also worked with the famous group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony on their album Strength & Loyalty.
In 2009, Swizz Beatz produced many hit songs for other artists. These included "I Can Transform Ya" by Chris Brown and Lil Wayne, and "On to the Next One" by Jay-Z. In 2010, he started a weekly free music series called Monster Mondays, inspired by a similar series from Kanye West.
His second album went through a few name changes but was eventually called Poison. He worked with many famous artists on the album, including Bono from U2, Kanye West, John Legend, and his wife, Alicia Keys. In 2011, he won his first Grammy Award for the song "On to the Next One" with Jay-Z.
2018–present: Poison and Verzuz
Swizz Beatz released his second album, Poison, in 2018. He recorded 70 songs for the project but chose only the best 10 for the final album. It featured many top artists like Kendrick Lamar, Lil Wayne, and Pusha T.
In March 2020, Swizz Beatz and fellow producer Timbaland created the popular web series Verzuz. In the show, two artists compete by playing their biggest hits. The show became a huge success. For their work on Verzuz, both he and Timbaland were named to Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2021.
In 2023, he hosted a TV show about cars called Drive with Swizz Beatz on Hulu.
Other Projects
Fashion and Art
Swizz Beatz has a passion for fashion and art. In 2003, he became a partner in the clothing and art-toy company Kidrobot. He has also designed sneakers for Reebok.
He is a major art collector. His collection, known as The Dean Collection, features works from famous artists like KAWS and Keith Haring. He and his wife, Alicia Keys, also support the Gordon Parks Foundation, which protects the work of the important photographer and filmmaker Gordon Parks.
Swizz Beatz also paints in his free time and donates the money he earns from his art to help children with cancer.
Brand Promoter
Swizz Beatz has worked with several major brands. He helped design and launch the Aston Martin Rapide car. He has also been a brand ambassador for Lotus cars. In 2013, he joined the board of Monster and helps promote their headphones and other products. He is also a Vice President at Reebok, where he helps with marketing and music development.
Personal Life
Swizz Beatz was married to singer Mashonda Tifrere from 2004 to 2010, and they have a son together, Kasseem Dean Jr. Swizz Beatz has three other children from other relationships.
In 2010, he married singer Alicia Keys. They have known each other since they were teenagers. The couple has two sons together. Swizz Beatz, Alicia Keys, and his ex-wife Mashonda have worked together to write a book about co-parenting peacefully.
In 2014, Swizz Beatz was accepted into a special business program at Harvard Business School. He graduated in 2017 and encouraged his fans to pursue education, saying, "Knowledge is power."
Discography
- Studio albums
- One Man Band Man (2007)
- Poison (2018)
Filmography
- I Tried (2007)
- Dumb and Dumber To (2014)
- Empire (2015)
Awards and nominations
- ASCAP Award
- 2020, ASCAP Voice of the Culture Award for VERZUZ
- BET Awards
- 2020, Honoree Recipient, "Shine A Light" Award for VERZUZ
- BET Hip Hop Awards
- 2010, Producer Of the Year (won)
- Grammy Awards
- 2018, Producers & Engineers Wing Award, for outstanding contributions to music (co-recipient, Alicia Keys)
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
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| 2011 | "Fancy" (with Drake & T.I.) | Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group | Nominated | |
| "On to the Next One" (with Jay Z) | Won | |||
| Best Rap Song | Nominated | |||
| 2017 | "Famous" (as songwriter) | Nominated | ||
| "Ultralight Beam" (as songwriter) | Nominated |
- Urban Music Awards
- 2009, Best Producer (won)
- Webby Award
- 2020, Category: Special Achievement - 'Break The Internet' Award, for the Instagram webcast VERZUZ, (co-recipient, Timbaland)
- 2014 Bronx Walk of Fame
