Harlem Romance: The Love Collection

Right and a Wrong Way

Keith Sweat is the undisputed King of New Jack Swing, the hugely popular and influential merging of melodic R&B with hip-hop’s rhythms and production techniques. Signed to Elektra in 1987, the Harlem-born singer/songwriter/producer released his debut album, Make It Last Forever, to instant acclaim and RIAA three-times platinum certification. Highlighted by the #1 R&B/Hip-Hop hit, “I Want Her,” the album reached #1 on Billboard’s “Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums” chart – the first of five consecutive albums to do so.

A remarkably prolific artist, Sweat was unstoppable as the ‘90s got underway, dominating the “Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles” chart with such #1 singles as “Make You Sweat,” “I’ll Give All My Love To You,” and “Keep It Comin’.” As if all that weren’t enough, Sweat discovered the Atlanta-based vocal quintet Silk, for whom he co-wrote and co-produced “Freak Me,” which hit #1 on Billboard’s “Hot 100” in May 1993.

1996 proved a banner year, with the release of Sweat’s self-titled, four-times platinum-certified fifth album. Keith Sweat saw the vocalist joined by a number of guests, including soul legend Ron Isley and his great friend Gerald Levert, with whom he’d later form the supergroup LSG alongside Johnny Gill. What’s more, the album featured Sweat’s biggest crossover hits to date in the platinum-certified, R&B/Hip-Hop #1s, “Nobody (Feat. Athena Cage)” and “Twisted (Feat. Pretty Russ & Kut Klose).”

With a seemingly inexhaustible flow of fresh songs, Sweat remains among the most popular and productive superstars in modern R&B, his unique style and smooth sound still setting the gold standard for urban contemporary soul.