What is the story of Alicia Keys and her husband Swizz Beatz? All you need to know
We know Alicia Keys for her singing talents, but her husband Swizz Beatz is a musical powerhouse in his own right. Learn more about producer Swizz Beatz, their marriage, and how the duo have collaborated.
Long before he became Mr. Keys, Swizz Beatz was producing records for your faves. Born as Kasseem Dean in the Bronx in 1978, Beatz got into the game by way of his uncles, Joaquin, Darrin, and Chivon Dean, who started the hip-hop record label Ruff Ryders Entertainment in 1988. Swizz was an up-and-coming DJ, but he hadn’t been given the chance to test out his producing skills. After begging for one chance from his uncles, his wish was granted and he showed out with the beat for “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem.”
Since then, Beatz has produced hundreds of songs for everybody from Jay Z and T.I. to Nicki Minaj and Whitney Houston. He’s left his mark on the hip-hop genre as a skilled producer who lays down bass-heavy beats that are perfect for dancing and grooving along to.
Even for all his accolades in music making, Beatz’s marriage to famed singer-songwriter Alicia Keys has also earned him a few headlines over the years. The pair share a range of accomplishments, from award-winning albums and art collections to a nearly 15-year marriage and beautiful Black blended family.
Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz’s love story
Keys and Beatz’s love story began in the concrete jungle, just outside a high school in the Bronx. Keys was 14 and Beatz was 16 at the time, and he offered Keys his number after chatting her up. But Keys said “Nah, I’m good” and bounced. Years later, the two reconnected as their stars rose, bumping into each other at shows and events. They collaborated on a music project in 2008 and Keys agreed to let him shoot his shot again.
According to Keys, her man won her over on their first date when he showed up late because he was busy tying a gift he bought her to the top of her car. Their love grew from there, and the couple announced their engagement and Keys’s pregnancy in May of 2010. Swizz Beatz became Alicia Keys’s husband in July of 2010 and now have two sons together, Egypt (born 2010) and Genesis (born 2014).
Beatz brought three children into his relationship with Alicia. Sons Prince (born 2000) and Kaseem Dean Jr. (born 2006) from his first wife, R&B singer Mashonda and daughter Nicole (born 2008) from his relationship with singer Jahna Sebastian. Beatz’s ex-wife initially had a rocky relationship with Keys, but the two have since smoothed it over and created a successful co-parenting dynamic that Mashonda praised in her book, “Blend: The Secret to Co-parenting and Creating a Balanced Family.”
Family life and parenting for Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz
Family is everything in the Beatz-Keys household. Keys has spoken highly of her blended family and her relationship with Tifrere. “The understanding, compassion and support we’ve found is a powerful testament to the healing that comes when we choose love. Especially for the kids… the most important part of our lives,” Keys said in a Facebook post promoting her song “Blended Family.”
During Keys’s time as a judge on The Voice, she talked about how challenging it was to balance motherhood with a demanding schedule. However, she was happy her kids got to see her chasing her dreams and hustling for what she wanted.
Alicia Keys’s husband has spoken of fatherhood and how important it is for him to commit to healthy living for himself and his kids.
Both Beatz and Keys enjoy working on their craft, which doesn’t always mean music for Keys. Beatz likes to hit the studio, and Keys likes to hit the slopes. The “Fallin’” singer figured out that she really loves skiing as a way to escape, as long as she’s bundled up from the cold. She’s taken to social media to talk about how it’s forced her to overcome her fears and find power in living life on the edge.
How Alicia Keys’s husband supports her music
In addition to being a supportive husband to his wife’s career, Swizz Beatz has taken it a step further and been on Keys’s payroll. He’s credited on a few of her music tracks, including “Put it in a Love Song,” “Wait Til You See My Smile,” and “New Day.”
In April of this year, Beatz was smiling on the blue carpet next to his wife and their youngest two kids to celebrate the opening night of “Hell’s Kitchen,” a Broadway jukebox musical based on Keys’s early life growing up in NYC.
“Hell’s Kitchen” has been a major success on stage, earning 13 Tony nominations and two wins at the 2024 ceremony. The show took home the prizes for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role and Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role. The show was largely inspired by Keys’s mother, who moved to New York from Ohio. “She did that, and she raised me in this city. This story is inspired by the experiences of growing up in New York City,” Keys said.
Swizz Beatz’s artistic interests extend beyond music and into the art world. Beatz is a renowned art collector, centering both well-known and undiscovered Black artists. Beatz and Keys recently had an exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum called “Giants,” which showcased much of their expansive array of artwork. The Dean Collection, as they call it, features works by Kehinde Simpson, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Meleko Mokgosi.
Navigating life together: Quarantine and beyond
Alicia Keys and her husband used the pandemic as a chance to flex their creative muscles. They wrote a song called “Good Job” as a tribute to frontline and essential workers who were serving and saving the rest of us during COVID-19. According to Keys, she wanted to spotlight all of the hard-working people who might never receive the recognition and respect they deserve. The comments on Keys’s Facebook post about the song are packed with these workers appreciating the love.
The pandemic brought its challenges for Keys and Beatz, but they’re still going after nearly 15 years of marriage. Keys has mentioned before great communication has kept them together – and laughing.
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