The One Man Band Man

In hip-hop, maybe more so than any other musical genre, artists are constantly forced to defend their credibility. That said, as a producer, there are very few in the game who can touch Swizz Beatz. For the better part of the last decade, Swizz has been making hit songs for Nas, Jay-Z, DMX, Busta Rhymes, Lil’ Kim, Eightball & MJG, Beyoncé, every member of The LOX, and more.

As a rapper, though, Swizz still has to show and prove. Swizz’s new solo album, “One Man Band Man,” landed on shelves nationwide in late August. While his first album, 2002’s “Swizz Beatz Presents G.H.E.T.T.O. Stories,” is a compilation on which Swizz mostly chants on hooks and lets guys like N.O.R.E., Shyne and Cassidy handle the heavy mic work, “One Man Band Man” sees the produces presenting himself as a true solo artists.

He knows his work on this album will be scrutinized, but Swizz is undaunted…

Dime: If you could produce a track for each of your favorite ballplayers, how would you describe the sound you’d want to evoke?
SB: For A.I., something like a T.I. song. That’s his swagger. He’s a lil’ dude scoring a lot of points. T.I. is a lil’ dude who’s scoring a lot of points in the music industry. A song like, “What You Know About That.” Kobe, he’s more of a family guy. No disrespect, but he’s more of a Will Smith vibe. A song like “Summertime.”

Dime: What about Jordan?
SB: A Hov song. “Streets is Watchin’.”

Dime: You’ve produced hit songs for many artists, but you’ve also scored films and done music for commercials. How does the creative process differ for songs as opposed to full-length films and commercials?
SB: Commercials and movies are similar. You gotta sync the music with what’s going on on-screen. For a commercial you are locking yourself in a studio for about three weeks. For a movie, that’s about 2-3 months. Albums I sometimes treat like a score, but you’re just dealing with the artist so you have a lot more freedom. I like doing commercials and films, but it depends a lot on my schedule.

Dime: What about working on your own album? Tell me about the process of working on “One Man Band Man.”
SB: This album was challenge for myself, to do something different in 2007. I’m not trying to be the best rapper. I’m expanding myself as an entertainer. I’m coming out the gate with no features. A lot of artists have a lot of features that serves as a shield. Where’s your progress gonna come from [with a shield]? More people benefited off my compilation [the first album] than me. I’m coming out the gate with no features. No shield. I’m taking different risks, doing things a lot of artists are scared to do. There’s no song format; I say the hook when I say the hook. Hip-hop don’t got no rules. I also have a song with Coldplay to let everybody know it’s not just some jump around gimmick. And on the “The Funeral,” I show I can go into story mode.

Dime: Although you’ve now put out two albums, you are just now emerging as an MC. Was the writing process challenging?
SB: Not really. I freestyled a lot of it. I just said what was on my mind. The best way to express yourself is to just say what’s on your mind. I may not be up to the standard. People want to compare me to other rappers, but don’t compare me to them ‘cuz I’m not in their lane, or trying to be. I might piece it up different. I don’t put that much pressure on myself, with the exception of a couple songs.

I write for a lot of other people. And it has to make sense, line for line. A lot of the craziest lines in hip-hop I wrote. I’m not in competition to be the best. Not yet. I’ma let the people put me there. I’m having fun with it. I hear people quote “Showtime,” “It’s Me,” “Ya’ll Know Who This Is,” … I’m happy with that. I’m being quoted and it’s not even conscious. My demographics for my lines is crazy. From little kids to grown people.

Dime: Are you nervous about how people will respond to you as a rapper?
SB: Nah, I already expect certain things. Some people are going to like me and some are going to hate me. There are people who like me who don’t wanna say they like me and some who hate me who say they like me.

At [Hot 97’s] Summer Jam I got the crown. I was the third to go on. I was going up against Puff, and Puff handed me the crown personally. That’s big. That was my first Summer Jam performance.

Once you find your lane, stick with it. I’m not tryin’ too hard, I’m not frontin’. I’m having fun, and I ain’t quit my day job.

Dime: Are there other musical frontiers you want to conquer?
SB: I wanna do some collabos with Fela Kuti. I want African jazz to meet hip-hop, but still make music where everyone can relate to it. People will ask, “What is that?” And when I get that question, I can introduce our generation to it. I can open up the conversation to teach it to other people.

Dime: If you never got into music, what would you be doing today?
SB: Painting, boxing, a racecar driver, an architect.

Dime: Do you paint?
SB: Yes. Putting your thoughts on canvas is like putting your thoughts to music. I own a lot of art too. Basquiat, Warhol, Keith Harrington. The Dow may crash, but the value of art never depreciates. And you don’t need to maintain it. I started collecting art for the love, then for the investment and love. I’ve seen a lot of great returns. But you gotta do your research. There’s good art, bullshit art, and fine art. I know fine art.

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