Kasseem Dean (born September 13, 1978), known professionally as Swizz Beatz, is an American musician, record producer, DJ, rapper, art collector, and entrepreneur from New York City. Born and raised in The Bronx, Dean embarked on his musical career as a disc jockey (DJ). At the age of 18, he gained recognition in the hip hop industry through his family's record label, Ruff Ryders Entertainment, as well as his friendship and work with East Coast rapper and Ruff Ryders signee DMX. Dean later found a protégé in Philadelphia-based rapper Cassidy, whose success helped the launch of his own label imprint, Full Surface Records, in 1999. He went on to sign multiple artists to the label, including Eve, Mashonda, and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. Dean went on to release two albums under the label; the first was a compilation, titled Swizz Beatz Presents G.H.E.T.T.O. Stories, released in 2002, and later his debut studio album, One Man Band Man in 2007. In November 2018, Dean released his second album, Poison. Alongside fellow musician Timbaland, Dean is known for creating the popular webcast series Verzuz in 2020.