Swizz Beatz is a widely popular American record producer, disc jockey, rapper, composer, entrepreneur, actor, and fashion designer. He grew up in the Bronx, New York City and then relocated to Atlanta, Georgia to further his passion for music. Working with his aunt and uncles who founded the Ruff Ryders Entertainment record label helped Swizz Beatz gain a better foothold of the field and he flourished in hip hop and started producing music by the age of 16. Soon after, he started gaining popularity for his work and the release of his compilation album, Swizz Beatz Presents G.H.E.T.T.O. Stories, in 2002 accelerated his pace. He is also a Harvard graduate and has worked with the likes of Drag-On, Eve, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Ludacris, Maino, Kanye West, DMX, Beyonce, Busta Rhymes, Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Whitney Houston, Jay-Z, and Chris Brown. On July 31, 2010, he got married to famous singer, songwriter, actress, and philanthropist, Alicia Keys. The duo is a power couple and is a major collector of artworks by famous artists such as Ansel Adams, KAWS, Keith Haring, Cleon Peterson, Ernest Zacharevic, and Erik Jones. Swizz Beatz is one of the most sought after record producers in the industry and has released a few albums of his own as well. He has also garnered a major social media fan base with more than 400k followers on Facebook, more than 2.8 million followers on Instagram, and more than 2.5 million followers on Twitter.
Sun Sign
Virgo
Residence
He resides in New York City, New York, United States.
Nationality
Education
Swizz Beatz attended the Harry S. Truman High School, a public high school located in the Bronx, New York City. However, as he moved to Atlanta, Georgia due to his violent behavior at the Harry S. Truman High School, he enrolled at Stone Mountain High School.
Later, in April 2014, he went on to study in the Harvard Business School‘s Owner /President Management executive program. He graduated from the school in November 2017 from the OPM program.
Genre
Hip Hop
Instruments
Vocals
Labels
Epic Records, Monster Music, Atlantic Recording Corporation, DreamWorks Records, Everest, Full Surface, Universal Motown Records, Ruff Ryders, Warner Bros. (Former)
Girlfriend / Spouse
Swizz Beatz has dated –
- Mashonda Tifrere (1998-2007) – Swizz Beatz started dating Mashonda Tifrere, a singer from Boston, Massachusetts, in February 1998. Mashonda Tifrere is also an author who wrote the book, Blend: The Secret to Co-Parenting and Creating a Balanced Family (2018). The couple suffered a miscarriage in 2000. However, during the time of that unfortunate pregnancy, Dean’s son with Nicole Levy was born. It was Mashonda who named the child Nasir. Eventually, Mashonda and Swizz Beatz got engaged in 2002 and then, in 2004, they got married. Their son, Kasseem Dean, Jr., was born in December 2006. However, the marriage soon started falling apart and in 2008, the couple announced their breakup after having already been separated the previous year. They filed for a divorce citing irreconcilable differences and it was finalized in May 2010. Now, they co-parent their son and Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys also helped Tifrere with her book (mentioned above) based on co-parenting.
- Nicole Levy (1999-2000) – Swizz Beatz started dating Nicole Levy in August 1999. Their son, Prince Nasir, was born on October 25, 2000, during the time when Mashonda Tifrere was also pregnant, the pregnancy which resulted in a miscarriage. The duo parted ways in February 2000.
- Jahna Sebastian (2007) – In August 2007, Swizz Beatz had a fling with the UK based singer and producer, Jahna Sebastian. Jahna gave birth to their daughter, Nicole Dean, in May 2008. However, Swizz Beatz found out about the birth of his daughter only after a year.
- (2008-Present) – Swizz Beatz and singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, actress, and philanthropist, Alicia Keys, have known each other since their teenage years. They started dating in July 2008. Later, they got engaged and in May 2010, the couple announced that they were expecting their first child. They got their unborn child blessed by taking part in a Zulu ceremony in the Illovo suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa. Then, the happy couple got married in a private ceremony held near the Mediterranean Sea on July 31, 2010. Their first child, a son named Egypt Daoud Dean, was born on October 14, 2010. Then, on December 27, 2014, their second son, Genesis Ali Dean, was born. The duo is going strong and the family spends much time together and both Alicia and Swizz Beatz keep their fans engaged by sharing their pictures on their respective social media handles. Alicia once revealed in an interview that before they started dating, she found Swizz Beatz to be a bit annoying.
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
- Shaved head
- Short bushy beard
- Often wears glasses and cap
- A tattoo of Alicia Keys’s face on his arm
Brand Endorsements
Swizz Beatz has appeared in a TV commercial, Duality, for Samsung Galaxy in 2013.
He has also promoted several brands like Aston Martin, Lotus Cars, Monster, and Reebok.
Religion
Islam
Best Known For
- Serving either as a producer or co-producer for a number of singles by various well-known artists which include ‘Ruff Ryders’ Anthem’ by , ‘Tear da Roof Off’ by , ‘Money, Cash, Hoes’ by featuring DMX, ‘Gotta Man’ by Eve, ‘Jigga My Nigga’ by Jay-Z, ‘Girl’s Best Friend’ by Jay-Z featuring Mashonda, ‘The Best of Me’ by Mýa featuring , ‘Things That U Do’ by Jay-Z featuring , ‘Wild Out’ by The LOX, ‘Put Your Hands Up’ by , ‘Hotel’ by featuring R. Kelly, ‘Check on It’ by featuring , ‘Spit Your Game’ by featuring and Krayzie Bone, ‘Give It To You’ by Eve featuring , ‘Million Dollar Bill’ by , ‘Looking for Paradise’ by featuring Alicia Keys, ‘Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour)’ by Jay-Z, Bono, The Edge, and , ‘Roman’s Revenge’ by featuring , ‘Wait Til You See My Smile’ by Alicia Keys, and ‘Hurt Somebody’ by featuring
- Winning the BET Hip Hop Award in the ‘Producer Of the Year’ category in 2010 as well as a Grammy in the ‘Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group’ category in 2011 for the single, On to the Next One, with Jay-Z
First Album
Swizz Beatz released his debut studio album, One Man Band Man, on August 21, 2007, via Full Surface and Universal Motown Records. The album consisted of 12 songs, including Product Man, It’s Me Bitches, You Know Your Boy Did That, Top Down, Money in the Bank, and Part of the Plan, and also featured artists like Drag-On, , , and Jadakiss. It was ranked at number #7 on the U.S. Billboard 200 list and sold 45,000 copies in its first week.
First Film
Swizz Beatz made his first theatrical film appearance as a producer in the music drama film, I Tried, in 2007. It starred rappers , , and Wish Bone of the hip hop group, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, alongside actors Hassan Johnson and Chris Mulkey.
First TV Show
Swizz Beatz made his first TV show appearance as himself in an episode of the musical sketch comedy series, Chappelle’s Show, in 2004.
Personal Trainer
He maintains a lean and healthy physique by working out on a regular basis.
Swizz Beatz Favorite Things
- City In Egypt – Nubia in Aswan
- One Of His Favorite Artists – Oum Kalthoum
- Egyptian Dish – Macaroni Béchamel (Baked pasta with , cheese, and béchamel sauce)
- One Of His Favorite Books – The Tanning of America: How Hip-Hop Created a Culture That Rewrote the Rules of the New Economy by Steve Stoute
Source – ,
Swizz Beatz Facts
- Coincidentally, he was born on Friday the 13th.
- His father was an immigrant who left the family when Swizz Beatz was only a young lad.
- After the separation of his parents, Swizz’s mother raised him in North East Bronx, New York City, New York.
- He got in touch with hip hop while living in North East Bronx. Soon, he started his musical journey as a DJ with the help of his stepfather and uncles. Swizz Beatz shifted from the Bronx to Atlanta, Georgia and started working with his aunt and uncles who have founded the Ruff Ryders Entertainment record label.
- The use of the Korg Trinity and Triton keyboards in his works instead of using the sample brought uniqueness to his musical style which soon gathered the deserved attention.
- He began his career as a producer at the mere age of 16. Soon after, his career started gaining pace and he sold his first beat to actor and rapper, DMX, which later became his chart-topping single titled Ruff Ryders’ Anthem.
- It was in 2001 that he established his record label, Full Surface Records, along with record producer, A&R executive, and music industry executive, Clive Davis. The label later became a part of the J Records and Cassidy was the first artist who was signed by the label.
- After the year 2002, Swizz Beatz’s career began to flourish rapidly and his singles, ‘Guilty’ and ‘Bigger Business’, also secured places in the Billboard Hot R&B /Hip-Hop Songs chart.
- He has produced the work of various artists such as Drag-On, Eve, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Ludacris, Maino, Whitney Houston, Jay-Z, and .
- Swizz Beatz once persuaded the Sheikh of Dubai to let him use the airspace to shoot for the video of the song, You Stay on My Mind, just for a dollar.
- He entered the Bronx Walk of Fame in May 2014 and got a street named after him called the Swizz Beatz Street.
- Swizz Beatz appeared with musical artist One Man Kru on the 6th season of the popular South Korean hip hop TV show, Show Me The Money, in June 2017.
- He has served as a partner for the popular clothing company, Kidrobot.
- Swizz Beatz has worked on a sneaker line with Reebok. He has also served as the Vice President – Sports Style Marketing, Design, and Brand Music Development for the brand.
- Swizz Beatz harbors a very keen interest in art and his collection includes the artworks from some popular artists like KAWS, Keith Haring, Cleon Peterson, Ernest Zacharevic, and Erik Jones.
- The first major artwork that he bought was a black-and-white picture of the Alps by the legendary photographer and environmentalist, Ansel Adams. Beatz was 19 years old at the time of the purchase and when he first saw the picture, he was totally amazed by its intricate details.
- He is also associated with the Gordon Parks Foundation, a foundation dedicated to preserving the works of photographer and musician, Gordon Parks.
- The Dean Collection, Swizz Beatz’s and Alicia Keys’s philanthropic organization and family collection of international contemporary art, takes pride in having the largest private holding of Gordon Parks’s images.
- He enjoys painting in his leisure hours and whatever he collects from his paintings is donated to the Children’s Cancer & Blood Foundation.
- Swizz Beatz became the Global Ambassador for New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) in 2012.
- His older son with Alicia Keys, Egypt Daoud Dean, became a credited producer on ‘s compilation album, Untitled Unmastered.
- He was honored as the first “Producer in Residence” at the New York University for the academic year of 2010-2011.
- He was ranked at number #21 in About.com‘s list of ‘Top 50 Greatest Hip-Hop Producers’.
- The Source magazine mentioned him on its “20 greatest producers” list in the magazine’s 20-year history.
- once called Swizz Beatz the best rap producer of all time.
- Visit his official website @ swizzworld.com.
- Follow Swizz Beatz on , , , , , and .
Featured Image by Richard Alexander Caraballo / Flickr / CC BY-SA 3.0
Facts of Kasseem Dean
- Gender Male
- full nameKasseem Dean
- nicknamesSwizz Beatz
- birthplaceThe Bronx, New York City, New York, United States
- Date of Birth September 13, 1978
- Age 46 years 2 months
- Horoscope Virgo
- Lucky Number 11
- Lucky Stone Sapphire
- Lucky Color Green
- Best Match for Marriage Taurus, Capricorn
- ethnicity / ethnic backgroundAfro-Jamaican, Puerto Rican, and Irish descent on his mother’s side and has Eritrean
- nationalityAmerican
- religionIslam
- net worth$100 million
- professionRecord Producer, Disc Jockey, Rapper, Composer, Entrepreneur, Actor, Fashion Designer
- weight80 kg or 176.5 lbs
- height6 ft 1 in or 185.5 cm
- eye colorDark Brown
- body type / buildAthletic
- high schoolStone Mountain High School
- brothersAndré King