Keith Sweat

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed human. R&B money! Money! We are! J. J. Valentine. We are the authorities on all things R&B. I'm J. Valentine. And this is the R&B Money podcast. I know you see the marble and all the cool shit. That means I am at a very, very special residence. Because we couldn't shoot this in no studio. I had to get on the highways and the byways to come see my player partner. And you know what? I will usually do some intro where I'm talking about all the platinum records, the platinum status that is in all of the accomplishments and all the cool shit. But I want to get straight to it because this is my real brother in real life. I'm talking about call me at six in the morning because I'm on the West Coast and he's not talking shit. Every morning he, he know when he when he called me I pick up. So I'm going to get to it. Ladies and gentlemen, the amazing, the legendary, the icon himself, Keith Switt. What's up, J? What's up? Long time no give me on the show. Come on with you. Exactly. Yes. Long time not getting you on the show. But you know what? I'm not bringing none of that up, man, because you here. I know you didn't cancel some other. You know what I mean? I'm pretty sure you had some other shit to do. But you fuck with your player partner, man. You my man. So, you know, we talked about it. I said, yo, I have to do the show because I'm always running, running, running. You mean like, man, when you're going to do the show? Yeah. And I said, man, I'm running, running, running. So I said, man, let me, I'm running out of town tomorrow. So I said, man, let me get it. Let me knock it out. Now I appreciate you. You won't be screaming on me and said, man, I sweat, but you told me. You know what I'm saying? So, you know, we come from a certain claw. You know that. You right. You tell me something. I'll hold you to it. There you go. I tell you something, you're going to hold me to it. And that's why our friendship is with the way it is. I always want to be there. Appreciate that. Thank you. No, for sure, man. Let's get to it, man. Let's look. OK. Let's get to Harlem. OK. Because I know, I know, I know how you are. I know you, I know you were Harlem, not on your sleeve and your heart. And, you know, you and I have always talked about that and, you know, our shared experiences of where we come from. How is, how was Keith in Harlem, man, coming up? I mean, I was, you know, young kid, you know, trying to figure it out like everybody else. And, you know, when you grew up in the hood, you tried to just figure it out. You know? Yeah. My mother raised five kids in the project by herself. So I was the youngest of the boys. So but I took the approach that I wanted to take care of the family. So Keith growing up in Harlem was, you know, I got into my little, a little mischief things. And, you know, I had to figure out what I wanted to be in life and what I wanted to be. What did I want to be a gangster that I want to be? You know, I'm saying a nice kid, whatever I want to be. So I had to figure all of that out. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? So I did figure it out. You know, I mean, I, you know, I got myself in a little trouble and the trouble that I got myself in, which, you know, I talk about that in my documentary is something that, you know, kind of straightened me up. Yeah. And made me move the right way. How did you find your voice? Or did you are, were you always singing as a kid? As a kid, I always watched, you know, I watched all the shows. So, Soul Train, all the different types of shows I watched them. So, you know, I watched the Jackson and then all the people growing up. And, you know, I used to imitate a lot of those young acts and, you know, when I realized I could sing, I was singing out the project window. And, you know, to some girls that because I used to live on the third floor in the private side, used to be singing out the window. You're not put on a Delphanet record and be singing out the window and go, you saw that reaction earlier. And then my mama came home, boy, if I hear you singing out the window again, I'm gonna whip you by the eye. Yeah. So, that's how it all started, actually. Yeah. How do you go from singing out the project window, knowing you got a voice to going to Wall Street, though? Well, you know, I mean, like in life, you know, and which, you know, a lot of the young brothers and sisters need to take heed of this. You know, my attitude was, you know, you have to also have other things that you're doing just in case of things you desire don't work out. You know, which I try to teach my sons, you know, hey, you have to wear more than one hat. Right. So, if regardless of what your dreams might be, that don't mean you're going to accomplish your dreams. So were you day trading? Like you were literally. I was like, I mean, I started with potential beige in the stock room, working with you, potential base. Then I moved up to paying to paying Webber. Paying Webber, yeah. Right. And I met this guy who definitely took an interesting name, named Clyde Burrows. I still remember his name, Black Broker. And he took me under his wings and that's how it all started with me on the on the four world trade center. But I started with paying Webber potential base and then went to paying Webber. And that's how it all started. Are you doing music at the same time you going to work, though? At the same time I was doing with this group called Jamila. OK. And we were doing the Chitlin circuit around the city. We were due place like the Mark four Smalls Paradise to sell a restaurant, which Brad Johnson owned it, you know, I'm saying, and his father and so I would do the little clubs around it. It's called the Chitlin circuit. So I was doing a little club around that area and and pretty much that's what I was doing while I was on Wall Street. And then, you know, because I had the real passion to do music. Yeah, that's what I was doing on my on the time that I was off for work. Wow. So this is so is this funding it for you, though? Are you like this is working so I can well, the studio time doing doing the clubs was more for more entertainment and you wasn't really making the money doing that. No, no, I was making like you would three through three sets in the club and come up and do a hundred dollars. Back in them days, so that's three dollars a set. So basically, or maybe two on something like that. But that's when you knew you loved doing what you do. Right. Right. You know, because I didn't get into the game for the money. I got into the game because I love doing what I love singing. I love being on stage. You had nothing to do with the money. You know, the money just came because of your passion because of the passion. Right. How long were you in the group before you decided you wanted to go on your solo path? Well, what happened is I was in the group, you know, I had probably been in the group for a couple of years and, you know, they had, you know, one time we had another guy named Peter DeCosta, who was a singer with me. He was the light-skinned pretty boy like you. Man, I'll do this. You know, he was the Billy D Williams. Like, you got to have a Billy D. So, you know, he was the one. You know, you know, you know, you know, you know, you know, you know, during them days, you know, that was that was the look, you know, trying to say. So, you know, he was the lead. So I wouldn't, you know, they wanted me to just make the group, you know, 100% and be like, yo, you need to quit. Don't what you're doing. It comes to just do, you know, if you really want to do me. I'm going to get off the get off the stock market. Yeah. Get off. Just do that. Hold on. Wait a minute, baby. No, no, that don't that don't pay the bill. That don't work for me. And are you making good money on the stock issue? Yeah. Yeah. But and but they wanted me. They felt like the my overall commitment right to the group was wasn't there. And then, you know, the person that owned Jamila and that was the name of the group. The base player was the leader of the group and his father managed the group. So you really, you know, instead of how that go. Yeah, everything was tied in tied in. So they decided, you know, we decided, you don't need to be with the group. Oh, you got kicked out. I got kicked out. Yeah, you saw good. So I got kicked out and it devastated me to the point where because that was where I picked up the girls on the weekend. Right. You know, that was your new project. That was my I knew. I knew what it was going to be. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I'm saying it. Oh, like that. So I think, you know, that's how you invite people to the club. Hey, hey, come to the club. I'm saying it tonight, that type of thing. Right. So they kicked me out the group. So when they kicked me out the group, I'm a person like this and everybody know it, I'm still like that to this day. Don't don't don't mess with me because I'm a approval point. So I say, yo, I'm a approval point. I don't need you. I'm I'm I'm still going to hit and it's going to be bigger than you ever thought it would be. And that's what happened. So once they kicked me out the group, it just that's a gentleman just hit me and I just went hard on, you know, the music side. Yeah. How long did it take you to get a record deal? About a year from getting kicked out the group. About a year after. And you have been in this group a couple years. Right. But as a soul artist, I'm taking you. Yeah. Sometimes it's meant to be. Right. Hey, you get the record deal. You start working on a project. Could you feel it before you drop? Make it last forever? Could you feel it like, yo, this is off the be special. Actually, I was working for Suits Your Records to produce and before I did my own project I had. I was with working with GQ. OK. Before I even, you know, dropping project I have worked with Raheem and GQ and we did a song called My Mind is Made Up. So I was working with the organization Tony Lopez and I'm with him before I even, you know, after I left your meal, I started working with GQ and me and Raheem would write songs together, like, you know, which is still on the end of that lucky seven and My Mind is Made Up. So and then I was writing songs and then I went down to Suits Your Records and I was producing songs for, you know, Suits Your Records, which is Adam Levy, which was Mars Levy's son. Oh, OK. But the Fat Boys was. Yeah. I put the record out by this girl. I wrote this record called All I Wanted My Baby by this girl named Roberta Gilliam. And, you know, that's where everything really kind of started, you know, because I started as a songwriter and producer, because that's what I wanted to be. So that's the initial focus for you. Right. Is right after. After after I, you know, even though I wanted it was the solo, I still was because my pen was cray or was crazy. I knew I had a paid crazy pen. I got right like, ooh, and come up with something and then listen to it. Oh, damn, I wrote that. That's hot. Right. So that's what happened. So I started writing. So what made me decide to actually be an artist was when I took the song down there and Adam Levy told me it wasn't a hit. There you go again. Somebody is. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So you put the entire thing. All right. I'm approved. My point. So that's what happened. And then I end the writing. Don't stop your love. And took it down there. And he said that don't stop your love wasn't a hit. Cause I took, I actually wrote don't stop your love for somebody else, but my voice was on it. And I met this girl named Judy Hudson, who was, who knew, you know, Vincent. And she said, oh my God, that really hot. So when I finished, don't stop your love. I took it to Judy and Judy introduced me to Vincent. And that's how that whole thing started. Off a record that someone else told you wasn't good. That you literally wrote as a demo. So you take it there. They say, well, then I say, I'm gonna do this join myself. That in itself just shows too though, that it's subjective music is subjective, right? Certain ears. And I see a lot of artists that have just come across just at different times. And I'm, I'll tell people when they send me music sometime, just like, if I don't hear it, I'll tell you, I don't hear it. But that don't mean that it's not right. Yeah, I just don't hear it. Cause I think sometimes people bank too heavy on one person's opinion, somebody that they see in a certain light, to me hearing that part of it and seeing that that's where it all kicked off for you though, by literally just being like, no, I'm just not gonna take one opinion. I'm gonna go see what else this record got. So when you take it to Vincent, he hears it. I'm actually give the love to Judy Hudson. Because she was the one working at Sucha Record. Yo, I need to take this record to somebody. This record hot. And she's the one that took it to Vincent, who was, who had Toskey Love. And he had Pee Wee Herm down the down the down the down. So we already had had that record out. So when I took the, Vincent, he said, yo, I won't put this record out, that record hot. So that's how it all really initially started for me. But at this point, you don't have the album done? No, at this point, no, I don't have anything done. They gave me, I got a deal with Electra Entertainment based on Don't Stop Your Love. Cause they wanted to do a 12 inch situation with me. Cause, because you know, a lot of people had turned me down. So they're like, all right, we'll try to sing with you. Cause Earl Monroe had pretty pro records, he turned me down. I should. Yeah. So a lot of- I didn't know Earl the pro had a record label. Yeah, he had a pretty pro records. Okay. He turned me down. A lot of people turned me down, you know? So Vincent gave me the shot and I wouldn't be the key to what I am today if it wasn't for that shot. Because what that shot, what he did was allowed me to go to certain people and say, yo, I got a deal. A lot of people think that I wanted was the one that got the deal. No, it was Don't Stop Your Love. Cause that was the one that gave me the deal with Electra. And then the other stuff, you know, like I said, which we'll say for the documentary, was the thing that allowed me to come and do what I did and make my, and be known as the key sweater I am today. And, you know, like I always tell people, you know, people always look at situations and say to themselves, they get mad at the record company, right? I used to be mad at Vincent and Benetton and I was like, hold on, wait a minute. He was the only one that gave me the shot that nobody else gave. A lot of people forget about that. And I said, yo, when everybody else turned me down, he was the one that took the gamble. And as you get older, you think about that type of stuff. You say, hold on, wait a minute. If he hadn't gave me the shot to be who I am today, he invested his time and his money and into me. Yeah. And it was me. And at that time, when someone does that, you have to, you gotta do a show and improve that you can be you and do you. You know what I'm saying? Because everybody's not going to invest in you. Everybody's not gonna take their money and say, yo, I'm gonna put my money. It's like when you go to the crap table and gamble, you put your money down and seven, you can seven or crap. And whatever you do, you know, if you seven, you good. If you crap out. Hey, but you gotta be strong enough to just move on. Okay. I took that risk. I took that gamble. I moved on to another, I'm moving on. Like everybody don't get that kind of shot. You know, there's a whole lot of people that were love out here that were love to get someone to invest in them one time to show the world what they got to offer. Right. But I think that's super important that you bring that up. Sweat that somebody that invest in you in the beginning, you can't forget, you can never forget that. And I think when it comes to the business side of it, an artist may get some success and forget that at times. Right. And because you got so many people whispering in your ear, hey, boom, boom, boom. Right. About what they should have done or what could have done. What you did, what you could have. But you're not, you're forgetting about all the times you showed up and begged that person, man, just give me one opportunity. Just give me one that when nobody else was doing it. Right. You know what I'm saying? So I had to look at that where I was concerned. Just like I look at that with the opportunity to have to give another talent. Right. It's like, know the business, learn the business, understand the business because there's so many people that don't know the business and don't understand the business and then, you know, somebody like myself and other people get blamed for them not knowing the business or understanding the business. Nine times that a tenant person don't have to make any money off their first album. Right. Because you end up paying back the record company for the investment because you haven't made no money for the company so everything they put out is there. So they gonna. They gotta recoup. They gotta recoup their money, right? So I was fortunate to make money off the first album because I wrote at least seven or eight of those songs on that first album. Then it hit, then I'm a solo artist. I'm not, I don't have four or five people who want to split my money with. So when it hit, I was able to make money on the tour cause keys went. Tell me about when it hits. Tell me about like the feeling. Cause at this point, you a few years in, you working a regular gig and now you got a hit record and a hit album. Like you come out the gate. With a hit. With a hit. And so it ended up Michael Jackson out of number one. Come on man. Come on man. So I was when they did that, I was like, hold up on Billboard. Yeah. I was like, hold on. I'm like an MJ out of the number one spot on. So, and then I still didn't, I still wouldn't quit the stock market. Oh, you're still working this whole time. Right. I didn't quit the stock market, right? Then people started coming up to the, to the stock exchange. As in before the guy said, you can't be up here. They was getting, finding ways to get on elevated, come to the eighth floor. Well, I was working that on the, on this thing. That's crazy. Cause that's a super fan back then too. There ain't no internet. And then they would be like, you don't get, I said, hold up, you gonna get in trouble. You can't be up here. What the hell you doing? So people would do that. And then, so that's how all that started. And then eventually Mark Siegel, who was my first agent, with ICM, he came and he said, man, you got to go on the road. You're, you're too hot right now. I mean, people want to see you. You have to, you can't, you have to, cause I was number one on Billboard at that point, but still working. Right. I said, I ain't leaving this, I'm shit. I ain't leaving. Are you investing the bread into the stock market then? No, I'm not. And what I'm, what I'm saying, when I was in the stock market and I was fine with my job. So, you know, I'm head over all these one hit wonders and all that shit, something like that. I'm not leaving this. This is my cushion. This is where I am. And he said, nah, man, you don't understand. You're huge out here in these streets. So he said, yo man, I'll tell you what. So he gave me a big as advance. So you have to. And that's what made you quit. Right. Nobody else took a leave of absence. You still didn't quit. I took a leave of absence. So in your mind, in a sense, did you have, as they would say, imposter syndrome, like, ah, this ain't real? Yeah, I guess you could say that in my mind. I'm like, yo, this is a dream. And when I wake up, this shit ain't gonna be here. So I bet it still had a job. I bet it still had a mother and a job. So basically all that was a dream. Cause my first, my first check that I got, which was a lot of money, I went home, threw it up on the, throw it in the end, throw it on the bed and jumped on the bed. You do the check or you do the cash? Do the cash, cash, that's it. Oh, you went cash it? Do it all on the bed and jumped on the bed. How much was it? I still can't tell you where. Come on, sweat. Yeah, let me give you the exclusive. It was a lot, but I threw it all on the bed. I said, I'm getting ready to dive into this money. Did you buy anything crazy? No, I was never a person that, I never was a person that just like to this day, like, just because everybody else got certain things, you know, I'm not a person, even when, like, I don't know, I made sure my mom was good. I made sure my sisters was good. I mean, but I really didn't buy anything crazy. You know what I'm saying? I bought a little town house and that was it. But as far as like going crazy and doing rams and all that, I ain't even sure that wasn't. I mean, you say to this day, as we were sitting in a marble room, pretty much a marble house that you have, but this is kind of crazy, sweat. I'm just going to put that out there. Well, that was crazy. I've never seen marble walls. Because it's 35 years later, 37 years later. So I feel like I can do that 37 years later, but it's not borrowed. So. Okay, okay. Speak on it. Speak on it. Yes, yes. It's very well earned in a very long period of time. Yeah. And when people count my money, they're not counting my accomplishments. Okay. I do movies, executive reduce. Mm-hmm. I got my own tools. I do my own tours. Yeah. Promote my, some of them. Not, I'm not just the artist, I'm the promoter. I know. I know. Some of them. Right. Candle line. I mean. Bag line. Yeah, you see, I'm following suit. Like, so, you know, real estate. Mm-hmm. You know, and this is not about me. It's about my legacy of my kids. Yeah. So everything you see me do, ain't got nothing to do with keys, sweat. It's about the foundation of my kids and their kids and their kids' kids. Yeah. So this house is paid for, but where does it go? If I'm not here today at a mall, who does it go to? To the kids. Boom. So people don't understand. So when I do things, it's not, like even me going on tour and working today, it ain't got nothing to do with me. I've been blessed to have everything somebody could ever want. Yeah. So when it comes to me doing stuff is to make sure they're good. And their kids' kids are good, and their kids' kids' kids are good. So, you know, I changed the sweat name and made it a name that is real. So, you know, sometimes I tell people when you change, sometimes we have a curse on our name and somebody in that family has to change the direction of the family and the name and the value of the name and make sure. And it's about how well you live and how well you treat other people and those type of things. Like if I'm doing something, I feel somebody got a crazy spirit. I won't let them in my house because I'm a firm believer that spirits will jump on you. You know what I'm saying? Bad spirits will jump on you. So I limit myself from the people that's around my kids and around me or whatever. You know what I'm saying? I'm very funny about it. If I feel like, you know what I'm saying? Yeah, you keep it from around you. You don't need to be around me, that type of thing. And have you always been that way? Or was it something that learned thing for you over time? Well, I got to pray at mom more without a prayer at mom. So and everything I do and everything I've done and everything I do to this day is because of her prayers and it in my success, don't have anything to do with me. It has a whole lot to do with me having a prayer in mom and in, you know, what was instilled in me. And I got nothing to do with because I'm being I'm being blessed abundantly because of the thing she told me. I'm a giver. You know, you got people in the world that are given and you got people in the world that are takers. Correct. And I'm a giver. Some women when I'm a give because I'm a giver, they look that as being a trick. No, if you look like you're in a bad situation, I feel like them. You could do better for yourself. And I give and I don't take that my kindness for weakness. For weakness, right. Because it ain't got nothing to do with that. Just because just like I can give, I could take and I can move on. I don't have to have you and you don't have to have me. That's the bottom line. But, you know, in our society today and in the way things that they would social media like you got to actually say, well, the good girls. Yeah. And I don't mean when I were the good people or the good people. Yeah. When I say and when I say the good girl, you don't have to do what I say. Jump when I say jump. I'm not talking about that. Just look in the mirror at yourself and am I a good person? Am I a good person? What's your values? Yeah. What's your moral? Morals, what type? What will you do? And how will you do? What would you what? What would you do to to get over? Like if you will go to the extreme, then something is wrong. Yeah, because I feel no amount of money am I going to the extreme? Right. That's just me. Now, everybody's not like that. Yeah. No, I got. Let's get into the records. Get into some of these records. Make it last forever. When you write a record like that, is it a first listen for you? Because as a songwriter, now we talk about from the from the constructing of records. Because even that title. Obviously, we still talking about it to this day. We're going to talk about it forever. You literally put that out in the universe, making it last forever. Right. Did you come up with the title first? Yeah, I think yeah, because you I normally come up with the hook first and then build a song around the hook. Yeah, don't let our love in. So don't let our love in. Make it last forever. So and then I told people every time somebody talked about it, I said, didn't I tell you I was going to make it last forever? I mean, and that's what that why you still you still relevant. You still doing. I told you I was going to make it last forever. Yeah, you spoken into it. I spoke you. So something and I tell people, be careful what you say, because some things you can speak into existence. Most things. I'm a firm believer in that as well. Right. Yeah. Yeah. And I think already should pay more attention to what they rap or sing about. Yeah, because it will come back to bite your ass. Yeah. Won't you? Yeah. Triple platinum first album. Probably four million five. Four million five. I mean, OK, all right. Don't show change me, baby. OK, you know what, man? Show change me. All right. I that's what I'm not going to do. I ain't going to show change. That's the mood. I don't know. That's not. And these are physical copies. This is not. These are not stream for trillion stream that add up to whatever the hell they add up to. This is actually people going to the store buying these records. Four to five million. Yeah. First album. Out the gate. Out the gate. Do you get right to the next project or do you renegotiate from a business standpoint after you sell that many records? I'm sure. Listen, we talked about it. The deal probably wasn't the best. Right. Renegotiate. Yeah. Definitely. Because. First of all, people didn't understand. Like, I didn't even know how dope I was. I knew I was good. OK. But I know how dope I was as far as writing. I mean, like, I didn't know that. Like, I knew my first time was a hit because I just like, oh, that's hot. This is because, you know, I listen to radio. I listen to the songs. I listen, grew up listening to Jackson's Delphonics, Blue Magic, the Spinners, all of them. I grew up listening to that. Right. So me growing up listening to that, I was like, OK, I can do this. You know, like Tom Bell and all the Philadelphia guys, you know, like Teddy P. and all of them, I grew up listening to them. I was like, OK, then when I did my first album, I'm like, oh, oh, oh, oh. I'm getting ready to hit them over the head. So basically that's what happened. So after the first album, everybody knew what it was for me because the world knew at that point, you know, the record company was saying. At that point, I proved the point. Right. So you came out of nowhere. Right. And the first in I was able to produce and write the first album, which was unheard of by a new artist, you know, somebody who nobody ever heard. Do you think you were afforded that because you were already a writer just because you signed to a smaller because of a boutique label? Definitely. Most definitely. Just like let him do his thing. And most definitely because he heard that he heard the song that was writing. So definitely because I think if I were to just sign that right. And that's what I said. God works in mysterious ways because the person that signed me was knowledgeable enough and understood the game enough to say, yo, he dope, let me let him do him. Yeah. And if it would have been signed to directly to a lecture, which would need a bake was on. And I don't got the time. It was one by Bob Krasnow. I believe they would have submitted me songs. And right. It wouldn't I wouldn't have been able to do the songs that I was able to do. And now at this point, you you had a chance to prove yourself. Right. And you absolutely proved yourself. Right. Does the business immediately become advantageous for you from a business side? After this first album, where you were able to it's like, OK, y'all here, I'm here in the beginning. Did it go like here? Are you now? No, I still had the fornagle. OK. Certain things I still had to, you know, can he do it again? Right. Type of thing. Sophomore. Sophomore jinx. Can he do it again? I say I knew I could do it again. And then we jump all the way into I'll give all my love to you. I'll give my love to you. You know, then that was proof that goes number one. Right. Pop. Not just I don't be. Oh, it went pop number one. Yeah. And it went pop number one. Oh, yeah. So that's a whole different conversation. That's a whole different kind of money, too. Absolutely. So number one pop also. That's when I did the tour with. I'm going to tell you that's when I did the triple threat to with Johnny, myself and B.B.D. That's when that came out. The first tour was heavy D. Salt and pepper and myself. That was the first time. And yeah, that was the first tour. Now you got the triple threat to her second album. You just tell me what is our man. This one for five million to come on, man. So out the gate, hit after hit after hit. Right. Are you not just five hits? Ah, I didn't say it. I didn't. I did show him the clip, though. And I don't know what that five inch came from. He explained it. So he explained it. Somebody better do their homework. We made them do their homework. Please do your homework because that's insulting. But go ahead. Yeah, because I mean, listen, the first album only had eight songs on it. All hit record. Thank you. Why did you only put eight records on there, though? Because that was a odd number. Because I ain't gonna do no more. I knew. So it wasn't no clothes composition clothes at this point. No, it was like, if that if this don't get them, ain't nothing gonna get them. Right. Yeah, there was nothing else to do. I'm giving you eight out of eight. Well, I don't need to put no more on now that you're on this second album. You sell all these records again. Do you ever have a the at what point do you have the moment where you just you like, damn, this is real. Like, I'm really selling a lot of records, selling out arenas. This is a real thing for me now. Do you have that moment by this time? Or are you still like, ah, no, I still I have that moment at that point because now I'm seeing the people I'm seeing the tours. I'm seeing the fact that I can take my mom out to projects, give her out. Yeah. Yeah, all that becomes reality now. And are you still in New York at this point? I'm still in New York at that point, but I'm slowly. You getting to the south, getting to the south. I mean, I didn't even know I was going to move to Atlanta to be honest with you. And that just happened on a wing when I just have to be on tour. And I said, damn, I can get this kind of house for this kind of money. Yeah. Woo. Yeah. Company. Listen, I was driving around the day like, man, they still got them three. We saw me at Roob. I'm like, Roob, you think they still got them houses for three, fifty somewhere? Because we all it's so funny, especially even coming in from California. And I had a brother that went to Clark. And I remember him telling me, or actually, I'm going to take that back. He was a Morris Brown, which don't even exist no more. And I remember him calling home and I was I was a teenager. I'm young. He like, man, it's Atlanta. It's it. Atlanta is it. Like Atlanta. He like, I'm telling you, man, you get the basement, you get the backyard, you got that is, you know, the prices of the everything in the streets is higher there than they is here. I'm like, OK. And I didn't have a full understanding. Then when I got in the music business, I started taking writer's trips. Like when I became an adult and I could, you know, fly to Atlanta. And now I'm at such and such as writer who might got half a hit. I'm like, man, you can afford all this out here. This is my ass just couldn't leave California. I was stuck. I love Cali. I was stuck, man. I ain't stuck. I should brought my ass to Atlanta and bought me some acres of shit, man. Yeah. But this this placement, were you here? During the LaFace era? Yeah. Were you already here before that? Or you came around that same time? Same time. Yeah. Something wrong the same time. So the music scene, too. Yeah. It was building. Right. Oh, yeah. Yeah, I can only imagine the life. Yeah, I was living. I was supposed to sign usher, but I didn't. Wait, what? I was supposed to sign usher, but I didn't. Why not? Because at the time, LA beat me to the punch. OK. He would. So you got it when you saw it, though. You know, OK. I was going and he we was a talent shows going on and. He started singing for me and he went in there and did this thing with LAV was and LA got him before I got LA was like, I'm signing it now. That's why I happened to my dad. That's something that I wanted to highlight, too. And I know because I've had those conversations about you, about being an artist who's always been willing to share their life, which is rare. Right. We know this. And I've always had the utmost respect for you because of that, because there are many artists that really want to put other artists on. Like they may say, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, I got I'm going to start this label. We got. But like you were literally discovering artists. What was that for you? Internally, that said, OK, I got to I got to really reach back because that's what it really becomes, especially when you have the success you're having. It's not like, OK, I'm on my last leg and I need to find somebody else to get hot. You literally keep sweat. You don't have to do these deals because we both know what comes along with that. You're right. There's an added stress and an added thing when you start taking on artists and their lives. So what pushed you toward that to give back? Like my mother was saying, you were given out of taking. So basically. And it also made me feel good to show that I could do the same thing for myself or somebody else. Somebody else. And I could write hit records for somebody else, not just for myself. Yeah. So that was another type of feeling, amazing feeling for me, because not only did I I was able to do it for me, I was able to do it or make somebody else dream of reality. So, yeah. But I mean, certain things in life make me happy, not everything, but certain things that's made. That's one of the things that made me happy to give to people that may not be fortunate enough to get on their own by themselves, you know. And, you know, because, like, that that's the type of fulfillment for me. I mean, people don't understand that, but that fulfills certain things in me and makes me feel good about me when I look in the mirror. And I'm saying because you might have a whole lot of naysayers saying this and saying that and it could upset you. But when you know yourself, yeah, that what you do and what you have done and you don't have to speak about it or say, I've done this for you and so on and after you, that's a great amazing feeling. But because people do know. Absolutely. Absolutely. And. You look that different. You put in a different light when you're able to discover, develop and and see those type of projects through where you you help you become stars as well. It just it builds. It builds everything up. Right. I, you know, but I do, like I said, I understand the other side of. You know, the pressures of it. But I was about to get somebody else going. I used to get upset when people I put on might have said things and then I smile. And then I look at the position I'm still in. And I laugh because I said, you know, God will make your enemy your footstool. So I said, OK, cool. If you feel I never did not for you. I moved on. Right. That's a battle you have to fight with yourself. And you have to be honest with yourself and look in the mirror with yourself. And you got to. Like, because I always tell people there's three sides to every story. Mine, yours and the truth. So you got to. You got to come to a point in your life and say, hey, that, you know, everybody. If you're a real person. You can. A lot of things that you do that are not right will convict you. You're looking in your mirror at yourself and then it will convict you for real, for real. Right. So I don't like to be convicted. And so I try to do the right thing. So, you know, whether people think it's the right thing or don't think it's the right thing. If I feel I've done everything I could to make it right, then there's nothing else. I'm fine. Ask him in the book. Tell me about New Jack City. Did you know? And no, no, no, you know what? There you go telling me no again. It's not a wedding song. It's not. No. How does that even come together? I remember watching as a kid, I'm like, that don't make no sense that he's singing. There you go telling me no again at a wedding. Right. Well, honestly, what happened and I've talked about it in the press. So I can talk about it. It's not documentary for him because if documentary for him, I would even be on it right now. But it was supposed to be less chill and less chill. Like I'm not going to blame it on T. I'm not going to blame it on, you know, the powers that be at the time. Yeah. You know, I was in the studio with Bernard Bell, Teddy, we did. Let's chill. Let's chill was supposed to go on the movie. It didn't. I didn't get the master to give it to Mario van Peebles to go into the movie. So they needed a song. And I was singing at the wedding. So I had to wrote there. You go tell me no again that same night. I said, man, you better take that and call it a day. And that's what happened. Yeah. Classic. Classic record, classic scene. Another hit. Another hit. And then they had a shootout. Right. Like everything that went with that scene, it's just it's like a period piece in my life. Honestly, like that I just I just remember. Right. Right. Like, OK, that's not supposed to be there, but the song is great. And I love the record. OK, and then they had a shootout and, you know, Brown has got babies guarding. Why are you having a shootout? Right. Were you when you get called to do the movie? Had you seen like any dailies of it? Anything? No. So you didn't even know what it was about to be about. No. I mean, you know, obviously you knew the premise of the movie. Right. But I didn't know what it was going to do. What it was going to be about nothing. They they call me this are you in the wedding scene. I didn't know I was going to be in the wedding scene thing. So OK, cool. Boom. Same. Oh, man, that is great. And like you said, another hit record. As you're moving it on into your career, have you ever had moments where you like, can I write another one? Because you've written so many. Have you had like, have you had those moments as a writer? Never. Oh, never. I mean, because I've always been I've been writing since I was a kid. It's never and I'm always trying to outdo myself and I always trying to outdo somebody else. Yeah. On the writing tip, you know, a lot of people don't like I can like I can write anything country. Not you. Pop, you know, I know. Afro. You be playing it for me. Yeah, I can write anything. So a lot of people don't know that. Yeah. So, you know, me being able to just show people aside to me that they really don't know. Mm hmm. I enjoy that. That that like, oh, I'm a, oh, I'm a, see, I love doing that. I love proving a point. That's what I do. To me, it feels like it always goes back to the song for you, though. Like, yeah, you're you're the artist and you're the vessel who's, you know, bringing those those records to life. But it just feels like. In the beginning of everything, it starts with the song for you. You are a songwriter. Right. Like, we were talking about that one day. Like when you file taxes, what do you put? Like, what do you put as your occupation? Entertainer. Just entertainer. Mm hmm. Because for a long time, I didn't know what to put. I guess I didn't know. I didn't know for I had no. And then I started putting songwriter. Now I put entertainer. You put entertainer. Yeah, I don't entertain as much as you. I don't, you know, I pop out every now and then. I can't, I can't really put entertainer. You know, if I only sing every two years, I can't be putting on my entertainer. Entertainer. Yeah. All right. So we got what other, what other, let me think, I'm thinking all the records, man. There's so many of them that I want to ask about, you know what, Twisted. Twisted and nobody, because I was coming to the same project. To me, they felt like a shift. It felt like a shift in what you was doing musically. Like this is just me as a fan at the time. I was like, oh, this is a brand new key sweat to me. Was that intentional? No, it was what I felt like writing at the time. Or the. Oh, I don't think to me, it was the same thing as me writing something just saying, right, because it kind of gets something, something, you know, you want. So to me, it wasn't a shift. It was just, you know, we in a whole another year. Yeah. We did we in the nineties, late nineties. So yeah, it was like, OK, what are we doing now? You know what I'm saying? Dude, I don't want to change what people know as key sweat. And so I don't want to go somewhere else that I never went. So I want to people love who people still messing with what I've done before. So I don't want to, you know, the problem with most entertainers, they go drastically different and people be like, what the hell is he doing? Yeah. For me, I don't. But you got to find that happy medium that I feel like you did as far as staying current, but it was still key sweat. Absolutely. Well, you also have a very distinctive voice. Like that is. That can never be confused. Right. It shines through. I've never heard you on a song about who's that. Right. That's what. It's not it's no confusion about that. And. So I. But I think just for me, sonically, you've been able to find your space in every decade. Right. Which that is hard to do, man. It's damn near impossible. Right. So to to see you being able to do that, man, it's so inspiring. Like, you know, sweat just really. And do you do you do you? In staying current. In standing to test the time. Do you do you attribute that to just you really staying tapped in? Like, you know what's going on? Yeah. And I and and and I contributed to I really don't listen to radio like that. I because when I get in the studio and in certain songs, a song, hit me or music, hit me, I said, like, yo, everybody get out the room. I put the earphones on and I'm come out and there's a song. So I've been gifted enough to go in there and just write. Based on what that music says, I should be writing. Yeah. So I don't know how I don't be knowing how. I don't be knowing how it happens. It just happens. I don't question it. Now you got the gift. Yeah, I don't even question it. There'll be like my team be like, what the hell? You know, because, you know, I go in there like somebody bought me a record and they had they was they had somebody on the song. And when I heard the first two lines, that make that mess off. Man, take it. What you mute that shit and give me the track. Yeah. And I freaked the track and said, now this is what that just sound like. It was like, oh, my God, like that. So I mean, I know what. Like I can follow rhythms and patterns and. And come up with the song and lyrics and I don't know how I be and hooks and it be in about an hour. That's crazy. That is that's a gift. Me blessing. Yeah, my friends went to the to the club one night and they left me in the studio and I had three tracks. They came back, all three was done. In about two and a half hours. Are you still. Actively every day in the studio. Not actively every day. I get my old man's rest. OK. And then I. And then I come down when I feel like it. Because I can't be in the studio and and like I have to mentally get myself together because I'm always on the road. Right. I don't mean old man's rest because I be in the gym running running like a young boy and doing that type of stuff. So I just need to mentally get my head right because I wear so many hats. Right. I'm the executive producer hat, the movie hat, the touring hat, the entrepreneur hats, the restaurant hats. Like I got so many hats that I wear that I try to be good at all of them. And it's just that sometimes you have to take a break. Yeah, no, absolutely. But during this time, you weren't taking no breaks at all because you go from your solo project and then you say, all right, I'm a new group. Because Gerald and Johnny were my boys. So, you know, Gerald never had been. Gerald never went platinum before ever. And Johnny, that's my boy. So I said, I want to do a group. So the record company was against it. Oh, they fought that. Yeah. You fought it. That would seem like a. No, they fought that. And I had to fight back. So they end up going through a lecture. Yeah. OK. They fought. No, they fought a lecture for it. I won't, you know, this is this part where you say, boom, boom, boom, what you saying, you won't tell the story. Right. So I'm not going to tell it. Who fought it? They was like, you're not doing nothing. I say, I hope you're talking to like that. Yeah, I'm doing this. If you don't like it, you don't like it, but I bet it happened. So you see that it happened, right? It absolutely happened. All right. Another multi platinum album. Right. My body. And they tried to take credit for it. But. Gerald said, yo. And that was all y'all. That was Keith's idea. Hey, man, once again. Being a giver. Being a giver. But so much has been given to you for for being that type of person. Right. It always it always comes back. That's why I feel I'm still relevant. All these years later, because God has blessed me abundantly, because of the things I've done to give. Yeah. Because, you know, I mean, and I contributed to him. Not nothing else but him. Now, I mean, like I said, it's not I can't take the credit because, you know, there's a lot of people that came on when I came out. That's not relevant at this point. So for him to have to make me knowledgeable and to have him. Still have me headlining after all these years is amazing. I'm glad you mentioned that because that is something that's so important to an artist and to the longevity of an artist. What made you start really paying attention to the business of the road and touring? Because most artists are just like, OK, I'm going to get my friend in my is my back in there. Cool. But you started to start looking at the gate, so looking at the merch. How much is this back line? Can I buy these buses? Can I buy these Sprinter vans? Like what kicked in for you? Were you just like, you know what, this is now another ancillary business for me? Because even at the first album, I bought my own SSL board even after the first album. So because I felt like, OK, if I'm going to spend my money in studio, I might as well have my own on my SSL board. So I bought a 54 channel input SSL board. What was it? How much was that back then? Oh, it was it was about close to 300,000. Yeah. And put it in my house. And then that's where I did the silk album at my out. My out. Matt cut close out. And now you're charging back studio. Yeah. Because now you're the studio. Yeah. Because I felt like I'm not going into the studio and spend that kind of money when I can put this board in my house and, you know, and back then, you couldn't get in the studio for less than 1500 a day, 2500 a day. So I was spent on time and then I would have the speaker come up to my bedroom and listen to the mixes. So I knew what the mixes is going to sound like because I had now I'm man, put the speakers up in my house. So I have to tell my editor to mix the song. Now, no, turn that bass, turn that bass down. Oh, you're making you really making bedroom music. Yeah. Like, yeah. So this was this was going to sound in your bedroom. This is how it's going to sound. Yeah. So that's what I did. Oh, that's genius. That's genius. And then that's G album there. I did old school album cut close. Yeah. I did. And then you took that same mindset to the road, though. Right. If I'm going to be on the road, I need to own these. Yeah, I bought that first up with the keyboards and I was buying stuff. Like I'm a person that if I'm going to spend money on it, I'm going to buy it. Yeah. Because like most people, right, when you don't think like that, that means you don't you're telling yourself you're not going to be here for four years when you're doing things like that. You telling yourself you're going to be here for some time. Right. I'm going to be able to get the use out of this. Yeah. So and I tell people, you know, it's like if you only think and I want now that means you ain't thinking about five years from now. You don't think you're going to be a five years from now. You don't think you're going to be in the game five years from now, whatever the case is. I feel like everything like me buying a red camera, me buying my lights, me doing everything I do. It for me, it's I'm going to get the use out of it. I'm not going to rent it from nobody else because I'm end up using it. You're going to end up paying more, you're going to pay more than just buying it for yourself. Right. So you might go buying and on it and now you're good. Why was hounding you so much to come on this show? Because the things I know about you because you've let me into your life and your circle and, you know, I feel like I'm a confidant of yours that, you know, you call me, you tell me, you like, pay attention to this or that. I kind of got tired of just telling people, man, Keith, man, they mentioned whoever else you want to mention. But when I look at you, you are what it's supposed to be. As an artist, businessman, business person. Right. Like I can look at everybody's accomplishments and yeah, that's cool. It's cool. You did that. OK, cool, cool, cool. Do you own your masters? Are you promoting your own shows? Have you figured out how to really run your own program for real? Right. And yes, and I think most people think, OK, if I'm learning all those things, I don't need nobody. You don't think like that. You're like, no, no, I need the right people. I got to put the right team in position. You still got to have the right team in position because at the right time, you want them to do certain things. You even though I wear a bunch of hats, I still have my team. Right. And I'm still the bottom line. I'm still the bottom line. I'm still the the last save. But you give them the opportunity to be the last thing to see how they can move without you having to say, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. Yeah, you got some people that can do that and you got some people that can't do that. So you have to entrust in certain people to do things and get things done because you really it's only 24 hours in a day and you can't do everything yourself. So you really got to, you know, confide in certain people and hopefully, hopefully they will get certain things done. The problem with some people that go broke or whatever, they get the wrong team or they don't they're not. They don't want to know what's going on in their lane or their business and they don't do enough research or they don't do enough finding out. OK, how is this being run? Who's doing this? Who's not doing this? Just like something came up and not to mention or throw anybody under the bus. You know, I'm behind the eight ball on some things that I should have been in front of the eight ball on. You know, so my attitude is like, yo, don't let that happen again. Don't let it happen again. Don't let it happen again because I designed my things to be on point. There's a method to my madness. Like I move in a way like, yeah, I jump from one thing to another. But because I feel like because the one thing I jump from was supposed to be already handled, right? So when I jump onto something else, I I'm thinking like that was being handled. I wouldn't have jumped from that to that if I didn't think it was being handled. Yeah. So that's how I am. It's part of why you still here. It's part of why you still relevant. It's part of why you still print money. When people be asked me about that, man, I swear, I said, man, I print money. You print money, man. You know, and just how you gone about your business, man, and what your what your name means to us, especially the ones that really know you in this game. Like it's a one. Right. I hope you know that. Yeah, no, your name is your name is a one. Like, I know, thank you, Bobby. I mean, Joe. I mean, a pleasure. I mean, I don't think all all is I mean, I don't think there's nobody that don't give me my props or what I deserve. And the people that don't give them to me, they don't know me. Right. Or they don't know my business or and they shouldn't. You know what I'm saying? Because to me, I don't I'm not trying to sell myself to people. That's not that I don't feel as relevant to my life. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? I'm not I'm not trying to. Prove a point if if I if the point hasn't been proven by now, there's nothing to prove. It is. I mean, I'm fine. I'm fine with where I am in my life. I'm you know, one thing about in life and I tell people, you have to be happy with yourself and you and, you know, everything ain't for everybody. Everybody ain't for everything. I don't need what everybody else has to make me happy. I ain't got to be seen here, here, here. That's why you don't see me everywhere because I don't want to be everywhere. I don't want to be seen everywhere. That's just not me. I'm an introvert. Yeah. You know. And because I'm introvert, I'm happy with staying on watching to be a son of like that. You know, I mean, you know, by myself, speaking to to be because now you have movies everywhere. You know, you know, but I'm just saying, I mean, but before that, I just like being in my space. And you know, because I'm going to be honest with you to the world. I've accomplished more than I ever thought I would ever accomplish in life anyway. So at this point, I'm fine. You know, because I I did something that I proved the point to my mom. I was able to take care of her. So sometimes people are never satisfied. And they always want more and more and more because they never satisfied when to when do you become satisfied? Why is it that so that was never your drive? No, that's never my drive because you can't take none of the shit with you. Right. You know, I'm saying the only thing I care about is like. How make sure my my kids are good and my kids, kids, whatever. But in terms of me doing whatever I can to get whatever I can and throwing it in people's face. Look what I got. Look what I got. Look what I think that's whack. Yeah, that's not. When somebody do that and throw it in people's faces like, yo, these are the same people that help you get what you got. Why are you throwing it in their face? You know, I'm a firm believer that you know, you don't. It's insulting for me to see somebody bragging about all the things they got. And the people that has helped them get it, they starve and they got none. And people bragging about what they got. That's kind of whack to me because you're doing that in their face. Look what you did for me. Yeah. You know, that's kind of like not good. No, I respect that. I respect that. What was the shift for you to get into film and film and television? And one thing my son acts. OK. Like, I don't want him begging nobody for no role. I help create it. So don't beg nobody for no role. I create a role for you and I do the movie for you. And you know, and now once I do that, you take it to a whole another level yourself. Right. Like, I mean, in this giving opportunity, still giving, even though he's my son is still giving you opportunity to show what you can do. Right. Now that's his. I'm not going to hold your hand. But now that I'm giving you a platform to stand on, show me what else you can do, take that and run with it. Right. So that's my thing, you know, in terms of getting it's more like, you know, people that I've invested in or they feel my invested it was more so to help them, not to help me, but more so to help them. So that's why I get into a lot of films because I try to help people and accomplish your dreams and putting on. Screening what their vision is. That's right. It's a different type of power in being able to green light something. Right. Right. So I'm able to somebody say, yo, I'm short. I got an amazing film. I look at the film. I'm like, OK, who will you have attached to it? OK. I need to go ahead and do it. How many films you got now? Five or six. You got you got one out now, right? Yeah. Secret between us with Michael John White, Lisa Arondale and and a few people. Yeah, right. Yeah, I think it's behind there somewhere. What else behind you back there? You got OK, you got bags to let's talk about the bags. Let's talk about platinum status, man. Right. What made what made you get into that to say, OK, you know what? I want to do luggage. I want to do bags. I want to do luxury high end things because the bags that I was getting didn't they didn't fit you. They didn't fit me. And, you know, they were not conducive of what I want. You know, you got to computer your iPad, your phone, you know, like, yo, this is just for show. I need a bag that really, you know, can facilitate everything that I want. Because, you know, we travel, we go overseas, we do whatever. You know, you need a bag that you don't want to walk our bags when you want. Right. Condense everything and, you know, as much as you can. And you want the bag to still look fly. Right. So that's why I did it. And then Candice. Woo, you got yours too. You know, listen, listen, when you talk, I listen. You got yours too. You know, we'd be on the floor. Your little countess, never mind. I see now, man. Now, I didn't. But you square it in friends on the candles, man. You square yours out. But I look like I'm giving people more more candle. I see here we go. I feel like I'm giving people more wax. As you see, mine is marble like the walls and the floors. But as you see, my. But as you see, mine got that song, I give all my love to you, you know. Well, mine also has the Valentine logo on it. Oh, but mine have the music of Nova Stones in it. I can't beat him. I can't beat him. I'm just going to join him. You want me to sell your candles too, man? Yeah, sell them. I'm selling this way candles. Oh, man, this is great. What other what what what other businesses am I missing? What I've been is the restaurant. Yeah, the restaurant. I forgot Twisted Pie. Twisted Pie. Twisted Twisted Pie. P.Y.E. Not P.I.E. Oh, OK. P.Y.E. Don't get it confused with the P.I.E. with the P.Y.E. And I hope the P.Y.T.s get a slice. Yeah, you hear me? Yeah, I'm here. Where's that restaurant at? It's in Douglasville, Atlanta. OK. And how long have you had the restaurant? It's about three years now. Are you going to do more? You're going to franchise it? Definitely franchise, franchise, franchise. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And you don't have to fantasize. Man, this is why I ain't got no keys for it. Just listen, because this episode is y'all just seeing how we hang out and how we be on the phone talking shit. This is this is amazing, man. Thank you. Thank you. Your career is inspiring. And I'll continue to say that because it's a true feeling of mine. You know, as I as I look at, you know, obviously, I've I've moved into different spaces and pivoted in those things. But I look at it like in whatever facet of this industry. I got to do it like sweat. You are literally a person I think of when I'm making certain decisions. And I wanted to tell you that. Oh, thank you, man. I appreciate it. Like some may come up and I'm like, who would sweat through this? How could how would that make sense in in the the realm of the Valentine? Because, you know, you to sweat, I'm the Valentine. So, you know, I'm I'm letting the people know, man, I'm not mad. I'm I'm learning from the best. And I also want to thank you. During the pandemic, we'll be on the phone. You be giving me stock tips. You're like, yeah, this is I ain't going to say the names of the companies. But you be like, do some research on that company. And I appreciate you, man. And that's all good. Help me make a couple dollars, man. That's right. That's it. Did you holler? I'm always go holler. I'm always go holler. Yeah. Yeah. Make a couple of dollars so you can holler back. Yeah. Yeah. You see, I'm on your screen every week. But yeah, man, we, you know, I know it's going to you will be here all night if we talked about all your accomplishments, man. And I don't want to hold you too long. But I it's some things that I it's some segments, man. I need you for, man. Ruben, what we got over there, man? What we got? Come on, Ruben. Don't move too slow. Yeah. You're top five. You want to know something? Ha ha. Yeah.哎哎哎哎 Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. I'm tired of falling Royo boy Come on sweat, we need to know something Alright Marvin Oh okay okay okay hold on let me set up for you this key sweats Top 5 R&B singers Marvin Gaye Okay Teddy Pindagrand Mmhmm Lou DeVangels Yeah Uh, let me think, let me think, I want to make sure I'm doing it right now We at three That's three I know, I'm keeping it, I gotta make sure Eddie Laverg Yeah Yes sir And Felipe when? Yes sir That's a top top I respect it Okay okay okay okay It takes a fool to learn that love don't love nobody He could say yo Cold lyrics Cold, don't love, like everybody I met just was cold Yeah, yeah Flatfoot Yeah Top 5 songs Oh my god Come on, come on, you a song guy You a song guy sweat Let me think, let me think Well it sounds like I said Felipe it takes a fool Okay We know that Teddy turned out the lights Okay Stevie Wonder, very superstitious Yeah I love that song You love that song? I love that song Earth, Wind and Fire reasons You a falsetto guy No that one more, one more Uh, where did I go? Oh, oh jays Yeah, Lee Wunson, no that's uh, that's uh, Spend Like, Lee Hey, let me think, let me think, let me think What's going on Marvin Gaye? Yes sir That's perfect for this time Yeah, yeah What we going through, what's going on Yeah, yeah, we need more music like that We need more socially conscious music man And we need people taking that chance to um, to give that to the world And you know, the younger brothers that came after that they have phenomenal But I always look at the people that opened doors for everybody Yeah And the brothers that I named, I feel opened the doors for me to be who I am And Johnny and Gerald and just, you know, so I always got to look back on those brothers Even though they ain't the ones the younger people might know Right Those were the ones that were essential and impactful in my life that made me or allowed me to be the singer I am today Speaking of your brothers of LSG, how do you feel about the fact that y'all inspire TGT? I didn't even know of it I didn't even know we inspired TGT You knew y'all inspired TGT I did, I inspired y'all that, I inspired them, that's good, that's a blessing Now, I'm, listen, let me say this to you There's nothing in this game or industry that hasn't been done already It makes me feel good when people will take something that was done by someone else, especially myself And take it and run with it, meaning that I did a good job in creating it where they want to create something That's just as good or better from that So I'm not mad at anything like that I'm more like, appreciate, appreciative of it, you know, because it's like, you're actually giving me my award and saying Absolutely Yo man, you cook, we want to do this because y'all inspired us to do this And even, you know, the shows and the tours that you've been a part of Like now seeing the R&B tour, Raymond and Brown You know what I mean, Usher and Chris How is it for you to see that happen, the two guys top of their game, say, you know what, we're going to go on a roll together Well, as you know, I've been trying to get brothers to do that forever That's why I asked, I know this And it's good that they could figure it out I just wish that some R&B artists could figure it out and it shouldn't always be about the money I know it's about the money, but that's why I come in as a promoter, whatever, so I can make it with let's do it together And that's why I say, I wish more brothers would think a certain way with we invested ourselves Because then you could do a tour like that because all the money is always on the back end If we get more people to think like that, you actually make more money You just won't get your money up front And that's always the tricky part But you will get your money because if you put a tour together that's phenomenal You're going to win because I was telling them and nobody better steal my idea because I'll sue you if you steal my idea Anybody that try to take my idea right now, I'm going to put it out there right here on camera I can say, because right now it's right here Because everybody know it was my idea, right? It's my idea I'm glad I did that So don't tell my shit You going to tell us the idea? I'll tell them because it's here That means it's solidified Right? That means it might take it The floor is yours Thank you This is my idea and I'm padding this So basically this is like I came up with it This is a padding right here on the show Right? Am I right or wrong? That was solid That was solid I know how to choke Oh shit I ain't going to say that I'll tell you later You remember when I was going with it, boy Oh lord Jesus I knew what we were going to get anyway So I ain't going to say no more Alright so we going to get into the Voltron Where you build us the ultimate R&B singer Top to bottom Where you give us the vocals Who vocals? They look The performance The performance style, who going to kill that stage Who going to put that fly shit on I don't know if y'all be paying attention I've never seen sweat not fly Just so y'all know he changed outfits 5 times today I've only been here for 30 And if I take one shoe off and keep one on That means I'm thinking And don't disturb me They know me Am I right or wrong? I walk around the house with one shoe I'm thinking, leave me alone, god damn it Alright, so the drip And then the passion of the artist Who going to make you feel it So we going to start with the first thing Who's your singer? Who's the vocal for this ultimate R&B singer? Because I named a bunch of them in the beginning One of them can be, yeah One of your top five can be the vocal Whoever you want to make But I'm thinking about who had the range And everything else And you know Who's so dope like that It's sad that I can't think Because there were so many It's so sad It still would be Marvin Because Marvin had the silkier's voice So Marvin's the vocals? Marvin is the vocal Now who's the Stage performance Who put on the show? Usher Now Usher and Chris Usher Brown And Chris Yeah, yeah, yeah If I had to choose between I can't even do that So that's like it You can merge it I can merge them Okay, Usher and Chris Stage Usher and Chris Who put on the fly shit? Keith Sweat Come on I'm thinking to myself If he don't name himself I'm going to name him Keith Sweat Go ahead Sweat drip And the passion Who got the passion? Who's the most passionate artist That you can think of? That you know like I believe it I think Luther had that Luther had that Yeah When I said Luther had that Like he made you feel that I got to say Luther Yeah, every word Every word That's a crazy artist Marvin vocals Chris and Usher stage Keith Sweat Swag the drip And Luther Van Dros passion Yeah, that's going to be a tough one to beat That's going to be a tough Okay, you know since you a songwriter Throw that curve ball Who writing the songs for that artist? Me and Tank Ahhhh That means that it's going to be timeless Yeah Yeah I love that I got to be stank You know that's my man anyway Me and that's my boy No, I know Me and Tank Because Tank is for people that don't know Tank is a phenomenal writer You know I'm just as dope Absolutely So it's kind of like Together we have never written nothing together But oh my god The word on the streets is that you and Tank both cheated at verses Cheated? Yeah How we cheated? Because y'all got y'all hits But then y'all got the hits of others as well I didn't cheat Hahaha How was that that verses too? Bob didn't bother singing new addition songs Okay, so how we cheated? That's fair, that's fair And Johnny is part of LNG So I didn't cheat, you know Cause Bobby definitely I'm like that's what I said hold on You gonna go there, we can go ahead And you had the classic moments Same as Tank, Tank with the turtleneck You had the shirok This ain't tea This is Hennessy So you know We just entertain us Yeah, I had a great time That's just entertaining man Like I love entertaining I love doing things that everybody else is not doing I think I love like hit My people tell you I think every day about what else can I do to shock the audience Yeah Because most people that never saw me Are under the impression that I come out there and don't do what I do and then when they see me They be oh my god, that ain't no clue Yeah So I like to put that shock value on people So you got something new that's about the shock from people man What's next? Shit, well I dropped the new record with Good Love Part II with Calvin Richardson King George Yeah And Cupid and Roy Chipp Anthony That dropped the day with the video And you know my Afrobeat album I'm dropping Man when is the Afrobeat album coming? As soon as I finish one or two more songs Okay I think one song came out already with King Matty But I'm getting ready, ooh lord jeez I'm getting ready to hit people Is that your main focus right now musically? Definitely To really get in that space to Afrobeat Definitely And you know I got a record that I'm working on that's going to be impactful to the world I'm a shit award my t-shirt called Think Love It's a record I'm working on called Think Love Once I get all the people on it, right people on it that I want And I'm gonna release it And that's going to be very impactful to what's going on in the world today Because it's very important that Like back in the day when everything was going on the wall The stuff Marvin put the song, he put down what's going on Right And all that It just seems like there's a lot going on but A lot of people look at us as artists, they listen to our music but We as artists, we have a voice And our voice is not being used in the way that it can be used I don't mean we need to be very political on things But there's certain things we can do and say musically That will impact people Yeah Absolutely And a lot of things are not being done We're too busy worrying about certain other things than where we're about What's really going on in the world A lot of us are not even being knowledgeable about what's going on Because we're so caught up in social media and looking at other things And we're not even looking at what's going on You know what I'm saying? Because sometimes in life You know Some people would just wrangle this in front of your face so you won't see this And we have to learn how to look at what's real and what's not And how our focus is being taken off of this Yeah Why are you doing something? I'm doing something completely now So I'm just saying that That's why you know, I mean, you know, but musically you can say a lot of things that Will affect and touch people and people will understand what you're saying Because you know, that's, we were all built on music That's what You can't go nowhere without it It's everywhere Right, there you go It's everywhere So once we as brothers and sisters understand what we need to do as a family, as a unit, as a whatever Whatever the change certain things in the world, we don't have to be people with a head to change the world Sometimes things are done in a different way and can be done in a different way Yeah That's my attitude Great attitude How do you feel about sampling? What's your thoughts on sampling? Yeah, it's, I'm sampling my stuff for my after meetup That's what I feel about it But are you cool with letting other people sample? If people sample my stuff, I want to hear what they sample Okay And if it's dope, I'ma let it go If it ain't, it ain't gonna be into it Yeah Because everything should be sampled Every, every, all my samples should not be on certain records Because some records is dope, some records is wack And I have the right to say, yeah You have the right You can't sample my song So have you thought about my catalog acquisitions or any of those type of things? What does your mind go when it comes to that? Because obviously in our business now, that's been a big thing over the last few years Where people just like, okay 20X, 15X on what the number is yearly To, you know, either sell a piece or a whole of your catalog It depends on what You got your choice to say yes or no But if you do a catalog deal, now they control that Well, it depends on what you had in your life Right I can't talk about how people financially, a lot of people do things because that's where they at financially Right So there are a lot to do with whether you can hold off from doing that Or whether you can Sometimes people have to do that Because that's where they are in their life And I can't knock that because, you know You know, that's the ideal right option, you know I mean, I don't know You know, they might have to take care of their family or they might have loved ones They want to take care of why they're alive or whatever the case is, you know what I'm saying So if you can hold on to it, fine If you can't, I mean, you know, to each his own That's how I feel, honestly, because, you know I mean, if you build something that's precious And I mean, because everything, you know, you try to build a life from having a house And the house of praising Right, that ain't no different from that At a time if you want to sell out, sell out Because you might want the money to use it for something else Or an investment, whatever the case is, you know, I don't know So it depends on that person Okay And I, you know, listen, I don't ask those questions to people that don't got the catalog That's why I asked you because you got a real catalog and I'm sure You get a lot of Yeah, but I'm gonna say this to you If, you know, I want my kids to always have an amazing life And if my catalog can give them an amazing life Instead of me holding on to it and I can do certain things where they can Have an amazing life and live their life Of course I'm gonna do what I gotta do in terms of Because see, what's the point of them me doing that? I leave here today at a mall They don't get it It's just sitting there They don't have an amazing life And they, you know, like life is supposed to be enjoyed, right? Because you can't take none of this with you For sure So what he's saying is you catalog companies He gonna need that heavy bag if he gonna even think about it Don't call sweat, talk about a couple dollars here and there Because that ain't gonna make him holler Right, we don't holler The dollar gotta be right The dollar gotta be right And I'm doing new music all day long So that's a whole another catalog stream So there ain't nothing going nowhere I'm shooting movies, I put the catalog in the movie Another catalog, so everything is gonna be what it's gonna be Right Alright, so we got one more segment One more segment, man I'll tell you this record I ain't said no names I ain't said no names we was We went What you did Don't say shit I ain't said no names Well, ain't nobody did shit to me Well, it could be funny there It could be funny, you know So yeah, this is where you tell us a story Funny or fucked up or funny and fucked up The only rule to the game is key sweat The sweat himself Can't say no names Right So what happened is Like there was a show And The show was hot They were grooving They were doing that thing And then I walked on stage And the crowd just went crazy And They thought they were screaming for them Wait, you walked on stage while somebody else was performing And they thought they were screaming The crowd went And they thought they were screaming for them And they looked and turned around and looked at me And said, oh shit Can't tell you I swear, you walked on somebody else's stage Man, why they, oh man I mean, if I ever performed a show Somebody told me to do it Somebody told me to go on stage Just go and walk on stage And I did it And the crowd And they thought, everybody thought they were screaming for them And they said, everybody told me Oh, that's nigga here Oh, no, yeah, that's fucked up And funny Yeah, but I don't know I didn't want to walk on stage They told me to walk on stage I was minding my business So, you know You know what the fuck No, I ain't gonna tell you about the other story That I was calling on somebody else's stage And I was singing And they cut me off on the third song They said, man, if I let him sing that third song It's gonna be a rap They cut your mic? Yeah, cause like I had to It was not my tour, it was somebody else's tour Oh, yeah And I was killing it And they cut my mic They said, yo, sweat If we let you sing one more damn song It's gonna be this concert over Niggaz ain't gonna be able to come on behind you, boy I said, man, all right, cool, no problem But I can't tell that either That's not good to tell I get it Listen, I've seen it with my own eyes I've been on the road You know what the amazing thing is And I just, you know, I tell people That I can walk on anybody's stage Well, that's the millennial tour Whether it's Masterpiece Hip-hop, whatever And the crowd will give me Nothing but love They'll go crazy And I'm blessed to have that I don't even know, like that That still, like Poses me to this day That I can walk on a hip-hop show Like when I went out and did Bumby Thing at the rodeo And rodeo be cracking And when I walked and I came behind Everybody but Ludacris And they went bananas It was 60,000 or better And they went bananas out there That's the thing too That I saw with my own eyes was All the different races All the different colors of people That rock with Keith Swetnam Especially on the West Coast, right? I'm a West Coast guy Yeah, I'm the Julio Glacier of R&B Man, your Spanish crowd Is different Cause I seen you in the Bay Well, you know, we got the mixed up We a melting pot up there Your LA crowds though The Spanish The Latinos, the Chicanos The low riders Like your music is like the soundtrack Of their life Like, man And when I got to see it I think I came to see you at What's the Greek? I remember looking at the crowd And I was like, oh, shit This is a whole Spanish Latino crowd Going crazy to your music Like your music has reached so many people, man That feeling has to be incredible Yeah, I mean, to me When I came out, I had all the gang bangers And they probably going to gang bangers And then the Keith Swetnam I mean, well, you know, in New York City They did have a shootout after you sang I ain't got nothing to do with that You just make the music, man Yeah, but it's always been like that And it's never stopped And that's the whole thing That I'm amazed at You know what I'm saying? It's like, I've been blessed You know, definitely been blessed You've stood to test the time, man You've absolutely done it And I just want to say thank you Thank you, I appreciate it Five hits only, I only have five hits in my life Man, five times what? Five times zero I'm fine Let me stop playing No, you can cement it No, but no, I'm happy that They've been able to give the people the music That they wanted to hear I'm happy, Jeff, to be able to still do what I'm doing And doing it in a big way I'm on tour right now, so I call Anby Lovers Tour with myself, Joe Januwine, Cut Close through Hill Make sure y'all come and check it out Go to Keyswet.com And see these dates Keyswet.com I just dropped a new song called Good Love Part 2, Calvin Richardson King George, Cupid Roy Anthony, myself Chip Roy Anthony, so make sure y'all go Good Love Part 2, go listen to it now The video's out, you're gonna love it I promise you, then the Afrobeat album is dropping You wanna hear that? I'm simply my own stuff I got one more question What's up? Is my good friend Kev on stage safe If he see you, man You ain't gonna put him in a trunk? Nah, he don't, you know He didn't do it, man I mean, but you know, I'm just saying he's good Knowledge is, but let me say this to you Knowledge is key So when people talk, that's what they're talking about That's all I ask people to do, you know what I'm saying Do your homework Like, if I'm gonna speak on something, I'm gonna do my homework You know, because knowledge is key You know what I'm saying? And because I'm never gonna speak on somebody Or what somebody doing unless I do my research Yeah, that's the whole key You know, I know he probably was having fun I'm not even tripping on that like that for real I'm just, you know, I'm just, I laugh It's funny because I laugh at them Well, I'll be threatening him for you Don't do that You know what's wet, go do it No, but seriously, I'll be just laughing A lot of things that used to bother me back in the day Just make me smile right now Because to me, it's like, they just don't know If you don't know, you don't know So, I mean, because there's things that I don't know Unless I do my research So, like, you know, I don't, you know When I watch things like that, when I call you And be saying, who this dude talking that man I kind of be like, man, pick that nigga on the phone right now Let me, let me, let me have a conversation with him Like, dude, what's wrong with you? Stop, babe, like I'm too old for you to be bringing my name up Bring one of them young dudes' names up and leave me alone You know what I'm saying? Like, I ain't got time for that mess, man You know what I'm saying? That's just me At this point in my life, that's just me If I ain't bothering you, don't bother me Leave me alone, keep my name out your mouth I feel better when you do that, you know what I'm saying? Because I still get a little irritated when we speaking on When you still don't bother? Like, I don't like, I don't like to be spoken on Especially if you just speaking out of content, text, you know what I'm saying? I just, like, come on, man, why you guys bring my name up? If there's so many other people's names you can bring up, leave me alone I ain't bothering you, I'm not bothering nobody I'm doing what I love and doing my thing If I stop bothering you, you gonna know it Don't talk Please, please, people, don't bother, keep sweating Nah, I'm good, I'm happy, I'm content You know what I'm saying? I'm blocking people You blocking, I ain't never blocking nobody, you blocking people I'm blocking you, if you feel like If I feel there's a pressure cook on me I'm blocking you If I feel like there's a pressure cook on me I'm blocking you Man, if you somebody that's been blocked by a keyswet Nah, I mean, you know you're in the wrong You know why You're not blocking and watching Bad energy is not good And if I feel like you got bad energy, what's the point of me holding a cup? What's the point of you letting me even call me? Yeah Like, don't, I don't want, like, when I see a number like, yo, all you, I already know what this is going to be about Bad energy, I don't even call me I'm good, you could be fly as hell Nah, I respect that Like, but you be fly by yourself Don't call my phone, leave me alone You know, that's just how I am You know what I'm saying? Once you get to a point that you fly Then everything around me Then you out doing me baby, you don't need me Fly solo Fly solo, you don't need me to be around you You don't need me, you don't even need to talk to me You don't need a good morning, goodbye You know what I'm saying? Kiss my butt, don't need nothing A lot That's healthy for you You don't agree I agree I'm not agreeing at all It's healthy when you get certain, like, it's healthy when you remove a healthy thing about your life Right? Yes Because you know you'll have somebody in your life who will blame you for everything And it won't take responsibility for nothing That's unhealthy Because Like, there's nobody perfect And somebody, you know, I'm not perfect If I'm in a relationship with somebody, I got my fault So you gonna tell me you faultless? No, get out of here with that I didn't know how it worked No, something just ain't right, man Ta! Back to the music Yeah, yeah, you know, make it last forever candles Yes Yeah, you know, platinum status bags And don't give me truth No, we are And don't get it twisted Might get put into a pie Okay? Man, like I said, sweat, thank you Thank you, man, I appreciate it This has been amazing Yeah, thank you Super appreciative, man No problem, baby boy Man, you always show me love since the day I met you Thank you Always, man, and I can't thank you enough Appreciate it So I'm Jay Valentine And I'm Q-Sweat I'm Q-Sweat I'm Q-Sweat You know what? Go ahead I'm Q-Sweat And this is R&B Money And we finished And I hope he ain't got no more questions If he wanna ask me I'll call you And if take, if you got some, take the call And ask the questions Ha ha ha ha I see you got that too Thanks This is an I Heart podcast Guaranteed human