ASCAP, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, the world leader in performing rights and advocacy for music creators, today announced that internationally acclaimed Grammy-winning songwriter-producer and global entrepreneur Kasseem Dean, aka Swizz Beatz, has moved to ASCAP.
Known for his work on songs including DMX’s “Ruff Ryders Anthem,” T.I.’s “Bring Em Out,” Lil Wayne’s “Uproar,” Mýa’s “The Best of Me” and more, the megaproducer is also the co-creator of Verzuz, the livestreaming music battle series and cultural phenomenon he started in early 2020 with Timbaland.
John Titta, ASCAP Executive Vice President and Chief Creative Officer, said:
Swizz Beatz’s talent as a songwriter-producer is second to none. The music he has created over the last two decades reached the heights of the hip-hop, R&B and rap charts and continues to endure.
From his classic late-90s records with Ruff Ryders to Verzuz, Swizz Beatz’s talent has made him one of the greatest producers and music creatives around today. We are so happy to welcome him to the ASCAP family.
Swizz said:
I’m excited to be back with the ASCAP family. They have always fought hard for songwriters and in times like these, they are an incredibly important source of support for music creators. I’m looking forward to working with the ASCAP team to give back to the culture and the creative community.
Swizz is actively involved in many charities, with a particular focus on children: he works closely with his wife Alicia Keys’s organization Keep A Child Alive to fight AIDS and poverty in Africa; he adopted the Bronx Charter School for the Arts; is the Global Ambassador for New York City’s HHC (Health and Hospitals Corporation); serves on the board of Children’s Rights, which provides legal services to foster children to protect their rights; and currently sits on the Board of Trustees of the Brooklyn Museum.