Swizz Beatz

Hip-hop producer Swizz Beatz has made his name on the strength of the super-charged, sample-free tracks that he's composed for the likes of DMX, Jay-Z, Eve, Beyoncé and Gwen Stefani, so it seems strange that "Take a Picture," the finest track on his debut as a solo artist, is a relatively languid cut based on a prominent sample of Bill Withers' 1979 hit "Lovely Day." Despite self-consciously veering from his established formula, the song is still instantly recognizable as a Swizz Beatz production, mainly because of the way he fills out the arrangement's abundant negative space with ecstatic shouts and hollers that pump up the energy level without derailing the mellow, syrupy groove of the sample.

Though other cuts on One Man Band aim for a similar harmonic and rhythmic tension, most settle into mediocre hooks that sound like leftovers from sessions with his superstar clientele. As an MC, Beatz reveals himself to be competent but uninspiring. Not surprisingly, when stars such as Lil Wayne, R. Kelly and Jadakiss turn up near the end of the record for a reprise of the early highlight "It's Me...," Beatz's track shines, but his original rhymes are eclipsed by his guests' charisma on the mic.

—Matthew Perpetua
08.23.07

Shortly after fellow rap producers Pharrell and Timbaland released solo albums of their own, Swizz Beatz served up One Man Band Man, and like those of his peers, it fails to fulfill its potential, held back by repetitive, inane raps and relentless, self-indulgent boasting. Prior to this misstep, Swizz had been on a hot streak. Most notably, he produced three of the best songs on Beyoncé's 2006 chart-topper B'day ("Get Me Bodied," "Upgrade U," "Ring the Alarm") as well as her number one soundtrack hit "Check on It" (from The Pink Panther). He'd also recently produced tracks for Jay-Z, T.I., the Game, Ice Cube, Busta Rhymes, Gwen Stefani, R. Kelly, Eve, and UGK. Given such contacts, it's puzzling why Swizz didn't ask at least a few of these superstars to return the favor and contribute to his album. That's what Pharrell and Timbaland did on their respective solo albums, In My Mind (2006) and Shock Value (2007), and that's indeed what Swizz did on his previous album, G.H.E.T.T.O. Stories (2002). As expected, the productions are lively, no question about that (Eve's contemporaneous single, "Tambourine," is a good point of comparison). When the album's rare guest raps (Drag On on "Bust Ya Gunz"; Lil Wayne [whose gonzo verse is the album highlight], R. Kelly, and Jadakiss on "It's Me Bitches [Remix]") do turn up, they're a relief. Had Swizz included more guest features like these, and consequently put himself on the sidelines more frequently, One Man Band Man would be a much more enjoyable listening experience. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide