Swizz Beatz Gives Back to the Bronx

As if collaborating on a shoe with Christian Louboutin, working on an album, and being producer in residence at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts weren’t enough, renaissance man Swizz Beatz finds time to give back to his old neighborhood.

He recently made a pit stop to throw his support behind Pepsi Cola’s Bronx Flavor campaign joined by the Bronx Charter School for the Arts.

“A lot of people are doing charity work in Africa and that’s good, but there’s a lot of stuff going on in our own backyard,” Swizz told Essence.com at the launch of the ‘Bronx Flavor,’ a Pepsi wellness campaign.

“As a father I realize how important it is to stay healthy and take care of our youth. You can either go the street route or the creative route. I went the creative route, and it saved my life.”

The South Bronx native teamed up with The Bronx Charter School, Pepsi-Cola, graffiti artist Cope 2 and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. on July 14 to kick off “Bronx Flavor,” a campaign that will provide local youth with weekend activities that promote an active lifestyle.