*By Chloe Aiello*
Even for Kasseem Dean ー a.k.a accomplished producer, rapper, and art enthusiast "Swizz Beatz" ー the hustle never stops.
And after more than two decades in the music industry, Dean's best advice for young creatives is to never forget the "business" part of the art industry.
"Understand the business that you're in. We devote so much time to the creative that we miss out on the business. So it's the music business, fashion business, art business ー and a lot of creatives miss the business part and they waste their time," Dean told Cheddar on Thursday.
The music mogul released "Poison" earlier this month. The studio album, his second, is his first release since since 2007, and features collaborations with Nas, Lil Wayne, and Kendrick Lamar, among other industry heavyweights.
Dean may be thriving, but he experienced struggles during his early days in the business ー and he more than understands how unforgiving it can be, especially in the age of streaming platforms like Spotify ($SPOT), [which famously pays artists very little to stream their music.](https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2018/01/16/streaming-music-services-pay-2018/).
"There is no perfect way" to achieve success in the music industry, Dean said, whether an artist is signed to a major label and on Spotify, or independent and on YouTube. It's about the business plan ー and monetizing everything from merchandise to touring.
"That's why I left the music industry for so long, to diversify my portfolio and get into designing cars, watches, fashion ー just different things so I don't have that much pressure on me when I'm doing music. It's a thing that's fun," he added.
Beyond the music industry, Dean has a passion for the arts.
Along with Keys, he founded The Dean Collection, an organization that aims to support aspiring artists and democratize art, often through grants and "No Commission" art fairs, which return all proceeds to the artists. [The Dean Collection's next event](https://dean-collection.com/#mainRoom) is scheduled for Dec. 6 and 7 during Miami Art Week.
Due to hospitalization after a go-karting accident, this Missouri teen thought he would miss his high school graduation. Then his school decided to bring the ceremony to him.
Friend breakups aren’t new, but people are starting to talk about them more. Experts say they can be even more painful than romantic breakups, and now there are more resources to help those affected. Cheddar News reporter Ashley Mastronardi reports on efforts to shed more light on this all-too-common issue.
In this edition of Shannon's Summer Staycation, Cheddar's Own Shannon LaNier recreates the glamping experience in his own backyard.
Aileen Del Cid, head of marketing at Samsung TV Plus, sat down with Cheddar News reporter Michelle Castillo to discuss the platform's plans to stand out from the streaming competition with a new channel featuring Conan O'Brien.
Valeria Caceres-Gil, senior manager of admissions and matchmaking at the ASPCA Adoption Center, gives some tips on how to prepare your pet for a road trip.
Jordan Schlansky, associate producer of 'Conan,' sat down and spoke with Cheddar News about Conan O'Brien's launch on Samsung TV Plus, touched on his favorite interviews with Conan and also teased the upcoming Max series, 'Conan Must Go.'
Did you know that Actor Tom Hanks is an avid collector of antique typewriters? He's not alone! Take a look at how Hanks and one New Jersey man formed an unlikely bond over a nearly 100-year-old antique typewriter.
A new, furry, and four-legged member has just joined the Suffolk County Police Department on Long Island. Meet "Luna." Luna is a therapy dog in training with the department and was named in honor of Fallen FDNY Firefighter William "Billy" Moon who lost his life last year. "Luna" means "moon" in Latin. We caught up with that hero's family to chat about what Luna means to them.
This Memorial Day weekend, settle down with plenty of good ol' American reality TV drama, a new season of an old 'What to Stream' favorite, and a quick, deep look at how much we mess up other people's names.
From Queen Bey's tribute to the Queen of Rock 'n' Roll to the banning of a historic poem, here are your top entertainment headlines.
