Swizz Beatz Never Understood Music Was a Business

(Radio.com) Swizz Beatz has been producing hip-hop artists since he was only 16; his first major hit came when he worked on N.O.R.E.'s hit 'Banned From T.V." So, Swizz coming on to N.O.R.E.'s Drink Champs podcast was a long time coming. During their long-ranging discussion (which resulted in the podcast being divided into two parts), Swizz looked back on his early days as a somewhat naive artist.

"When I got into music, I never understood it was a business," Swizz told N.O.R.E. and co-host DJ EFN. 'I never understood that it made billions. I never understood that it saved so many people from the street life that we was living. It was just something that I just lived and seen every day growing up in the South Bronx and then migrating back and forth to Harlem. It was something that we would play in our MPVs, Land Cruisers, Nautica Vans, it was just a way of life, naturally."

Swizz, of course, was part of the Ruff Ryders, and he worked with fellow Ryder DMX on the legendary hit 'Ruff Ryders' Anthem" in 1998, as well as records for Eve, Jay Z and Busta Rhymes, among others.

'Most of my records, when they come out, they're not who they were [created] for," said the producer. '[T.I.'s] 'Bring 'Em Out' was made for when Beanie Sigel got out of jail, [Busta Rhymes'] 'Touch It' was for Eve. DMX didn't like 'Stop, Drop' [Ruff Ryders' Anthem]. None of my records really went to the people that I thought they were supposed to." Read more here.

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