Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz Have a Secret For Keeping the Peace: ‘We Don’t Fight’
Celebrity power couples is nothing new in the music business, but only a few of them rise to the level of Alicia Keys and Swiss Beatz. For many people, first families of the music industry invokes thoughts of Beyoncé and Jay-Z and (until recently) Kim and Kanye, but Beatz and Keys sometimes fly under the radar. The two shouldn’t be overlooked, however.
Both powerhouses in their own right on the music scene, they were an unlikely couple whose marriage proves an exception to the seemingly common family life disarray of Hollywood celebrities. Fans want to know the secret the two have that has led to such success and a phenomenal marriage.
Alicia Keys and Swizz Beats are big names in music
Before the two ever started a romance together, Keys and Beatz were both massively successful in R&B and Hip Hop. Alicia Keys (born Alicia Augello-Cook) was a child prodigy, and according to Biography had attracted several interested record companies in high school, before signing to a label in 1998. Her debut album, Songs in A Minor went quintuple platinum. Since then, her career has been mostly nonstop success. Over her two decades in the music business, she has won a staggering 15 of 29 her Grammy nominations.
Swizz Beatz (born Kasseem Dean) may not be as much of a household name as Keys, but chances are anyone whose known anything about music for the past two decades has enjoyed some of his work. Beatz is an incredibly successful producer, having risen to prominence partly from recurring collaboration with DMX in the early 2000s on tracks like Party Up (Up in Here) and Ruff Ryders’ Anthem according to Harper’s Bazaar.
His journey in the music industry was, like Keys’, one success to another over the years. Beatz has worked with artists like Beyoncé, Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg, and Drake. Everyone in the industry knows him, even if fans don’t. In fact, his industry successes and connections are why he and Keys almost missed each other entirely.
When did Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz get married?
Keys and Beatz married in 2010 and have two children together. Though they were both established superstars at this point, they’d crossed paths before. Growing up in New York, a mutual friend had introduced them when Beatz was 14 and Keys was 16. Keys later admitted in her book More Myself according to People Magazine that she wasn’t interested, and the two went their separate ways.
Fate would bring them back together as they’d find themselves working in music. “We ended up in the same circles at various awards shows and industry events,” she wrote in the memoir. “He’d usually pull up in some fancy car, rolling deep with his Bronx crew and shining with diamonds. I wanted nothing to do with that scene or with Swizz.”
Years later, work brought them together on a project, and Keys began to see she may have misjudged Beatz. “The more we talked, the more I noticed how his mind worked. Beyond the baggy jeans and arm tats there was depth,” she reflected years later in her book. “He was so aware of what was happening around the world.”
After Keys finally agreed to a date, the two entered a fairy tale romance full of romantic gestures. The two welcomed their first son, Egypt the same year they married in 2010.
The secret to their success
The two have a great marriage, and Keys says it’s the result of a commitment to total honesty and setting aside time for each other. “We also set aside one weekend a month to go away together, just the two of us.” Keys wrote. While that may be more difficult for fans who aren’t millionaire celebrities, Keys says the real secret is something much easier.
“We don’t fight because we talk so much,” She told People. She credits readily open communication between the two, even when they disagree, as the secret to a successful marriage. “We can both be genuinely honest. It’s the first time I’ve ever had a relationship that has been so genuine.”
According to PsychCentral, “a good marriage thrives on the open exchange of emotion, desires, and beliefs.” Most people would tend to agree, healthy communication keeps relationships strong and steady. While fans may not be able to vacation once a month, this may be one tip that everyone should take from Keys and Beatz.
