In an epic troubleshooting story, Clipse’s manager, Steven Victor, recently reflected on the behind-the-scenes heroics of legendary beat maker Swizz Beatz on the eve of the duo’s highly anticipated album release, Let God Sort Em Out. The album, their first in more than 15 years, was greeted with anticipation, yet a major snafu nearly derailed one of its most anticipated tracks, “So Be It.”
Though most of the album’s release went off without a hitch, Clipse hit a snag with clearing a sample used for “So Be It,” which included Talal Madah’s “Maza Akoulou.” That sample clearance issue resulted in the track missing from streaming services upon release, with a replacement track, “So Be It Pt. II,” taking its place. The omission was a head-scratching detail for fans, who were eager to listen to the original.
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Speaking with Audiomack co-founder Brian Zisook, Victor detailed how the situation was almost a setback for Clipse. Even with their best attempts, it looked like clearing the song was gonna be too hard for the team until Swizz got involved. He contacted Victor and inquired about why they had not discussed the matter earlier. Victor said he had already passed the track to Swizz, but had no idea the producer was privy to the song’s significance.
Swizz’s response was quick and to the point: “Let me handle it. I’ll connect with the right people in person and get it resolved.” As promised, Swizz Beatz went to work, hopping on a plane to Saudi Arabia to talk with the appropriate folks in the flesh. He succeeded, and “So Be It” was cleared and restored to the album. This behind-the-scenes anecdote sheds light not only on Swizz Beatz’s industry clout but also reveals his commitment to artist advocacy and a certain degree of auteur theory. They were definitely left wanting, but not for long, thanks to his intervention: Big fans were given the full version of “So Be it,” and now Let God Sort Em Out is complete, as nature intended.
