S. Samuel
Producer Swizz Beatz recently opened up about his greatest feats and regrets plus offered up some advice for artists looking to follow in his footsteps.
While Swizzy admitted he does not like to look at regrets, he singled out signing a publishing deal as the biggest.
“[Biggest accomplishment?] Getting out of the ‘hood. Straight up. To be able to get out of the mix and wake up in the middle of the Mediterranean somewhere is a super blessing…Things that I probably should regret, I don’t because if I didn’t go through certain things, I wouldn’t have been able to elevate. I can offer a generic regret: I regret signing a publishing deal.” (Uptown Magazine)
He also told up-and-coming producers to keep in their own lane.
“Always stay original. Always push the bar to a level that sometimes you may not even be able to see. Believe in yourself because not everyone can predict your dreams and I think a lot of people go wrong when they listen to too many people when it comes to their life. So if I would’ve listened to everybody I wouldn’t be Swizz Beatz. I would still be a DJ because people said stick to DJing. I listen to everybody because I’m a student but I apply to myself what I know works for me. Use your own intuition.” (Uptown Magazine)
In July, Beatz talked about keeping his brand growing as Reebok’s Classics Creative Director.
“I want y’all to understand the movement and the opportunity that we all have. Reebok is definitely back. I am happy to be the creative director globally,” he said. “That puts me up there with the Marc Jacobs and Karl Lagerfelds. To have that position coming from the South Bronx… I tell everybody that the sky is not the limit, it’s just the view.” (Miss Info)
In June, Swizzy hit up SOHH about cross promoting Reebok with his music.
“It’s hard to keep it separate,” Beatz told SOHH when asked about balancing music and his new Reebok business venture. “Especially when the main theme song behind the Go Global campaign is ‘International Party.’ It’s something we shot a video for, a campaign for, so it’s kind of hard to keep them separated when we have such a great partnership and such a great understanding. The brand is not going to exploit my brand or my music. It’s more of a joint venture on a real level and even in every day living. It’s not like I’m saying [my Reebok line], ‘Kamikaze, Kamikaze, Kamikaze’ all in people’s faces. It’s fun and I like being a part of the underdogs, that’s what I came up in.” (SOHH)
Check out some recent Swizz Beatz footage below:
