Alicia Keys‘ husband of just over a year, Swizz Beatz is dishing to UPTOWN magazine about his life lessons, his personal regrets and of course what’s he learned from Alicia.
From his humble beginnings as a New York native who moved to Atlanta, GA to keep out of trouble, Swizz Beatz/Kasseem Dean has grown from a producer to a successful entrepreneur. Outside of his success in music, Beatz signed on as creative director for Reebok Classics, Vice President of Creative Design and Global Marketing for Lotus Cars (a luxury car brand), a professor at New York University and he’s an avid painter!!
Check some excerpts from the interview,
My greatest accomplishment is…
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.
Inspiration comes from…
Traveling. I see how people live and dress. I see the music that different cultures make.
My most prized possession is…
An Ernie Barnes original sketch that he gave me. He was one of my mentors. Rest in peace.
My greatest regret is…
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.
The trait I admire most in a woman is…
Honesty.
The trait I admire most in a man is…
Honesty.
The first thing I do in the morning is…
Hit a button and the curtains open and I’m thankful for another day. If my wife is next to me, it’s an instant hug and kiss. Get up, brush the teeth, do this, do that, and then it’s showtime!
From my students, I have learned…
That we’re all students.
From my wife I have learned…
Love.
Right now, I am reading…
A bunch of magazines. I buy them based on covers. From Architectural Digest to UPTOWN. I like to have a bunch of magazines when I’m thinking of an idea. It’s a therapeutic process.
Fame is…
A drug.
Words to live by…
The sky is not the limit; it’s just the view.
Alicia Keys isn’t shy about gushing about her super talented husband, she told People magazine last month:
“There are so many similarities between us, it’s just mind-blowing,” she said. “It’s really cool to have met my equal.” Egypt will be one talented child!
