Swizz Beatz

Producer, rapper, DJ and songwriter Swizz Beatz was the force behind countless hits in the early 2000s and beyond, his boundary-pushing approach to production helping to shape the sound of rap over several eras. Working with Ruff Ryders Records from the early days of the label, he produced hits for DMX, Eve, Styles-P and other Ruff Ryders artists, paving the way for work with Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes, and other rap superstars. A 2002 compilation, G.H.E.T.T.O. Stories, would further highlight his unique studio style and the years that followed saw him working with top-shelf artists ranging from T.I. and Cassidy to Whitney Houston and Beyonce. A Swizz Beatz solo album, One Man Band Man, arrived in 2007, allowing the beatmaker to flex his chops as a rapper. As the next wave of talent crested, the producer stayed connected, working with new megastars like Drake and Nicki Minaj while staying close to longtime creative partners like Jadakiss into the 2010s. A second solo album, Poison, was slated for a November 2018 release.