Swizz Beatz is gearing up for the release of his second solo album, Poison, which features some major guest spots from Pusha T, Nas, Lil Wayne, Jim Jones, Young Thug, 2 Chainz, The Lox, Kendrick Lamar, Giggs and more.
On top of that, Swizz is sitting on five more albums — including one from Nas.
The super-producer recently sat down with Pitchfork to discuss Poison and what went into making the project. “You can hear the passion from everyone on the record; they wanted to be a part of it,” he said. “It wasn’t a transaction. When you hear other features on a lot of projects, it feels like a transaction. You’re either chasing hype or it’s a transaction.”
The project initially also included features from Kanye West, Bono from U2 and Bruno Mars, but Swizz decided to leave them off. “I took all the hits off my record, meaning anything that felt too big that the rest of the record wouldn’t live. It’s just not that record. It might be on my next record, but this particular record I wanted to occupy the ground floor, which I came from, polish that, and then let people come with me to the middle of the building or the penthouse or the roof, and then just start everything over again.”
Swizz is reportedly putting 10 tracks on Poison (out of the 70 he wrote) and has four more projects prepped: an R&B album, an “acoustics” album, a “global” album and an “energy” album.
“I’m not trying to put this out and then go on a hiatus,” he explained. “I’m trying to put this out and then before you know it, you’re seeing the intro to something else. I want this to be a continuation of bodies of work, so people are getting used to me being back in this ring and being unpredictable and ultra competitive.”
Along with those, Swizz also mentioned completing a project with Nas a while back.
“I did his album two years ago in one week in L.A.,” he said. “In the studio every day at 12 o’clock, just bang bang bang. Recorded the whole thing, got it all on film. It was an ill process.”
Swizz recently released “It’s Okayyy” off his upcoming album. Take a listen below.
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Ehhhh I’ll pass
Swizz is dope, but I dont wanna hear a whole Nas album produced by him. Actually, I dont wanna hear Nas over Swizz at all. The worst song on Life Is Good was a Swizz beat, definitely had NO place on that album, throws off the whole flow. Nas should stick to No ID, Salaam Remi, shit collab with Premier, Pete Rock, Large Pro again.
Did you want to hear Nas over all Kanye production?
Ehh, not exactly- although Kanye did give him some good beats, Nas coulda done a better job with his rhymes on Nasir.. I prefer the production lineup on Life is Good (sans the Swizz track).
2nd reply cause DX deleted my comment (what a surprise!)… Not exactly- although Kanye did give him some good beats, Nas didnt really do em justice. I think this was more a Kanye album (heavily) featuring Nas, with Kanye’s direction, song choice, etc… Nasir is a decent listen, but I much prefer the production lineup on Life is Good
I agree. I like swizz’s shitbut his music is more simplistic club/monosyllable thug shit. A great look for DMX, Ja Rule. Mas has too much to say. Sounds like hate but it isn’t. I really like Swizz, he has his own lane for sure. He’s no kanye or Dre though, IMO. I also agree with the producers you say he should fuck with. Diamond D, Showbiz and Harry Fraud would be on my list. Fuck it, corny ass Achemist would probably hit him with some heat…
Nas needs wavy production not no filler “the dynasty” type of janky beats … Good mc’s and poor production never seems to fail smh
now this was project i will be waiting for because it will definilty have the boom bap ny feel for was , like that joint he previewed in battle with just blaze that joint with him jada dmx jay was nuts
His beats always had a party vibe but him rapping nah sun I’m good… It’s no from me fam
It amazes that this guy has been able to fake his way through a career with those arpeggio pre-programmed fisherprice my 1st keyboard beats. Then again, you can scrape your fingernails across a chalk board and if enough people “co-sign” it, it’ll be a hit. He’s the worst successful producer in the history of music. Don’t tell me about the beats he did for The Lox and Jay-Z, because they made those terrible beats into decent songs despite his horrible production, not because of it. Any of those songs would’ve been better over any other beat.
Big facts
Tell them facts bro….Swizz been trash….since waaay back.
Y’all are dumb how can disrespect Swizz like this
Kanye done started a trend! #respect
Talib Qweli/Styles P started it last year with there album Seven.
I’m referring to releasing a plethora of projects…. Continuing to put out of a body of work, instead of taking a hiatus. In June, every time we turned around their was a body of work put out produced primarily by Kanye. Not referring to number of tracks on album.
Thank God I was hoping that Travesty of a nas album was not his last
Nas needs to do one with Apollo Brown….Don’t think I’ve ever heard a wack beat from him
Apollo Brown would be a perfect collabo with Nas. That ‘Blasphemy’ album with Ras Kass is a underrated masterpiece.
Been a minute since Swizz came out. I’ll be optimistic until I hear the tracks. The tracks with Nas will be dope because Salute remix with nas from back in the day was lit.
Summer on Smash was shit though
I’ve never thought about Nas on Swizz Beatz, but watch it be way doper than that Kanye shit, which was uneven and disappointing.
Yeah, I know Khaled declared Nas had a whole album finished, then shortly after that Kanye said he wanted to work with Nas, then they did a whole project together, which tells me there was a whole finished album that we aren’t getting to hear. Honestly as much as I love everything Nas did up until the N-Word album, I’m not really that eager to hear him in 2018, especially if he couldn’t even make a great album with Kanye. Life Is Good had its moments but was wack overall, and it took 6 years just to follow it up with mediocre rushed Kanye beats? Nah son, you are a legend but hang it up before you are an old man.
Delete this asshole
Great. Another clown ass mainstream producer not giving the people what they look to him for on their album. Kanye’s album was weak, Nas’ album was decent, and Drake’s album was ok. Now this clown wants to follow in their path. How many plain ass albums need to come out in a year. All of you artists should be working with Alchemist and Havoc. Let’s have them put out seven fucking albums back to back and trash all these punk ass mfers who don’t give the people the sound they look to them for. That’s why I’ve always liked 50. I’ve never heard any of that I wanna really express myself on this album bullshit. He kept that shit to himself. Right where it should be. I got my own life to live and I depend on you for something rather specific. Dumbass took all the “hits” off his album. STFU!
I agree. I was wondering if others feel that way too. I’m not too impressed with anything that came out this year either. I like Cole, Jay Rock, Jedi Mind Tricks and Locksmith new shit but that’s about it. These rap vets are tripping. Nas ain’t did nothing with preemo since the 90s. Wtf go In on?
It’s okaaaay, I’ll skip telling you this is a trash beat cause I’ll be listening to a good one
I Always considered Swizz a very weak producers. His beats sound cheap. Nas hang up the mic you’re destroying your legacy. Old men and hiphop……….
Fuck Swizz and fuck Kanye – Nas promised us an album with Premier producing the whole thing, that’s the shit we need. Where is that LP?!
That’s what i want to hear premo joint collaboration with Nas.nothing against swiss
Bathsalt Song
There’s that killer tune in YouTube where Swizz is battling Just Blaze and at the end he pumps a tune called Bathsalt Song with Jadakiss, Jay-Z and DMX. That sounded like ???? I hope we get to hear the proper version of that at least, but I agree with a lot of the comments.
Cats act like its a good thing that they “finished the whole album in two weeks”. That’s part of the reason all these albums sound wack and sloppy. Take your time and get it right. There’s no way an album can be written, produced, recorded, and mixed down properly in less than 2 months, if its gonna be any good.
Not true at all. Look at Tupac.
I assume you’re talking about the Makaveli album(s). Have you listened to them lately? They’re a mess man. Of course it’s still great, because it’s vintage Pac and the energy of it is legendary. But that stuff could’ve been a hundred times better if they finished it and didn’t just slap it all together in two weeks.
Maybe you can’t do it right in 2 weeks but not everyone is built the same. They have way better resources so what would take you 2 months is much easier and faster to some seasoned veterans with unlimited budgets and resources
Yeah tru word!!! Nas try Apollo brown his beats are still representing the hip-hop we were born with real underground hip-hop 4eva not dos jokes the kids calling hip-hop today???
So Nas is suppose to be in Illmatic mode his whole life, even after commercial success just to make you and 100 other people happy? Apollo is dope but I wouldn’t hold my breath on him doing a whole album with that dude. Unless Apollo takes an acapella of one of his albums and remixes it.
Luv King, like how you broke that down
I dnt know who’s lying to them they doing hip-hop dey jacking the industry up, but me never gonna allow them into my space
remember when Dj Khaled dropped the song Nas Album Done ft Nas…
This the album Nas was talking about