When rap and R&B merged in bold new ways in the mid-'00s, Sean “The Pen” Garrett was one of the songwriters who shaped its fusion, helping Beyoncé find the melody in hard Swizz Beatz tracks or assisting Usher in singing over a crunk Lil Jon beat for the chart-topping smash “Yeah!” Garrett's lyrics may mimic the cadences of rappers, but they always keep an emphasis on the tune.
