Swizz Beatz

Alicia Keys Celebrates Birthday In A Bikini, Swizz Beatz Gifts Her With A Song

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When it comes to celebrating birthdays, Swizz Beatz always makes sure Alicia Keys is honored as best as possible. This week, the acclaimed singer rang in another trip around the sun, and on Instagram, her husband showered her with affection in a way that only he could.

The megaproducer partnered with rapper Marv Milly to create a song in honor of Key’s 42nd birthday. The production remixed several of the hitmaker’s favorites as Milly spit bars about Keys, her impact, and her fearlessness.

Read More: Swizz Beatz Shares Adorable Anniversary Post With Alicia Keys

In the video posted, a montage of Keys in her youth, performing, and her music videos were included.

“Let’s 1st start this amazing Queens Bday with a dedication song thx @forevermarvmilly 🙏🏽,” Swizz wrote in the caption. “Happy Birthday to my amazing wife @aliciakeys 🎂🎂 I wish you many many more years of greatness and Epic blessings . You know we about to go crazy 🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾🎂🎂🎂🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂 Everybody wish AK happy Bday let’s go🍾🎉🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎉🎂🎂🎂🎉🎉🎉🍾🍾🎉🎉🎂🎂 stay tuned 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜.”

Milly also shared the video and added, “[Swizz], It’s an honor to honor your Queen/Wife @aliciakeys.”

NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 25: Producer/philanthropist Swizz Beatz and his wife recording artist Alicia Keys (R) attend Haute Living Honors its partner Swizz Beatz with a Louis XIII experience on October 25, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Fernando Leon/Getty Images for Haute Living)
Read More: Swizz Beatz Surprises Alicia Keys With $400K Egyptian Queen-Inspired Chain

Keys also gave a slight reveal of how she spent her big day. She posed beachside in a bikini on what looked to be a tropical vacation.

Check out a few fun moments from the birthday celebrations below.

Today In Hip Hop History: Foxy Brown Released Her ‘Chyna Doll’ LP 24 Years Ago

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On this date in 1999, Brooklyn emcee Inga Merchand aka Foxy Brown dropped her sophomore effort, Chyna Doll, on the Violator/Def Jam imprint. This album rode the successful wave of previous projects released by Brown including her appearance on The Firm album with Nas, AZ, and Nature as well as her own 1996 debut LP Ill Nana. The album debuted at the pole position of Billboard 200, which was only accomplished previously by Lauryn Hill with The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill just a year earlier.

With production, courtesy of the likes of Kanye West, D-Dot, Irv Gotti, Lil Rob, Swizz Beatz along with Foxy’s salacious lyrics, this album was guaranteed success as proved in selling over a million copies.

Tracks such as “Bonnie And Clyde Part II” featuring Jay-Z and the unexpected “Ride(Down South)” with 8-Ball, MJG, Too Short, and Juvenile was Foxy’s evidence of her versatility and willingness to bring the Hip Hop culture together regardless of geographic origin.

Salute to Foxy, Young Gavin, and the entire Def Jam staff for putting together this piece of Hip Hop history!

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Foxy Brown Released Her ‘Chyna Doll’ LP 24 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

Swizz Beatz Reveals Lil Wayne Didn’t Like Changes He Made To ‘Uproar’ Track

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Swizz Beatz recently revealed that Lil Wayne didn’t like the changes he made to their 2018 hit song “Uproar” which was on Tha Carter VI.

Swizz Beatz made the revelation on a recent episode of Mike Tyson’s Hotboxin’ podcast.

“This was the last record,” he said. “I kind of messed with his vocals. He didn’t like that and then I talked to Mack. I said, ‘This gotta be more than just a freestyle because he rapped all the way through.’ There wasn’t no break points.”

Swizz then explains how he took Wayne’s lines and made it into the hook for the song. Weezy initially didn’t like it, however, he eventually gave in and added the track on his album and released it as an official single.

Despite Wayne not initially liking the change, “Uproar” ended up peaking at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song even went on to go double platinum, meaning it sold 2 million copies.

You can watch the full episode below

The post Swizz Beatz Reveals Lil Wayne Didn’t Like Changes He Made To ‘Uproar’ Track appeared first on The Source.

Swizz Beatz Reflects On DMX’s “Pain,” Says His Death Still “Doesn’t Feel Real”

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In the entertainment industry, it isn’t always easy to find lifelong friends, but that’s exactly what happened when Swizz Beatz and DMX were introduced. Despite the struggles DMX faced throughout his life, he always had a strong support system of family, friends, and fans who cheered him on. Sadly, the world lost X in April 2021, but in a new interview on Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson, Swizz reflected on his relationship with the beloved star.

“For me, every since I known DMX, he was like, always in pain,” said Swizz. “Since I was a kid.”

Read More: Funk Flex Calls On Swizz Beatz To Drop Unreleased DMX Songs

“And so, I just know he’s in a better place now,” the megaproducer continued. “He came to me in a dream, the whole thing. I was definitely on a mission. Losing a brother so close, it just—I never felt that before.”

Swizz added that he has “lost a lot of people to the streets,” but grieving the loss of DMX remains difficult to reconcile.

“Still, ’til this day sitting on this couch talking about it, it don’t feel real to me,” he said.

NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 5: (L to R) Producer Swizz Beatz and Rapper DMX wait for direction on stage at Busta Rhymes Star Studded “Touch it” the remix music video for Interscope record label, at Kiss the Cactus Stage in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn just before the shooting of Rhymes bodyguard Israel Ramirez on February 5, 2006 in the Brooklyn borough of New York city. (Photo by Kristy Leibowitz/Getty Images)
Read More: Swizz Beatz Shares Favorite Videos Of DMX On Late Rapper’s Birthday

In the Spring of 2021, DMX was hospitalized as speculation regarding his medical condition ran rampant. His family and friends were by his side as he sought care, but later, it was announced that the rapper had passed away.

A cause of death has been reported as a heart attack brought on by drug use. DMX was always candid about his struggles and recovery pertaining to his addictions. Following his passing, the world celebrated his life and accomplishments in solidarity.

Watch the clip of Swizz Beatz above and check out his full interview with Hotboxin’ below.

Dave East Puts On For Harlem On “DAMN”

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Dave East brings Harlem’s flare with the spirit of Brooklyn’s King MC on his new single, “DAMN.”

Swizz Beatz delivered the second single for the third season of Godfather Of Harlem featuring Dave East this weekend. “DAMN” puts Dave East center stage as jazzy percussion and airy vocal samples — handled by Mike Keys and DJ Khalil — lead the record. The rapper takes fans on a trip from the days of mobbing through Harlem, detailing some of the hardships he faced along the way. At the same time, he also pays homage to Biggie with an interpolation of “Warning.”

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 07: Dave East attends The NOW Launch on December 07, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)

Though he isn’t directly mentioning Bumpy Johnson, Dave East channels the famed drug trafficker’s energy with a nod to Green Day. “We was born as kings/ Cruising through this boulevard of broken dreams,” East raps on the record. It’s an exemplary display of East’s vivid lyricism and gritty delivery that turned him into one of NYC’s most compelling lyricists since his mixtape run.

While he remains one of the busiest men in showbusiness, Swizz Beatz continues to serve as the executive producer of Epix’s The Godfather Of Harlem soundtrack. Every week, they debuted a new single prior to each episode. Ahead of the season premiere, Swizz Beatz previously enlisted Jadakiss for their new collaboration, “Hustle, Repeat.“

Dave East blessed fans with his last body of work, Book Of David in November. The project served as a collaborative effort alongside DJ Drama and Buda & Grandz.

Check out Dave East’s new single below and sound off in the comments.

Quotable Lyrics
I was watchin’ out from lobbies, rooftops, and was in between
Took a 12 hour drive to Atlanta to pick up hammers
Police scanners, in the dashboard, rearview mirror came with cameras
Gotta eat before we hit the road, we ain’t stoppin’ for a sandwich
If they pull us, the driver never panic, he start talkin’ Spanish

Swizz Beatz Says Lil Wayne Didn’t Like “Uproar” At First

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Though “Uproar” became Lil Wayne’s biggest hit off of Tha Carter V, it appears that he wasn’t down with the song at first.

Swizz Beatz recently sat down on Mike Tyson’s podcast where he discussed the single. He explained that it began as a freestyle with Wayne basically breezing through the entire instrumental without pausing. Of course, Wayne’s known for his freestyles but Swizz saw the potential behind the record. He explained that he began to tweak the record, including Wayne’s vocals, but the Young Money founder wasn’t entirely behind the move.

Lil' Wayne and Swizz Beatz (Photo by Theo Wargo/WireImage)
Lil’ Wayne and Swizz Beatz (Photo by Theo Wargo/WireImage)

“This was the last record. I kind of messed with his vocals. He ain’t like that,” Swizz said. However, the producer said that he explained to Mack Maine that he needed to “mess with” the record to turn it into an actual song, rather than a freestyle.

“I talked to Mack, I said, ‘This gotta be more than a freestyle because he rapped all the way through,’” Swizz said. From there, he took the portion of the record where Wayne raps, “What the f- though? Where the love go? Five, four, three, two, I let one go,” and turned it into the hook.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 17: Lil Wayne performs at the Amazon Music Live Concert Series on November 17, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jerritt Clark/Getty Images for Amazon Music)

“When you put this piece throughout, it brings people back and it plays as a chorus,” Swizz explained. “And then Wayne was like, ‘Alright, alright. Let’s do it.’”

“Uproar” became an instantaneous hit that propelled to #7 on the Billboard Hot 100. However, the song drew controversy due to the sample of “Special Delivery” by G. Dep. The song’s producer, Ez Elpee, claimed that Swizz and Wayne didn’t give him the proper credit for sampling the record.

Check out Swizz Beatz’s full interview with Mike Tyson below.

Triller Is Reportedly Being Sued Yet Again, This Time By Universal Music Publishing For Unpaid Licensing Fees

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Triller
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Video content-sharing application and streamer Triller is at the center of yet another lawsuit. This time, it comes via Universal Music Publishing.

After the company’s acquisition of Verzuz, co-founded by music titans Swizz Beatz and Timbaland in March 2021, they have faced several lawsuits. After Triller allegedly defaulted on the deal after two payments, the pair took the company to court in August 2022 to retrieve the remaining $28 million balance. The following month, the parties reached a settlement.

In a joint statement, Swizz and Timbaland said, “We’re glad to come to an amicable agreement with Triller and continue giving fans the music and community that they’ve come to know and love from the brand.”

Unfortunately, Triller’s legal woes didn’t stop there. At the same time, Sony Music filed a lawsuit against the company for violating their and the artists signed to their label’s intellectual property rights. In the suit, Sony Music stated after Triller “historically failed to make payments in a timely manner,” representatives for the label attempted to contact Triller but only resulted in “near-total radio silence,” forcing the company to terminate its licensing agreement with Triller on August 8, 2022. But the company refused to take down Sony Music artists’ songs from their library for app users.

Now, according to Rolling Stone, Universal Music Publishing is alleging Triller has “repeatedly failed to deliver on its promises” “despite its contractual obligations.”

Attorneys for Universal Music Publishing list in the suit Triller failed to pay the fifth, sixth, and seventh quarterly installments of the licensing fees totaling $3 million, equating to $1 million per quarter.

Triller has not issued a public statement regarding the matter.

Today In Hip Hop History: DMX Released His Second LP ‘Flesh Of My Flesh Blood Of My Blood’ 24 Years Ago

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On this date in 1998, Earl “DMX” Simmons dropped his sophomore release, Flesh Of My Flesh, Blood Of My Blood on the Def Jam/Ruff Ryders imprint. Less than a year following his debut album, It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot, X put out one of his most celebrated releases that shipped gold in its first week and were posted at the top of the charts for almost an entire month following its release.

The project, which was produced by Irv Gotti, Dame Grease and Swizz, debuted at number 1 on Billboard Top 200 just like X’s premier album. This feat was only accomplished once before by Tupac with All Eyez On Me and The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory.

The singles that led the album’s success were the dark, autobiographical “Slippin’” and the Swizz Beatz produced “No Love 4 Me” featuring then Ruff Ryders newcomer Drag-On. The album enjoyed additional success being that this was the project in heavy rotation during DMX’s silver screen debut alongside Nas in Belly.

Thanks to the entire Ruff Ryder team including the Dark Man Unknown himself for this timeless Hip Hop classic!

The post Today In Hip Hop History: DMX Released His Second LP ‘Flesh Of My Flesh Blood Of My Blood’ 24 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

Today In Hip Hop History: Jay-Z Dropped His Third LP ‘Vol.2…Hard Knock Life’ 24 Years Ago

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On this date in 1998, Jay-Z and his Roc cohorts dropped his third album Vol.2…Hard Knock Life on their independent Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam imprint.

Recorded in some of NYC’s most coveted studio spaces, Vol. 2…Hard Knock Life featured some of the games best producers, including Jermaine Dupri, Swizz Beatz, and Timbaland, Hov’s third album was the proof that Jigga had found the formula to produce the most successful full-length project of his career at that time.

Debuting at number 1 on the Billboard 200 and selling 350K in its first week, Vol.2 …Hard Knock Life was certified 5x platinum within two years of its release, setting Hov’s album bar so hight that it won a Golden Phonograph for Best Rap Album at the 41st Grammy Awards. Some of the top singles from the 14 track gem include “Nigga What, Nigga Who(Originator 99)”, “Hard Knock Life,” “Can I Get A…” and “Money Ain’t A Thang” featuring Jermaine Dupri.

Salute to Jigga, Dame, Biggs, Memphis Bleek, Sauce Money, and the rest of the Roc for putting out such a timeless piece of Hip Hop history!

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Jay-Z Dropped His Third LP ‘Vol.2…Hard Knock Life’ 24 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.