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'm Not Ready
Keith Sweat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
See, I'm not ready to go nowhere, yet
Think of all the times
Baby, we've been freakin' from dusk to dawn
And I'm still not ready to go home
That's the way it flows when it gets real good
Back to back, flexin' my manhood
(Oh, baby) why it's got to be so good?
(Oh, baby) girl, you know you got me hooked
(Oh, baby) girl, you know you got me shooked
(Oh, baby) and I ain't goin' nowhere
I'm not ready to end this freaky affair (girl, I'm not ready)
I'm not ready to go nowhere
I'm not ready to get my clothes and go
Girl, I'm ready to start over again
I wanna go on and on and on and on (I wanna go on)
I'm not ready to end this freaky affair
I wanna go on and on and on and on
Girl, I'm ready to start over again
This freaky escapade has got me going (going)
It get better when it keeps on flowin'
I broke you off all night and I'm not tired
Bring your body here and take me higher
(Oh, baby) why it's got to be so good?
(Oh, baby) girl, you know you got me hooked
(Oh, baby) girl, you know you got me shooked
(Oh, baby) and I ain't goin' nowhere
I'm not ready to end this freaky affair (no)
I'm not ready to go nowhere
I'm not ready to get my clothes and go (yeah)
Girl, I'm ready to start over again
I wanna go on and on and on and on (I'm ready to go on and on, babe)
I'm not ready to end this freaky affair
I wanna go on and on and on and on (on and on)
Girl, I'm ready to start over again
Baby, we've been at it all night long (all night long)
And I'm not ready (yeah) to end it while it's still strong
(While it's still strong, baby)
As I look and see the sunshine (as I look) through the window
(Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
I know I should be gone (should be gone) but I can't let go
(But I can't let go)
I'm not ready to end this freaky affair (I'm not ready)
I'm not ready to go nowhere
I'm not ready to get my clothes and go (I'm not ready, baby)
Girl, I'm ready to start over again
I wanna go on and on and on and on (I'm not ready, baby)
I'm not ready to end this freaky affair
I wanna go on and on and on and on (on and on and on and on)
Girl, I'm ready to start over again (yeah)
I'm not ready to end this freaky affair (see girl, I'm not ready)
I'm not ready to go nowhere (to go nowhere)
I'm not ready to get my clothes and go (I don't want to get my clothes, no)
Girl, I'm ready to start over again (girl)
I wanna go on and on and on and on
Keith Sweat's song "I'm Not Ready" is a spoken confession of love from a man to his lover, expressing his reluctance to leave her despite being fully aware that the relationship has reached its end. The song opens with the singer acknowledging his lover's desire to move on, but insists that he is not ready to do so himself. He recounts the many times they have spent together, and the joy and satisfaction they have derived from being in each other's company, often engaging in intimate, passionate acts.
As the song progresses, the singer becomes more sentimental, acknowledging his lover's allure and the effect she has on him. He admits to being smitten with her, suggesting that she has a hold on him that he can not deny. The chorus is particularly revealing, as he pleads with her not to end the affair, insisting that he's not prepared to say goodbye to her yet. He states that he wants to continue enjoying her company and make new memories together, and that he's willing to start all over again.
The song is a potent expression of a man's desire for love and companionship, and his reluctance to let go of that which is precious to him. It speaks to the struggle many couples face when trying to move on from a relationship that is no longer fulfilling, but where both partners are not ready to let go.
Line by Line Meaning
You know what you wanna do
The singer is aware of the other person's intentions.
See, I'm not ready to go nowhere, yet
The singer is not ready to leave yet.
Think of all the times
The singer reminisces on their past experiences with the other person.
Baby, we've been freakin' from dusk to dawn
The artist and the other person have been engaged in sexual activities throughout the night.
And I'm still not ready to go home
The artist does not want to leave yet and continue their activities.
That's the way it flows when it gets real good
The singer believes that this is the natural progression of things when the experience is exceptional.
Back to back, flexin' my manhood
The singer boasts about his sexual prowess, having sex multiple times in succession.
(Oh, baby) why it's got to be so good?
The artist wonders why the experience is so good with the other person.
(Oh, baby) girl, you know you got me hooked
The artist acknowledges that the other person has a hold on him.
(Oh, baby) girl, you know you got me shooked
The artist is enamored with the other person and is nervous because of it.
(Oh, baby) and I ain't goin' nowhere
The singer indicates that he is not planning on leaving anytime soon.
I'm not ready to end this freaky affair (girl, I'm not ready)
The artist does not want the sexual encounter to end yet.
I'm not ready to go nowhere
The singer is not ready to leave yet.
I'm not ready to get my clothes and go
The singer does not want to dress and leave yet.
Girl, I'm ready to start over again
The singer is willing to start all over again with the other person.
I wanna go on and on and on and on (I wanna go on)
The artist desires to continue their sexual activities without end.
This freaky escapade has got me going (going)
The artist is excited by the sexual intensity of the encounter.
It get better when it keeps on flowin'
The singer believes that the experience gets better the longer it lasts.
I broke you off all night and I'm not tired
The singer has had sex with the other person all night and is not yet tired.
Bring your body here and take me higher
The artist asks the other person to continue engaging in sexual activities to heighten the experience.
And I'm not ready to end it while it's still strong
The artist does not want to stop their sexual encounter while the excitement is still present.
As I look and see the sunshine (as I look) through the window
The artist notices the sun rising and the start of a new day.
I know I should be gone (should be gone) but I can't let go
The singer believes that he should leave, but he does not want to let go of the experience yet.
I'm not ready to end this freaky affair (no)
The artist emphasizes again that they do not want the sexual encounter to end yet.
I'm not ready to get my clothes and go (yeah)
The singer does not want to leave yet and get dressed.
Girl, I'm ready to start over again
The singer is willing to start again with the other person.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Willie Jones, Gerald Edward Levert, Joe Little, Keith D. Sweat
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rogernegrete3514
God allowed it god is so faithful sin is no match for him stop fornation and you stop life it self,God allowed
It you think this is all about you you don't see the big picture heaven itself was polluted by Satan and 1/4 of it's citizens were followers of this beautiful angel, an enormous rebellion occurred heaven a big question on there mind up to this day Who is the real God?? back to why God allowed sin, somethings only
God can do you sinned because your a sinner how does humans get to heaven
Humans are no use to God in the slights form, except for
Sin you could not go to heaven the very fact is sin
Is why God allowed it this is not about you heaven is in flux because a question lingers in the spirit there
Who is God Will the real God
Please stand up almost like a game show, Guess how that is answered Guess who
Answered that.why did God so loved the world?why did God give you a mouth you a sinner in heaven appears the crowd is in shock how did sin get here , only the real God can do that you say God allowed it who is the real God, who took all that sin and laid it on him
Self, who is the real God
All the sin like one big tattoo is the trade mark of the real God you a witness answered find the one that's all tatooed from head to toe the illustrated
God, clue in the Bible who wears that tattoo that transfer of death to life
And wears it like a crown and all all of heaven now down every knee shell bow
Every tongue shell confess
When God shows off his new
Tattoo forever settling that forever
@jartaviouswallace4653
Yes Honey this my Song Who is still listening to it in 2024
@balingtonndhlovu8083
❤❤❤❤❤❤lov't way too much
@mr.mrs.hernandez6676
Still jamming to this song in 2-2020,.Who else is still jamming to this music?? Be honest and hit the thumbs up button and share a memory down below in the comments.
Mr Jazzy and Mrs Corina still going strong and loving each other. God bless you all.
@BihorPanaMor
There's not many R&B cats that I still bump nowadays but Keith definitely stayed in my heavy rotation through these years. Player music. Much love from Romania ✌🏻
@mr.mrs.hernandez6676
@@BihorPanaMor keep it going.
@cheridabolland1851
Yesssssss
@shawnevans4959
ME
@shawnevans4959
YESSSSSSSSSS
@nichellerogers9966
Keith needs to promote this song cause it really does deserve more recognition then it recieve.
@raspop2587
Damn this video was shot in 1998... 20 years later and still kicks ass compared to music videos of today...