Swizz Beatz

Aside from garnering countless accolades for his extensive repertoire in music and fashion, Swizz Beatz, né Kasseem Dean, has always had a deep appreciation for art. Such is understandably so, being that Swizz is a native of the Bronx, NY, where the marriage between hip hop and art is undoubtedly visible on the streets. Those streets were where Swizz was introduced to the world of grafitti and from there, his love for artistic expression began. However, it wasn’t until 2002 that Swizz began collecting, when he commissioned illustrator Peter Max to paint two portraits of highly-honored music executive Clive Davis to present to him at the Grammy Awards as a token of his appreciation. From that point, Swizz became enamored and completely consumed with the culture of art—from learning the history of legendary artists to meeting with dealers and visiting galleries and shows around the world. His reputable collection boasts classic works from the likes of Haring, Warhol, Basquiat and Dali, among many others, including his favorite artist, former professional football player Ernie Barnes. He also now spends his leisure time painting in his Brooklyn studio and exploring the visual realms of his artistry in solitude.