Keith Sweat

Keith Sweat was born on July 22nd 1961, in Harlem, New York City, to Juanita Thompson, a hairdresser, and Charles Sweat, a factory worker.

He worked as a night stock boy at Macy’s Department Store, and then a mail room clerk at Paine Webber, a brokerage firm. In just four years he worked his way up to a lucrative brokerage assistant job on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Sweat also worked as a supervisor for the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Sweat started his musical career as a member of a 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 bassist Larry Peoples, guitarist Michael Samuels, and drummer Walter Bradley.

After leaving the group in 1984 to begin a solo career, he sang at nightclubs throughout New York City and landed a chance to record for the independent label, Stadium Records. Sweat recorded only two tunes for Stadium, “Lucky Seven”, and “My Mind Is Made Up”, which was their third and fourth ever release, but on Stadium’s first release, he is credited as co-writer and co-producer of “You Are the One for Me”, the last recording ever made by the group GQ. One of GQ’s original members is his uncle, Keith “Sabu” Crier.

Later in 1987, Keith Sweat was discovered by Vincent Davis and offered a recording contract with his label, Vintertainment Records. Vintertainment was distributed by Elektra Records from 1985 until it ceased operations in 1990. In 1987, Sweat released his debut solo studio album Make It Last Forever, which sold three million copies. The biggest hit from this album was the song that inaugurated the new jack swing era “I Want Her”. Three more top 5 hits followed, “Something Just Ain’t Right”, “Make It Last Forever” and “Don’t Stop The Love.