After writing and producing hits for a who’s who of hip-hop and R&B artists, including his wife, Alicia Keys, Beyoncé and Jay-Z, Swizz Beatz says he loved working as executive music producer of Queens, a new ABC TV series about four women in their 40s attempting to live their careers as ’90s music stars.
The show stars Brandy, Eve, Naturi Naughton and actress Nadine Velazquez. Swizz, who wrote and produced Eve’s 1999 top-10 single “Gotta Man,” says he loved reuniting with her on the project.
“Eve is my sister,” the Grammy winner tells Billboard. “So the idea of being able to sonically revisit the ’90s where we started and create a strong sound was a win-win.”
Swizz Beatz began working on the music for the show six months ago with six writers, focusing on music with a ’90s theme.
“You definitely have to catch your flow and move like clockwork,” says Swizz of working on the project.
The 42-year-old rapper/writer/producer created the Verzuz battles with Timbaland, and he says their success shows how the wide appeal of music from the ’90s is.
“A lot of people like to put an age limit on our culture’s music; if you’re 30, you’re old and it’s over,” Swizz says. “This is while many non-African American acts are still making albums and doing tours. Verzuz has shown that it’s not about age. That great, timeless music is about what you bring as a creative — and the access you have to get out in front of people’s faces.”
Queens will premiere Tuesday, October 19, at 10 p.m. ET on ABC.
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