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Celebrating Saudi Creativity: Swizz Beatz on His Deep Connection to the Kingdom

Grammy-winning producer and rapper Swizz Beatz opens up about his long-standing love for Saudi creativity, from early collaborations to the thriving music and art scene today.

“It’s so amazing and has so much heritage.” Speaking with the same passion you would find in locals of Jeddah and Riyadh arguing over which city they think is cooler, Swizz Beatz’s advocacy for Saudi creativity runs deep and started way before the kingdom decided to leverage celebrity influence as part of its global tourism campaign. “It’s amazing to see where everything is going, from when I started coming to Saudi, to what I see today,” explains Swizz Beatz, who has been visiting the country since 2006 and supporting its talents even before that, such as in early 2000, when he crossed paths with a young kid from Jeddah who had big dreams of rapping about his homeland internationally. Having worked with legends such as DMX, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Drake, Mary J. Blige and his wife, Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Alicia Keys, Swizz Beatz has always had an eye for creative talent.

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