Keith Sweat was born in Harlem, New York City, to Juanita Thompson, a hairdresser, and Charles Sweat, a factory worker. After Charles Sweat's passing in 1973, Juanita raised their five kids by herself. 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.[2] Sweat also worked as a supervisor for the New York Mercantile Exchange.[1]
Sweat started his musical career as a member of a Harlem band called Jamilah in 1975.[3] 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.[citation needed]
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, which was founded in 1983 on the foundations of early Hip-Hop and otherwise best known for releasing Joeski Love's "Pee Wee's Dance" in 1985. Vintertainment was distributed by Elektra Records from 1985 until it ceased operations in 1990. On November 24, 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"[5] (No. 1 R&B & No. 5 Pop), which was nominated for the 1989 Soul Train Best R&B/Urban Contemporary Song of the Year award, while the title track from the album hit No. 2 on the R&B charts. Sweat reached the charts again with his second album I'll Give All My Love to You (1990) which hit No. 6 on the Billboard 200 chart. He released his third album, Keep It Comin' in 1991, which debuted in the Top 20 of the album chart. He produced soul singer Omar Chandler.
In 1992, Sweat discovered the group Silk, and helped craft their debut album, Lose Control, which hit No. 7 on the Billboard 200 album chart.[6]
The album's single "Freak Me" hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on May 1, 1993. In 1993, Sweat discovered the Atlanta-based female R&B group Kut Klose. Sweat also produced the group's debut album Surrender, which produced their biggest hit single "I Like", peaking to No. 8 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart.
Sweat released his fourth album Get Up on It in the summer of 1994, and his self-titled fifth album in 1996. Both albums reached the top ten on the Billboard 200. The single co/produced and written by Eric McCaine "Twisted" featuring R&B group Kut Klose hit No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and "Nobody" hit No. 3, which made them Sweat's biggest hits to date. "Just A Touch" was a cover of the 1979 song "Just a Touch of Love" by Slave. He produced R&B group Dru Hill in 1996.
In the fall of 1997, Sweat discovered the group Ol' Skool and helped with their self-titled debut. He was on their biggest single, "Am I Dreaming", which featured the R&B group Xscape. Sweat also formed the R&B supergroup LSG with Gerald Levert and Johnny Gill, and released their self-titled debut album Levert.Sweat.Gill in 1997.[7] That album featured "My Body", which became a hit single. The album was certified double platinum and reached No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard 200.
Sweat's sixth album, Still in the Game was released in 1998, hitting No. 6 on the Billboard 200, and No. 2 on the R&B/Hip Hop albums chart. It featured the singles "Come and Get With Me" (which featured Snoop Dogg) (No. 12 Hot 100) and "I'm Not Ready" (No. 16 Hot 100). 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 from the album reached the top forty.
On August 13, 2002, Keith Sweat released his eighth album, Rebirth. The single "One on One" reached No. 75 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 44 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart.His 2008 album Just Me included the single, "Love U Better (featuring Keyshia Cole)". Sweat is currently signed to Kedar Records and released his tenth studio album entitled Ridin' Solo on June 22, 2010. The lead single taken from the album is "Test Drive" and featured label-mate Joe. Since 2007, Sweat has been the host of a nationally syndicated radio program based upon the Quiet storm format. The Keith Sweat Hotel (known as The Quiet Storm with Keith Sweat on WBLS in New York City) is syndicated through Premiere Radio Networks.[8]
Sweat is also the host of a nationally syndicated radio show called The Sweat Hotel, which I s produced and distributed to urban adult contemporary and classic soul radio stations across the U.S. by Premiere Networks, a subsidiary of iHeartMedia, Inc.[9]
I'll Trade
Keith Sweat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Mmm) People think it's easy out here
You know, they see us in the fancy cars
Fly clothes (oh yes they do)
A little bling to wear, nahmean?
Well, it's not easy
You have all that, ain't got nobody to share it with
(Oh no) Been tryin' to find somebody, it's crazy (oh no)
[Keith]
If I go to the club
They just want to take me home
Just tryin' to have a good time
Just want to get my drink on
If I go to the mall
They come in the store
I'm just tryin' to chill
Said I'm just tryin' to chill
[Lil' Mo (Keith)]
I don't know if they think
This is the glamorous life (oh yes they do)
They want to share the life with me (yeah, yeah, yeah)
But what's a girl who gave all of her up in the lights (oh, lights)
It won't lead to anything (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
[Keith and Lil' Mo]
I'll trade a million bucks
For someone's love who don't come with a price
I'll trade in all my cars
For someone who will love me for life
They can take away my platinum plaques
That fame and fortune, don't mean a thing
I'll trade a lifetime just to find someone
Who will love me just for me
[Lil' Mo]
Gotta change my phone
'cause they call my crib
Just want some privacy
Just tryin' to live
If I'd have known
It woulda been this way
Woulda found a man a long time ago
Don't get me wrong
I'm still young and I'm not hating but
It's not as easy as it seems (whoa oh)
'cause I'm not out here looking for a hit and run
I want someone who can love me for me
[Keith and Lil' Mo]
I'll trade a million bucks
For someone's love who don't come with a price
I'll trade in all my cars
For someone who will love me for life
They can take away my platinum plaques
That fame and fortune, don't mean a thing
I'll trade a lifetime just to find someone
Who will love me just for me
[Keith and Lil' Mo]
I know in love, sometimes you lose
Sometimes it's just not right
And sometimes you win
But even then
You gotta go through with it
Gotta go through with it
That's why I will, will find
Someone to share the same thoughts as me
I know they are there
I know they're somewhere
I'll do anything
[Keith and Lil' Mo]
I'll trade a million bucks
For someone's love who don't come with a price
I'll trade in all my cars
For someone who will love me for life
They can take away my platinum plaques
That fame and fortune, don't mean a thing
I'll trade a lifetime just to find someone
Who will love me just for me
The song "I'll Trade" by Keith Sweat featuring Lil' Mo is a reflection on the challenges of finding true love despite material success. The lyrics suggest that fame and fortune are not enough, and that the longing for genuine connection remains even in the midst of glittering luxury. The first verse, sung by Lil' Mo, introduces this theme, noting that people often mistakenly think that having money and status must make life easy, but in reality, these things do not provide the sense of companionship and intimacy that one truly desires. She remarks that it's hard to find someone to share life with, despite all the outward trappings of success. Keith then chimes in with a couple of examples, saying that when he tries to go out socially, people are only interested in hooking up with him, and that he can't even go to the mall without being hounded by fans. He reiterates that he's just looking for someone to love, with no strings attached.
The chorus is where the song's central message is most strongly conveyed. Keith sings that he would gladly trade all his money and possessions just to find someone who loves him for who he is. He acknowledges that his fame and fortune are empty without that kind of connection, and that he'd much rather have a soulmate than all the awards and accolades in the world. Lil' Mo joins in here, adding that she's tired of being pursued by people who just want a piece of her lifestyle, and that she wants someone who values her for the person she is, not what she's achieved. Together, they make a compelling case for the importance of real, enduring love in a world that too often prioritizes superficiality and materialism.
Overall, "I'll Trade" is a heartfelt plea for authenticity and human connection in a world that can be shallow and isolating. By highlighting the emptiness of wealth and status without love, Keith and Lil' Mo speak to a universal truth about the human experience: that no matter how much we achieve or acquire, we all crave the same thing--the warmth and companionship of a loving partner.
Line by Line Meaning
People think it's easy out here
People think it's easy to have fame and fortune
You know, they see us in the fancy cars
People see us in fancy cars and think we have everything
Fly clothes (oh yes they do)
People see our expensive clothes and assume we have a glamorous life
A little bling to wear, nahmean?
People see our jewelry and assume we have a lavish lifestyle
Well, it's not easy
Despite having material possessions, it's not easy being alone
You have all that, ain't got nobody to share it with
Having material possessions doesn't matter if you don't have someone to share it with
Been tryin' to find somebody, it's crazy (oh no)
It's been difficult trying to find someone to share life with
If I go to the club
When I go out to socialize
They just want to take me home
People just want to use me for my fame and fortune
Just tryin' to have a good time
I'm just trying to enjoy myself
Just want to get my drink on
I just want to have a drink and relax
If I go to the mall
When I go out in public
They come in the store
People come up to me and start talking
I'm just tryin' to chill
I just want to relax
I don't know if they think
I'm not sure what these people are thinking
This is the glamorous life (oh yes they do)
These people associate my life with glamour
They want to share the life with me (yeah, yeah, yeah)
They want to be able to enjoy my life with me
But what's a girl who gave all of her up in the lights (oh, lights)
What's the point of giving up everything just for fame and fortune?
It won't lead to anything (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Having fame and fortune doesn't necessarily lead to happiness
I'll trade a million bucks
I would give up all my money
For someone's love who don't come with a price
To find someone who loves me for me
I'll trade in all my cars
I would give up all my material possessions
For someone who will love me for life
To find someone who will love me unconditionally
They can take away my platinum plaques
They can take away my awards and recognition
That fame and fortune, don't mean a thing
Fame and fortune don't define my happiness
I know in love, sometimes you lose
I know love can be difficult and painful
Sometimes it's just not right
Sometimes things just don't work out
And sometimes you win
Sometimes things work out in your favor
But even then
Even when things work out
You gotta go through with it
You have to go through the ups and downs of a relationship
Someone to share the same thoughts as me
To find someone who understands me
I know they are there
I know such a person exists
I'll do anything
I will do everything I can
Lyrics © Capitol CMG Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BARRY SALTER, CYNTHIA LOVING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind