What is Keith Sweat’s net worth?
| Net Worth | $250,000 |
| Source of Wealth | Musician / Record producer/ Radio personality |
| Date of Birth | July 22, 1961 |
| Nationality | American |
| Height | 5’10″ / 180 cm |
| Place of Birth | Harlem, New York City |
| Star Sign | Cancer |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Partner | Lisa Wu (m. 1992; div. 2002) |
The Usual Intro
Keith Sweat is a 61-year-old American musician, record producer, radio host, and author known for popularizing the swingbeat genre. He rose to fame during the late 1990s and has been one of America’s well-known R&B and Soul musicians ever since. During the entirety of his prolific decades-long career, Sweat has released 13 solo studio albums. Six of his albums have been certified Platinum or higher.
Before the Spotlight
Keith Sweat was born on July 22, 1961, in Harlem, New York City to Juanita Thompson and Charles Sweat. His mother was a hairdresser while his father was a factory worker. The pair had 5 children but unfortunately, Keith’s father passed away when he was only 12 years of age. His mother raised him and his four siblings by herself.
During his early years, Keith grew up in the Grant Housing Projects on West 125th Street. It was a rough neighborhood with its fair share of problems. Despite that, Keith’s mother always encouraged him to work hard instead of making a living through unethical ways. He studied at City College and paid for his education by working as a night stockboy for Macy’s.
Eventually, Keith worked his way up after finishing his education. Despite his position as a brokerage assistant on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Keith’s passion for music encouraged him to look for other avenues. In his free time, he would rent out a studio and record demos.
The Journey to Success
Music Career
Keith’s music career began when he decided to join the Harlem-based band Jamilah. He was the lead vocalist while the other band members were Larry Peoples as the bassist, Walter Bradley as the drummer, and Michael Samuels as the guitarist. With Jamilah, Keith performed in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, which helped him sharpen his vocal skills.
Sweat left the group in 1984 to start his solo career, performing in nightclubs across New York City. Soon after, he recorded two songs with the independent label, Stadium Records.
From 1987 to 1991, Keith released three studio albums which contained his biggest hits to date. Working with Vintertainment Records, he released his debut album Make It Last Forever (1987) which sold three million copies. The best-known song from the album, I Want Her, ushered in a new era for R&B music and the title track hit number 2 on the R&B charts.
This was just the start of Keith’s immensely successful career. Soon after his debut, he released the album I’ll Give All My Love to You (1990), which peaked at number 6 on the Billboard 200 chart. His third album Keep It Comin’ (1991) made it to the Top 20 on the chart as well.
Aside from his own music, Keith helped the bands Silk and Kut Klose craft some of their best hits. His fourth and fifth albums Get Up on It (1994) and Keith Sweat (1996), the latter of which became his most successful album to date, received the same love from audiences and made it to the Top 10 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. In 1997, he formed an R&B group with Gerald Levert and Johnny Gill and released two albums but returned to his solo career soon after.
Sweat’s popularity began to decrease soon after his sixth album in 1998. From 2000 to 2010, Keith released 4 new albums but with little success. In 2021, he was part of a Verzuz battle with Bobby Brown where he performed several of his successful songs.
Radio Show Host Career
Aside from music, Keith Sweat is also the host of two nationally syndicated radio programs, The Keith Sweat Hotel and The Sweat Hotel.
The Best Moments
- Keith’s debut studio album Make It Last Forever (1987) sold three million copies and is certified 3x Platinum.
- Out of his 13 solo studio albums, the six albums released from 1987 to 2000 have all been certified Platinum or higher.
- Keith worked with many other bands and artists like Silk, Kut Klose, Xscape, and Ol’ Skool to produce some of their greatest hits.
- In 2013, Sweat published his book Make It Last Forever: Dos and Don’ts to help those struggling with relationship problems.
The Private Side
In 1992, Keith married actress Lisa Wu Hartwell from the hit TV series The Real Housewives of Atlanta. The couple divorced in 2002 and engaged in a custody battle that lasted years. They had two sons; Jordan born in 1995 and Justin born in 1998.
Hartwell lost the custody battle, and Keith Sweat got full custody of their children. While little is known about why Sweat and Hartwell divorced, their tumultuous custody battle became well-known to the public. However, Keith has refused to publicly speak about custody arrangements.
Since the relationship ended, Keith became a very private person. We could find no information about his current partners. He also has three daughters — Keisha, Keia, and Amaya, and a son named Joshua. It is unknown who the mother of the children is.
Keith Sweat’s Related YouTube Video
Keith Sweat on Knowing Teddy Riley from the Projects, Pursuing Music, 1st Album Classic (Flashback)
Famous Quotes by Keith Sweat
- “If I can’t feel it, I don’t want to write it. My music is true-to-life relationship music.”
- “My desire was so great I thought, ‘I can’t lose.’ ”
- “When I was a kid, people were more into family things. Now it’s like, who cares. Drugs have definitely taken over.”
Lessons for Entrepreneurs
What can we learn from Sweat’s life and career?
- It doesn’t matter where you come from. Keith proved that your conditions play little role in determining your destiny. He may have come from troubling beginnings but you can always define where you go. With passion, Sweat achieved success and recognition for his talents.
- Never stop exploring. Sweat explored many creative avenues. From music to record production to radio shows, he dominated them all with hard work. Don’t be stagnant, keep on swimming.
- Stay humble. Despite all his success, Keith is grateful to his mom and his fans who helped him throughout his career. He doesn’t take connections for granted.
- Learn from every opportunity. Sweat made the most out of an unrelated, entry-level gig at a local stock brokerage, making his way into Wall Street in the coming years.
The Unusual Stuff
- His iconic first album, Make It Last Forever, was almost canceled after the public chose to “Break It” during the Make-It-Or-Break-It segment.
- Keith Sweat was one of the first people to marry an odd pair of genres to create ‘New Jack Swing.’
- Keith Sweat has acted in a few movies as minor characters like Pastor Brown (2011) and Terrence in Forbidden Fruits (2005).
Answering Frequent Questions
Who is Keith Sweat dating?
He keeps his personal life private, therefore it’s difficult to speculate who he’s dating.
How many children does Keith Sweat have?
He has three sons: Jordan, Justin, and Joshua along with three daughters: Keisha, Keia, and Amaya.
Is Sweat active as a singer today?
Sweat remains active as a singer today and frequently conducts tours and concerts.
The Closing Remarks
Keith’s life paints us a clear picture, success isn’t just limited to people who have always had the odds stacked in their favor. Even a brokerage assistant can dream about being something more. All it takes is a little self-confidence and the right attitude to keep nudging yourself forward.
