Swizz Beatz flew into action on the day of Clipse’s album release to personally secure a delayed sample clearance for their track “So Be It,” using his deep-rooted connections in Saudi Arabia to get it done face-to-face.
The track, which samples celebrated Saudi singer Talal Madah’s “Maza Akoulou,” had been held up by legal red tape, forcing Clipse to drop only the music video while the official version sat in limbo. The delay meant the original song was missing from streaming platforms at launch, replaced by a backup version titled “So Be It Pt. II.” According to Clipse’s manager Steven Victor, the sample clearance was stuck until Swizz stepped in—literally on his way to Saudi Arabia. Apparently Swizz was scheduled to travel to Saudi Arabia that day, so he used the trip to meet with the necessary parties and push the clearance through. Swizz currently owns a camel racing team called Saudi Bronx, and runs a creative agency called “Good Intentions” which is based in Riyadh.
Shortly after the release, the sample was cleared, and the final version of the track replaced the alternate on streaming platforms. This isn’t the only obstacle Clipse encountered while putting together Let God Sort Em Out either. During an interview with GQ last month, they revealed that their former label Def Jam also had a problem with Kendrick Lamar’s verse. Ultimately, this led to their decision to sign a deal with Roc Nation instead.
