Keith Sweat

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Keith Sweat

Background information
Birth name Keith Crier
Born July 22, 1961 (1961-07-22) (age 46)
Origin Harlem, New York, U.S.
Genre(s) Urban
R&B
New Jack Swing
Occupation(s) Singer-songwriter
Record producer
Years active 1985-present
Label(s) Keia (1992–present)
Elektra (1987–2004)
Atco / Rhino (2007–present)
Associated acts LSG
Website http://thesweathotel.com

Keith Sweat (born Keith Crier on July 22, 1961) in Harlem, New York, is an American 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 Peoples, 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. Additional members of the group included Peter DaCosta, vocals, Joseph McGeachy, sax, Dwight Banks, trumpet and Kenneth Varner, keyboards. 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 second 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. It did not sell as well because Keith did not promote the album. The big singles were "(There You Go) Tellin' Me No Again" from New Jack City, "Why Me Baby" (featuring LL Cool J) and the title track. Keith was moving from New York to Atlanta, and he was starting his Keia Records label that would feature Silk & Kut Klose.

[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 a popular song on the album which did not take off and become a top 3 hit like the two aforementioned songs, it has earned a more regular spot on radio playlists. The Billboard chart rule at the time stated that songs without an official single release are ineligible to enter the Hot 100. "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. His sixth album, Still in the Game was released in 1998, hitting #6 on the Billboard 200, and #2 on the R&B/Hip Hop albums chart. It featured the singles "Come and Get With Me" (which featured Snoop Dogg) (#12 Hot 100) and "I'm Not Ready" (#16 Hot 100).

[edit] Rebirth era: 2000

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. To this day, Sweat is still recognized as a great R&B artist who influenced a generation of singers. His songs remain popular in the "Quiet Storm" genre.

[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 "My Body", which became a huge hit single. LSG was certified 2x Platinum and reached number four on the U.S. Billboard 200.

[edit] Today

Atco Records, an imprint of Rhino Entertainment, announces the May 13th release of "JUST ME," the first new studio album from R&B legend Keith Sweat since his 2002 "Rebirth" set. The original "new jack" hitmaker, who celebrated 20 years as a chart artist at the end of 2007, produced and cowrote most of the material on his latest project which features guest artists Keyshia Cole, and Athena Cage (Keith's duet partner on the million-selling 1996 hit "Nobody").

The Harlem-born singer/songwriter and producer says he called his new album "JUST ME" "because I'm giving the people what they expect from me. You hear other artists out here who make the mistake of trying to be trendy. They really try to keep up. I know people want to hear Keith Sweat. I'm conscious of the people who have followed me the whole time, since day one. I remember that I have a fan base and I'm very careful to give the people what they expect from me."

The first single from the set is the sexy jam "Suga Suga Suga," featuring Paisley Bettis. Standout cuts include the hypnotic "Somebody," which showcases Sweat singing falsetto for the first time; the future classic "Love U Better," a truly memorable duet between Keith and hitmaker Keyshia Cole; and "Just Wanna Sex You," a hit-the-spot cut that Keith says is on the album "to remind people of what I've done and what I'm about musically."

Sweat, who first broke through as a leader in the "new jack" of the late '80s with the #1 single "I Want Her," reunites with producer Teddy Riley, with whom he worked on his multiplatinum debut album, for the track "The Floor"; former Kut Klose vocalist Athena Cage joins Sweat for a new duet, "Butterscotch." Producers for the album also include The Ambassadorz, Roy Battle, and Alfonso "Dodoc" Walker; Sweat executive-produced the CD, his first Atco release.

Since 1988, the multi-faceted artist has sold over 15 million albums worldwide, racking up six #1 R&B hit singles, with close to 30 chart entries, three multiplatinum, three platinum and two gold albums, including Rhino's 2004 "The Best Of Keith Sweat: Make You Sweat." In addition to his solo work, Keith also scored major hits with Johnny Gill and the late Gerald Levert as part of the popular L.S.G. trio in the '90s.

Currently the host of "The Keith Sweat Hotel," a live call-in radio program heard in over 20 major markets nationwide, a number that continues to grow under the auspices of Premiere Radio Networks. The show plays R&B and slow jamz in a format similar to the Quiet Storm. Keith, who tours almost every weekend, regards his longevity as a recording artist as "a blessing that I don't take for granted. It's surprising to me that my career has had such a long life span. When you first start out, you hope people will hear the music and you don't expect to still be around 20 years later. It feels good."

What is the most interesting is Keith has sold almost as many albums as the Temptations, and more than LL.Cool.J, Cher, Bette Midler, Duran Duran and Will Smith these stats are from RIAA http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=2&table=tblTopArt&action=

In a interview on the link below Keith states that he has sold over 25 million world wide. http://www.brightcove.tv/title.jsp?title=1556072425&channel=823396007

[edit] Awards/Nominations

  • American Music Awards
    • 1998, Favorite Male R&B/Soul Artist [Nominated]
    • 1997, Favorite Male R&B/Soul Artist (Winner)
    • 1997, Favorite R&B/Soul Album: Keith Sweat (Nominated)
    • 1991, Favorite R&B/Soul Male Artist (Nominated)

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

Year Album Chart positions RIAA Certification
U.S. U.S. R&B
1987 Make It Last Forever 15 1 3x Platinum (3,000,000+ copies sold)
1990 I'll Give All My Love to You 6 1 2x Platinum (2,000,000+ copies sold)
1991 Keep It Comin' 19 1 Platinum (1,000,000+ copies sold)
1994 Get Up on It 8 1 Platinum (1,000,000+ copies sold)
1996 Keith Sweat 5 9 4x Platinum (4,000,000+ copies sold)
1998 Still in the Game 6 2 Platinum (RIAA certification 1,000,000+ copies sold)
2000 Didn't See Me Coming 16 5 Gold (500,000+ copies sold)
2002 Rebirth 14 7 (300,024+ copies sold)
2003 Keith Sweat Live 86 34 (100,000+ copies sold)
2004 The Best Of Keith Sweat Gold (500,000+ copies sold)
2008 Just Me 10 1 (50,679+ copies sold)

[edit] Miscellaneous Albums

[edit] Production

[edit] Singles

Year Title Album US US R&B
1987 "I Want Her" Gold Make It Last Forever 5 1
1988 "Something Just Ain't Right" 79 3
"Make It Last Forever" (with Jacci McGhee) 59 2
"Don't Stop Your Love" — 9
1990 "Make You Sweat" Gold I'll Give All My Love To You 14 1
"Merry Go Round" — 2
"I'll Give All My Love to You" 7 1
1991 "Your Love - Part 2" 71 4
"Keep It Comin'" Keep It Comin' 17 1
1992 "Why Me Baby" (featuring LL Cool J) 44 2
"I Wanna Love You Down" — 20
1994 "How Do You Like It" (featuring Left Eye) Get Up On It 48 9
"When I Give My Love" 85 21
"Get Up On It" (with Kut Klose) 62 12
1996 "Twisted" (featuring Pretty Russ & Kut Klose) Platinum Keith Sweat 2 1
"Nobody" (featuring Athena Cage) Platinum 3 1
1997 "Just a Touch" — 38^
"Come With Me" (featuring Ronald Isley) 68 27
1998 "Come And Get With Me" (featuring Snoop Dogg) Gold Still In The Game 12 6
1999 "I'm Not Ready" 16 12
2000 "I'll Trade (A Million Bucks)" (featuring Lil' Mo) Didn't See Me Coming — 36
2001 "Real Man" — 73
2002 "One on One" Rebirth — 44
2007 "Love U Better" (featuring Keyshia Cole) Just Me — —
2008 "Suga Suga Suga" (featuring Paisley Bettis) — 36
  • ^ Airplay only

[edit] External links

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