By Michael Kinney

Transcript Staff Writer





"You run your fingers through my hair

You tell me you love me

You act like everything between us is all right, girl

But you know, you know that it's not true"

-- "How Deep is Your Love"



In the 1990s the world of R--B music was overwhelmed with soulful male crooners. The likes of Babyface, Christopher Williams, Guy, Bobby Brown and R. Kelly could be heard all over the airwaves as the New Jack Swing genre was at its pinnacle.

One of those men who helped take R--B from a just a niche sound was Keith Sweat. Now 21 years into his career, the songwriter/musician/producer has no signs of slowing down.

"It's surprising to me that my career has had such a long life span," Sweat stated. "When you first start out, you hope people will hear the music and you don't expect to be still around twenty years later. It feels good."

Born Keith Crier in Harlem in 1961, Sweat worked in the New York Mercantile Exchange and sang in nightclubs before finding a home with Elektra Records in 1987.

"Make It Last Forever" was Sweat's first album. It came out in 1987 and featured such slow dance standards as "How Deep is Your Love" and "I Want Her." The album sold three million copies and his music became the soundtrack to sex and love in the 1990s.

During his 20-year career, Sweat has sold more than 15 million albums, produced six No. 1 singles and three multi-platinum selling albums.

In 1997 Sweat joined with the late Gerald LeVert and Johnny Gill to form the group LSG. The trio produced two albums that were commercial successes.

Since then Sweat has produced a string of concert albums. None reached the success of his earlier work. Sweat seemed destined to fall out of the public consciousness even as male R--B artists are making a comeback.

However, the genre is now filled with teenage vocalists who may not have been alive when Sweat released his first album. It is young men such as Chris Brown, NeYo, Mario and J. Holiday who are monopolizing the charts.

However, Sweat isn't giving up his crown just yet.

"Parents play my stuff and then teens come to see me because they've heard my music," Sweat stated. "It's cool when an eighteen-year-old comes up to me in a mall and knows who I am."

Sweat will perform Saturday at the Riverwind Casino in concert as he prepares for the May 6 release of his newest studio album, "Just Me." The 46-year-old Sweat looks to regain the hold on the R--B charts he held that made him one of the most sought after singers for an entire decade.

Sweat, who hosts his own radio show, produced and wrote most of the songs for his 15th album.

"Just Me" features guest appearances by Keyshia Cole on "Love You Better."

Other songs that could catch fire are "Suga, Suga Suga," "Somebody" and "Just Wanna Sex You Up."

Sweat also teams back up with Athena Cage on the song "Butterscotch. Sweat and Cage joined together in the 1996 duet "Nobody," which sold more than a million copies.

"Hey, when you find something that works, why not do it again?" Sweat said. "I love Athena's voice and the musical chemistry between us really works..."

With "Just Me" Sweat is making a return to the style that made him a superstar on a R--B charts. Despite being 20 years since his first album, Sweat says he knows what his fans want to hear.

"I'm giving the people what they expect from me,' Sweat stated in a statement. "You hear other artists out here who make the mistake of trying to be trendy. They really try to keep up. I know people want to hear Keith Sweat. I'm conscious of the people who have followed me the whole time, since day one. I remember that I have a fan base and I'm very careful to give the people what they expect from me."