Keith Sweat

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Keith Sweat
Photographed by Michael Lavine
Photographed by Michael Lavine
Background information
Birth name Keith Crier
Born June 22, 1961 (age 45)
Origin USA flagHarlem, New York, USA
Genre(s) Urban, R&B, New Jack Swing
Occupation(s) Singer, Songwriter, Record producer
Years active 1987-present
Label(s) Elektra, Full Surface, SRC
Associated
acts		 LSG
Website Keith Sweat at Atlantic Records

Keith Sweat (born Keith Crier on July 22, 1961 in Harlem, New York), is a popular R&B/soul singer, songwriter, record producer and a major contributor to the New jack swing era. Before becoming a recording artist, Sweat worked for the commodities market in the New York Mercantile Exchange. He sang at nightclubs throughout New York City until he was discovered and offered a recording contract with Elektra Records in 1987.

Contents

[edit] Music career

[edit] Make It Last Forever era: 1985-1993

Sweat started his musical career as a member of a well known Harlem band called "Jamilah" in 1975. With the help of Jamilah, Sweat was able to hone his craft as a lead singer by performing regionally throughout the Tri-State area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. The group was started by Larry Peebles, a talented bass player from 116th Street and Lenox Avenue, Michael Samuels, guitarist out of the Bronx, and drummer Walter Bradley from 125th in Harlem. Jamilah included several members who came in and out of the group. On November 25, 1987, Sweat released his debut album Make It Last Forever, which sold three million copies. The biggest hit from this album was "I Want Her" (#1 R&B/#5 Pop), and the title track from the album was hit #2 on the R&B charts.

Sweat continued to chart fairly well with his sophomore album I'll Give All My Love To You, which hit #6 on the Billboard 200 chart, and Keep It Comin debuted in the Top 20 of the album chart.

[edit] Still in the Game era: 1994-1999

Sweat released his fourth album Get Up On It in the summer of 1994. He followed with Keith Sweat, his self-titled fifth album, in 1996, which hit #5 on the Billboard 200. The single "Twisted" hit #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and "Nobody" hit #3, which made them Sweat's biggest hits to date. The song "Just A Touch", with Kut Klose providing background vocals, was also on the album and, although it didn't take off and become a top 3 hit like the two aforementioned songs, it has earned a more regular spot on radio playlists. "Just A Touch" was a cover of the song "Just a Touch of Love" from a 1979 Slave album titled Just a Touch of Love. That would mean the people who were 30 or younger at the time of the Keith Sweat version may have thought of the song as a new pop tune. But the key demographic for pop music is under the age of 30 and in late 1996, early 1997, most of those people were likely unfamiliar with the original. Having two bona fide hits already on the album it seems like the name recognition would have helped "Just A Touch" do better on the music charts. Keith Sweat obviously liked what he did with the track. "I re-made a great Slave song on this one," he says. ""Just A Touch," which is one I've always wanted to do."[1] he had 5 sisters

[edit] Rebirth era: 2000-Present

Sweat's success on the charts started to diminish in 2000, when he released the album Didn't See Me Coming. None of the singles managed to make it to the Top 40. They were moderate hits on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart. On August 13, 2002, Keith Sweat released his ninth album, Rebirth. Only one single, "One on One," charted on the Billboard Hot 100 peaking at #75 and at #44 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks. His next album due sometime in 2007 has fared better with its first single, "How Deep Is Your Love" being played on Urban radio stations for about a year before the albums' release.

[edit] Protegés

In 1992, Sweat discovered the group Silk, and helped craft their debut album, Lose Control, which hit #7 on the Billboard 200 album chart. The album's single "Freak Me" hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on May 1, 1993.

In 1995, Sweat discovered the Atlanta based female R&B group Kut Klose. Sweat also produced the group's debut album Surrender, which produced the their biggest hit single "I Like", peaking to #8 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart.

Sweat also formed the R&B supergroup LSG with Gerald Levert and Johnny Gill, and released their self-titled debut Levert. Sweat.Gill in 1997. That album featured the hit "My Body", which became a huge hit single.

[edit] Produced For

Keith Sweat has produced song for artists such as
Men At Large - Don't Cry,
Dru Hill - Love's Train,
Dru Hill - Share My World,
Immature - Extra, Extra,
Ol Skool - Am I Dreaming (feat. Xscape),
The Isley Brothers - Slow Is The Way,
The O'Jays ft Keith Sweat - Baby You Know,
Keyshia Cole ft. Keith Sweat - Good Lovin'

[edit] Today

Keith Sweat has been as successful as an entrepreneur as he was as an artist, he owned a successful nightclub in suburban Atlanta and has recently opened Hotel S in Midtown Atlanta, a high end luxury hotel which caters to business travelers. He has recorded and produced on a song by Keyshia Cole for her upcoming album Just Like You

On February 26, 2007, Keith Sweat launched his new R&B/slow jams radio show on 12 stations across America, including WMXD-Detroit, WMIB-Miami, WRBV "V-1017"-Macon and WKUS-Norfolk. Called the Keith Sweat Hotel, Sweat is broadcasting live from his Premiere Radio Networks studio in Atlanta, and will be playing a mélange of cuts from the '70s on through to today.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

[edit] Singles

Year Title Album US US R&B
1987 "I Want Her" Make It Last Forever 5 1
1988 "Something Just Ain't Right" Make It Last Forever 79 3
1988 "Make It Last Forever" (with Jacci McGhee) Make It Last Forever 59 2
1988 "Don't Stop Your Love" Make It Last Forever - 9
1990 "Make You Sweat" I'll Give All My Love To You 14 1
1990 "Merry Go Round" I'll Give All My Love To You - 2
1990 "I'll Give All My Love to You" I'll Give All My Love To You 7 1
1991 "Your Love - Part 2" I'll Give All My Love To You 71 4
1991 "Keep It Comin'" Keep It Comin' 17 1
1992 "Why Me Baby" (featuring LL Cool J) Keep It Comin' 44 2
1992 "I Wanna Love You Down" Keep It Comin' - 20
1994 "How Do You Like It" (featuring Left Eye) Get Up On It 48 9
1994 "When I Give My Love" Get Up On It 85 21
1994 "Get Up On It" (with Kut Klose) Get Up On It 62 12
1996 "Twisted" (featuring Pretty Russ & Kut Klose) Keith Sweat 2 1
1996 "Nobody" (featuring Athena Cage) Keith Sweat 3 1
1997 "Come With Me" (featuring Ronald Isley) Keith Sweat 68 27
1998 "Come And Get With Me" (featuring Snoop Dogg) Still In The Game 12 6
1999 "I'm Not Ready" Still In The Game 16 12
2000 "I'll Trade (A Million Bucks)" Didn't See Me Coming - 36
2001 "Real Man" Didn't See Me Coming - 73
2002 "One on One" Rebirth - 44
2007 "Love You Betta" (featuring Keyshia Cole) TBA - -

[edit] External links

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