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Even when Swizz Beatz isn’t making hit records, the producer finds ways to keep himself busy. 

Some of Swizz’s most valuable contributions is his work in philanthropy. This morning, Swizz was at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum for the Music-versity: Power of One session.

VIDEO: Swizz Beatz Travels Through Time To Revisit Reebok’s Classics 

At the session, Swizz answered a number of questions about his career. People in the audience also got to see performances from young, musically talented grade school children from the Bronx.  

The main purpose of the event was to express the importance of the arts for children who attend school in the inner city.

It was a pretty cool thing to witness. After the event was finished, GlobalGrind caught up with the hit-making producer where we talked about a number of topics, ranging from his children and music, to gun-control to Cassidy’s Meek Mill diss.

VIDEO: Swizz Beatz Feat. Chris Brown & Ludacris “Everyday Birthday” 

Check out the interview below. 

GlobalGrind: What kind of relationship do your kids have with music?

Swizz Beatz: Oh, man, my kids, they’re music fanatics. But it’s not like I’m in there forcing music down their throats. Naturally, when they hear something they moving, I see it just flowing. Just because me and my wife into music that don’t mean we have to force everybody to be into music, as long as they are doing positive things. But naturally I see it coming around.

Is it just music?

Oh, it’s everything. It’s music, it’s art — sports. You got to let kids have the freedom to do whatever they like. I just let it flow and see where it goes.

Talk about how the Bronx influenced you.

The Bronx is my backbone. It’s my reality check. It’s the place I look back to when I really want to be grateful. Maybe I might have a moment when I’m up there in the clouds, sometimes, and I just think back to apartment 2E, building 700, and just be like “wow.”

Are you disappointed that there isn’t really a Bronx representative in hip-hop right now?

I’m a Bronx representative (laughs).

Like a new up and coming guy.

There are, I just think that they are probably not discovered yet. There’s a lot of leaders everywhere and a lot of leaders are silent. A lot of people that got acknowledged aren’t even on display. I’m like ‘man, why people don’t know about them.’ It takes a lot to get on the front stage.

There’s a huge gun-control debate going on right now. Where do you stand?  

I just feel like, kids shouldn’t be around it. No matter how you put it. It should only be for protection in necessary situations with the right license or the right authority around. I don’t condone it, even though I come from it. I don’t condone it, because at the end of the day there’s enough lives being lost.

You see all the gun violence in Chicago. You also see someone like Chief Keef become part of the conversation…

I think it’s bigger than him. Chief Keef is just a name people can relate to because he’s in the entertainment business. But, I think the real reason is the youth, period, with nowhere to go, no plans, and they’re just resorting to living however they want to live. You go to a different country and they don’t have no support, no food, it’s the same thing. It’s just that we’re knowing about it more because there’s a celebrity name involved, but I wouldn’t even put that on him. This has been going on for years. They shut down the whole Cabrini–Green a long time ago. This been happening. But the key thing is how is it going to stop happening? Is it arts? Is it music? That’s the thing to figure out.

On a hip-hop note, what do you think about Cassidy’s “R.A.I.D.” diss to Meek Mill?

That’s how he felt. His passion is rapping and battling and I think he said everything that he meant.

Was your response like “oh my God?”

I’m used to it. I been around battling all my life. It’s a creative sport.

You think Meek’s gonna come back at him?

I doubt it. I don’t think he’s gonna respond.