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]
Things
Keith Sweat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yo it's 3:25 in the morning
My baby mom still yawning
Kiss my little daughter on the forehead
'Nuf said beeper goes off
Five hundred it's Busta Bust
In God We Trust another one bites the dust
Hey Ramp fuck that!
I was 'bout to see this cat
Some niggas pulled up in a black suburban jumped out the back
Tried to put it on me while we fighting over the gat
The way them niggas tried to play me son, them niggas is wack
Aeiyo, Ramp, yo, you know it's only right to react
Call the whole squad, let's lay these niggas down - face flat
[Rampage]
Aeiyo, Bust, chill, calm down
I'll be there in twenty minutes
Uptown 1-51 at St. Nick
I'm there quick
I tell my baby mom I got's to go
I walked out the do' then grabbed the two nines out the flo'
Driving through South, yo, we takin' niggas war
[Busta]
Still on the run
Always running for cover when its necessary
I'm out numbered for now
But all that shit is temporary
Fuck with the wrong clik, the way we get down
If your violatin', leavin you lost, you never be found
Number whatever on missing persons
Any minute them niggas gon' feel blast of my squads gats bursting
[Rampage]
I through the tri-borough bridge
In my fat land with my two nines and my mans
I'ma second from the spot
I cross the street from the parking lot
My trigger finger is hot
I'm seeing Bust in a phone booth
Niggas on the roofs
Spiff Star is in the range
The atmosphere change
Lord's in the forerunner with machine guns, big ones
[Busta]
Now we 'bout to have mad fun
Me and the whole squad meet up,
Know shit about to heat up
Went the whole entire street up
Blast from the car seat-er
My enemies wouldn't even want to be you
I see you, hunting me down
I knowing that my crew arrive
We gon' see who be the last alive
While we creep all over the place
Looking for space
In case, see him, rinse my whole clip up in his face
As my squad hold they post down
We patiently waiting for them to pass through
Carefully timing the way we put it on their whole crew
[Rampage]
Aeiyo, Bust give me the queue
I'm here for you, close to you
Blood in and blood out
We goin' all out, bullets just ringing out
Guns is just spraying out
Yo Bust, hit the dirt layflat
You my nigga to the end I gotcha back
Turn around quick
[Busta]
Oh shit!
You started blasting, grazed me on the hip
Lord Have Mercy dumped five on a nigga
Suck his whole shit, his whole crew busting
Shit ain't going according to plan
Goddamn, my shit jam
Nigga standing right behind me
I think I'm caught up on a creep
I think I need to prayer to Lord, my soul to keep
Dis nigga about to fry my head
My crew burst into a rage
Spliff lifted this nigga, putting two inside his rib cage
Yo, Rampage
[Rampage]
Aeiyo, I see them niggas coming, now I'm dumbing
We dead three niggas already the next two we leaving bloody
[Busta]
So much drama over this fucking money
The way this situation end it wasn't even funny
Trying to rob this nigga because I was fucking hungry
But if you try to test let's blast a nigga in a hurry
Me and my squad bounce and left the fucking scene ugly
[Anthony Hamilton & The Chosen Generation]:
Things we be doin' for money
Livin' in the street when you're hungry
The way you start to live it ain't funny, no, no
Living day to day but don't live for tomorrow
Things we be doin' for money
Livin' in the street when you're hungry
The way you start to live it ain't funny, no, no
Living day to day but don't live for tomorrow
Things we be doin' for money
Livin' in the street when you're hungry
The way you start to live it ain't funny, no, no
Living day to day but don't live for tomorrow
The song "Things" by Keith Sweat paints a vivid picture of the struggle for survival in the streets. Through the lyrics, we are given a glimpse into the lives of people who are forced to do whatever it takes to earn money and survive in the harsh urban environment. The first verse is about a man who is juggling family responsibilities with a life of crime. Despite the fact that he has a child to care for, he is constantly on the go, getting into dangerous situations and meeting up with shady characters. Meanwhile, the second verse is about two friends who are caught up in a violent street feud. They are armed and dangerous, and they are willing to do whatever it takes to protect themselves and their crew.
The chorus, which is sung by a chorus, acknowledges that people do crazy things when they're hungry and desperate. The lyrics suggest that people in tough circumstances often have to live from day to day, not knowing what tomorrow might bring. The song, ultimately, is a commentary on the tough choices that people have to make when they're living in poverty and struggling to survive.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo it's 3:25 in the morning
It is early in the morning
My baby mom still yawning
The mother of my child is still sleepy
Kiss my little daughter on the forehead
I kiss my young child goodbye before leaving
'Nuf said beeper goes off
Without further ado, my beeper goes off
Five hundred it's Busta Bust
Busta Rhymes is paging me via my beeper
In God We Trust another one bites the dust
We have faith in God as we confront danger
Hey Ramp fuck that!
Rampage, ignore my previous message
I was 'bout to see this cat
I was about to meet someone
Some niggas pulled up in a black suburban jumped out the back
Several men in a black SUV arrived and quickly got out
Tried to put it on me while we fighting over the gat
While fighting over the weapon, they attempted to blame me
The way them niggas tried to play me son, them niggas is wack
Their attempt to deceive me was weak
Aeiyo, Ramp, yo, you know it's only right to react
Rampage, it's appropriate to take action now
Call the whole squad, let's lay these niggas down - face flat
Contact our entire group so we can subdue them
Aeiyo, Bust, chill, calm down
Busta Rhymes, relax and stay composed
I'll be there in twenty minutes
I will arrive within twenty minutes
Uptown 1-51 at St. Nick
I am headed to 151st Street and Saint Nicholas Avenue
I'm there quick
I will be there very soon
I tell my baby mom I got's to go
I inform the mother of my child that I must leave
I walked out the do' then grabbed the two nines out the flo'
I leave the house and pick up two pistols from the floor
Driving through South, yo, we takin' niggas war
As we travel through the South, we are prepared for conflict
Still on the run
We are still fleeing from danger
Always running for cover when its necessary
When it is needed, we always take shelter
I'm out numbered for now
Currently, there are more of them than us
But all that shit is temporary
The current situation will not last
Fuck with the wrong clik, the way we get down
If you pick a fight with the wrong crew, you will regret it
If your violatin', leavin you lost, you never be found
If you cross us, you will disappear forever
Number whatever on missing persons
You will be listed as a missing person without consequence
Any minute them niggas gon' feel blast of my squads gats bursting
Soon, the enemy will experience gunfire from our weapons
I through the tri-borough bridge
I cross the Triborough Bridge
In my fat land with my two nines and my mans
I am in my SUV with two pistols and my associates
I'ma second from the spot
I am about to reach my destination
I cross the street from the parking lot
I park across the street and exit my vehicle
My trigger finger is hot
I am ready to shoot if necessary
I'm seeing Bust in a phone booth
I spot Busta Rhymes in a phone booth
Niggas on the roofs
There are people on the rooftops
Spiff Star is in the range
Spiff Star is in a Range Rover
The atmosphere change
The environment becomes tense
Lord's in the forerunner with machine guns, big ones
Certain individuals have heavy weapons in a Land Rover vehicle
Now we 'bout to have mad fun
We are about to cause some serious trouble
Me and the whole squad meet up,
My entire group arrives at the location
Know shit about to heat up
We anticipate that violence is imminent
Went the whole entire street up
We cause destruction throughout the street
Blast from the car seat-er
We shoot from inside the vehicle
My enemies wouldn't even want to be you
My enemies should not want to be in your position
I see you, hunting me down
I witness you pursuing me
I knowing that my crew arrive
I have confidence that my group will arrive
We gon' see who be the last alive
We will determine who survives
While we creep all over the place
We quietly move around discreetly
Looking for space
We search for potential locations to hide or fight
In case, see him, rinse my whole clip up in his face
If we find our target, we will shoot all of our bullets at their face
As my squad hold they post down
My group maintains their positions
We patiently waiting for them to pass through
We wait calmly for them to move through the area
Carefully timing the way we put it on their whole crew
We strategize the timing of our attack on their entire group
Aeiyo, Bust give me the queue
Busta Rhymes, let me know when to move
I'm here for you, close to you
I am here to support you and be close to you
Blood in and blood out
We will remain committed until the end
We goin' all out, bullets just ringing out
We are going all in, firing bullets continuously
Guns is just spraying out
Our weapons are firing recklessly
Yo Bust, hit the dirt layflat
Busta Rhymes, get on the ground and stay low
You my nigga to the end I gotcha back
You are my friend until the end and I will support you
Turn around quick
Quickly change direction
Oh shit!
Exclamation of surprise or fear
You started blasting, grazed me on the hip
You began to shoot and just missed injuring me
Lord Have Mercy dumped five on a nigga
Lord Have Mercy fired five shots at someone
Suck his whole shit, his whole crew busting
We will take down all of them
Shit ain't going according to plan
Our situation is not going as we expected
Goddamn, my shit jam
Darn, my gun is jammed
Nigga standing right behind me
Someone is standing very close to me
I think I'm caught up on a creep
I believe that I am being stalked or followed
I think I need to prayer to Lord, my soul to keep
I think I need to say a final prayer before I die
Dis nigga about to fry my head
This person is about to kill me
My crew burst into a rage
My group becomes furious
Spliff lifted this nigga, putting two inside his rib cage
Spliff raised the enemy up and shot them twice in the rib cage
Yo, Rampage
Hey Rampage
Aeiyo, I see them niggas coming, now I'm dumbing
I see the enemies approaching and I am hiding
We dead three niggas already the next two we leaving bloody
We killed three people so far and will kill the next two violently
So much drama over this fucking money
This conflict is over money
The way this situation end it wasn't even funny
The ending of this scenario was not humorous
Trying to rob this nigga because I was fucking hungry
I attempted to rob someone because I was desperate for money
But if you try to test let's blast a nigga in a hurry
If you challenge us, we will quickly retaliate with gunfire
Me and my squad bounce and left the fucking scene ugly
My group and I left the area violently and chaotically
Things we be doin' for money
The dangerous actions we take for financial gain
Livin' in the street when you're hungry
Struggling to survive while living on the streets
The way you start to live it ain't funny, no, no
The harsh reality of living on the streets is not humorous
Living day to day but don't live for tomorrow
Living in the moment and not planning for the future
Living day to day but don't live for tomorrow
Living in the moment and not planning for the future
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: KEITH D. SWEAT, STEPHEN EDWARD HUFF
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind