Keith Sweat, a monster hitmaker in the late 1980s into the ’90s, released five straight number-one albums and selling over 25 million records during his heyday. The crooner is practically the poster boy for new jack swing, the hip-hop-inflected brand of R&B popularized by Sweat and groups like Guy and Wreckx-n-Effect under the guidance of the genre’s key creator, producer Teddy Riley.
Sweat is known for his showmanship and his well-crafted hits that include “I Want Her,” “Make It Last Forever” and “There You Go Telling Me No Again.” In 1997, Sweat joined the late Gerald Levert and Johnny Gill in the supergroup LSG which had its own hit, “My Body” and self-titled platinum CD. He also hosts “The Sweat Hotel” radio show and “Keith Sweat’s Platinum House” on Centric. Not only has he been a success in the music industry, but he’s sustained it in a way few other artists can match.
Here’s more on Keith Sweat, today’s In Studio Jam artist.
BORN: Keith Crier in Harlem, New York.
BIG BREAK: Meeting Vincent Davis, who had a minor hip-hop hit on his Vintertainment label with Joe-Ski Love’s “Pee-Wee’s Dance.” Davis saw the potential in the young artist and signed him to his label. The two never released an album on the label, but because it was distributed by Elektra, Sweat landed there.
BACK STORY: He got his start in a group called Jamilah in his native Harlem, way back in 1975. He left nine years later to become a solo artist.
EDUCATION: Clubs and stages in the New York tri-state area, where he performed for many years before his solo career and his subesequent big break.
RESUME: Sweat has made his mark behind the scenes as well, discovering the groups Silk (“Freak Me” and “Lose Control”) as well as Ol’ Skool, who recorded the hit song “Am I Dreaming” with Xscape.
FUN FACTS: As the fans of “Real Housewives of Atlanta” know, Sweat was once married to Lisa Wu Hartwell, with whom he has two sons, Jordan and Justin. He famously refused to allow their sons to be a part of the show. Also, Sweat’s new CD was originally called “Open Invitation,” but was changed before release, possibly not to compete with Tyrese’s new LP of the same name.
LATEST WORK: “’Til the Morning,” in stores and at download sites now.
ON FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/Keith-Sweat
ON TWITTER: http://www.twitter.com/ogkeithsweat
OFFICIAL WEBSITE: http://www.thesweathotel.com
BEST OF KEITH SWEAT (Video):
“I’ll Give All My Love to You”
QUOTABLE QUOTES:
“I don’t think no album can compare to my first album – no album! And I’m not being egotistical, but I don’t know of anybody who can touch that first album (Laughs). That’s just like the go-down-in-history type of album; I can’t even top that first album. So, no matter how many albums I do, it will never be topped! But I can come close and have songs that sound similar. I can try to top it. But realistically, will I top it? Nah, because I was in a certain frame of mind and place. I was just so musically thirsty that I wanted to put something great out, and that was something that I came out with. I wasn’t thinking about, ‘I got to top the next album or the one before’ because I didn’t have anything out before …..
