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Swizz Beatz Talks NYU Job With New York Magazine

Posted on March 4th, 2011
by
Karen


Last November, Swizz Beatz was named New York University’s “Producer In Residence.” Given his track record (which includes a recent Grammy under his belt), it was sort of an easy decision for the school. Well, since then, Beatz has been hard at work following through and living up to his title. New York Magazine recently caught up with hit maker for an interesting and informative piece on how he views his job and why he receives so much enjoyment from it. Read this excerpt.

Beatz, real name Kasseem Dean, is the department’s first producer-in-residence, a post he assumed in November. The job offer came after an overwhelming response to a guest lecture he gave last year. “When I thought about it, I really love this environment, the students. It wasn’t, like, annoying,” Beatz says. He comes in every couple of weeks for personal advising sessions.

Today his first students are Morgan Neiman and Giovonni Lobato, a “lo-fi electronica-pop two-step” act called Etches. “Hold on a sec, I need my pad,” Beatz says. “So do you guys have a business plan?” Neiman explains that they hope to make appearances at something called the Dirty Rotten Dance Party. Lobato adds that he’s doing web design.

“Okay, so that’s a business plan for that, but what about for your music?” Beatz asks. “The truth is … I don’t know, really,” Lobato replies. The lesson commences. “So, for me, the music comes last,” Beatz explains to the duo, now wide-eyed. “Well, in my heart the music comes first. But living in this world and being realistic, the music comes last and the business comes first. You might have a hot single, and you might not be prepared for it.”

 

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