Swizz Beatz
Swizz Beatz is the Bronx-born producer, rapper and DJ behind “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem,” a Verzuz co-founder and an art collector sharing the Dean Collection with Alicia Keys.
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Latest
Swizz’s happenings, collected from public sources, plus his backstory and Starbook, where fans write.
Known for
Overview
- Name
- Kasseem Daoud Dean
- Born
- September 13, 1978 · The Bronx, New York City
- Work
- Record producer, rapper, DJ and entrepreneur
- Breakout
- DMX’s “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem” (1998)
- Also creates
- Verzuz, with Timbaland; the Dean Collection, with Alicia Keys
Mini bio
How it started.
Growing up in the Bronx, Swizz first wanted to be a DJ. He made original intro beats for his mixtapes, and other DJs started asking for their own. His uncle, a Ruff Ryders co-founder, encouraged him to take production seriously.
The breakthrough.
DMX’s “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem” became his first major hit in 1998. Work with Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Eve and other artists followed. He also stepped forward as a recording artist on One Man Band Man in 2007 and POISON in 2018.
Making room for other artists.
In 2020, he and Timbaland started Verzuz as a friendly musical battle that fans could watch from home. His support for visual artists runs alongside his music: the Dean Collection and the No Commission art and music festival give him other ways to share artists’ work. No Commission lets participating artists keep all their sales.
Still building.
Recent work connects these interests: the Godfather of Harlem soundtrack, collaborations with Larry June and Stove God Cooks, and touring presentations of Giants with Alicia Keys. In 2026 he added Casa Dean, a collection of furniture and home accessories with CB2.
Creditschronological, newest first
Music
- 2026STOVIE’S HOME (Down Down)Joint single with Stove God Cooks
- 2026FlexJoint single with Larry June
- 2025Godfather of Harlem: Season 4Soundtrack artist and curator
- 2018POISONRecording artist
- 2009On To The Next OneFeatured artist with Jay-Z
- 2007One Man Band ManRecording artist
- 1998Ruff Ryders’ AnthemProducer for DMX
Art and culture
- 2026Casa Dean for CB2Design collaborator with Evan Jerry and CB2
- 2024Giants: Art from the Dean CollectionCollection owner with Alicia Keys
- 2020VerzuzCo-founder with Timbaland
Awards
Quotes
You have to know when to get in and know when to step outSwizz Beatz, Music Business Worldwide
In a May 2022 interview, he explained that knowing when to leave a finished record alone is part of producing.
Trivia
- He completed Harvard Business School’s Owner/President Management executive education program in 2017.
- He began collecting art in his twenties and launched the Dean Collection in 2014.
- His first production experiments were intros for his own DJ mixtapes.
Find Swizz
Follow his music, DJ sets and the art he shares.
Are you Swizz Beatz?
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