Whether it’s the minimalistic knock of Jay-Z’s “Money, Cash, Hoes” or the radio-ready bounce of Beyonce’s “Ring the Alarm,” Swizz Beatz is as reliable for a hit as Kobe in the closing seconds. Getting his start as a 16-year-old establishing the Ruff Ryders’ street sound, Kasseem Dean has since established himself as a consistent, versatile beatmaker for hip-hop and R&B’s elite, keeping his sound fresh all the while. In the first interview for HipHopDX’s Producer’s Corner, Swizz talks about his tricks of the trade, his upcoming album One Man Band Man, and staying on his toes.

HipHopDX: You’ve had a really distinct sound since you’ve come out. Where does that sound and style come from?
Swizz Beatz: It just came from living in different areas, from the Bronx, then moving from the Bronx to Atlanta. Just being tuned in to different cultures and music, just being a fan of reggae music, hip-hop, and just tuning in. Those old school records my mother used to play in the crib. I don’t know; it just came about.

HipHopDX: All producers have their own techniques for making a beat a certain way. What kind of techniques do you have, that you don’t think other producers use?
Swizz Beatz: I think by now, enough people have seen me in the studio, to where the technique would’ve been something that nobody uses, isn’t that anymore. But I pretty much just go in there and do what I feel, use the same setup I’ve been using. I don’t make it too complicated, I don’t do it too difficult. I just go in there and do what I do best. I take the same amount of equipment.

HipHopDX: Out of all the equipment that you use, what would you say is your most important tool?
Swizz Beatz: The MP3000, that’s the brain. That’s where all my drums come through, I put the piano through that; whatever I’m using goes through that. That’s where I put all the sounds and then I organize everything in there.

HipHopDX: Around the time you did T.I.’s “Bring Em Out,” you started to really reinvent your sound and put yourself out there more. What made you take that approach with his single and your other songs around that time, and how difficult is it for you to keep your style fresh for what’s going on?
Swizz Beatz: You’ve just got to be honest with yourself (about) how to keep it moving. When I came with the TI song “Bring Em Out,” then I came out with Cassidy’s “I’m A Hustla,” I kind of got criticized for doing that. It was frustrating at first, but I’m like, “OK, we can take this to the next level.” People are like, “Aww, Swizz is using Jay-Z [too much],” this and that. Everybody’s still dancing to it, but they’re still beefing. So I’m like, “OK, let me show y’all something.” Then I did the Busta record, then I did the [Smitty song] “Diamonds On My Neck,” then I did the other joints. I’m like, “It don’t gotta be Jay-Z; that’s just what I was doing at the time.” You’ve just got to know how to get over those obstacles. I can kind of predict most of the stuff that’s going to come up, and I don’t let these things come up anymore. Continued on page 2 »