The Breakfast Club - INTERVIEW: Keith Sweat Opens Up About Writing Through Heartbreak, Award Snubs, R&B Evolution + More

Episode Date: January 9, 2026

Today on The Breakfast Club, Keith Sweat Opens Up About Writing Through Heartbreak, Award Snubs, R&B Evolution. Listen for more!YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakfastClubPower1051FMSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. There's no championship league for small business owners, but if there was, you'd be at the top of the standings. Because going pro with Lenovo Pro means you've got the winning formation. One-on-one advice, IT solutions, and customized hardware powered by Intel Core Ultra processors help you stay ahead of the competition.

Business Goes Pro with Lenovo Pro. Sign up for free at Lenovo.com slash pro. Hi, I'm Dr. Priyankawali. And I'm Hurricane Dibolu. It's a new year. And on the podcast, Health Stuff, we're resetting the way we talk about our health. Which means being honest about what we know, what we don't know, and how messy it can all be. I like to sleep in late and sleep early.

Is there a chronotype for that or am I just depressed? Health stuff is about learning, laughing, and feeling a little less alone. Listen on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Hello, I'm Jorge Ramos. This week, on the moment, we take a look at Venezuela's uncertain future in a conversation with two people who have directly advised U.S. presidents. Juan Gonzalez, during the Obama and Biden administrations, we're really good at invading countries.

We're very bad at nation building. In Carlos Dyer Rosillo, we're in Trump's two terms. I can guarantee you that nobody in the Trump administration likes Delsi Rodriguez. Listen to the moment with Jorge Ramos and Paola Ramos on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcast, or whatever you get your podcast. Hey everybody, it's Michelle Williams, host of Checking in on the Black Effect podcast network. You know, we always say New Year, New Me, but real change starts on the inside. It starts with giving your mind and your spirit the same attention you give your goals.

And on my podcast, we talk mental health, healing, growth, and everything you need to step into your next season, whole and empowered. New Year, Real You. Listen to Checking game with Michelle Williams from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Oh, no. Every day I wake up. Wake your ass up. The Breakfast Club.

Are you all finished or y'all is done? Morning, everybody. It's DJ NV. Jess hilarious. Shalermaine the guy. We are the Breakfast Club. Lawlerosa is here as well. We got a special guest in the building.

The legendary, the icon. That's right. Ladies and gentlemen, Keith sweat. What up, baby? How you feeling? How you doing? I'm doing. How ya, I'm doing? Happy New Year, my brother.

Same New Year, my brother. You ain't missing no checks. I know that much. Oh, hang. I don't know. I might be missing a few, but I'm going to go. Whatever they had, I'm going to go get them. That's right.

Now, Keith popped out at our jingle ball in Atlanta. Oh, I know he shut it. Oh, man, at the Army set, man. He had ladies going crazy out there. Always do. You ever get tired of it? Nah, I love that. You know, I love going on after some people.

I got to make my statement. It's still the same. Ain't nothing chain Make it last forever, baby But your music has last Through so many different generations It don't even matter What crowd keeps sweat pop up out

They know the word They know Right And you'd be up there with that cup Yeah, SMT Now you're going out on tour With you, Joe Drew Hill and Genuine Man, I just had a cut close

On my set, yeah Really Oh, that's dope So where does it matter Who closes out a show like that? Do you care? I mean, because you got the head hits, you got the legacy. Do you care where you perform?

I really, I really don't care, but nobody really wants to go on after me. You know what I'm saying? But I don't really care because the sweet spot normally is 9, 30, 10 o'clock at the show. That's the sweet spot. So, you know, sometimes people cry about, you know, but nowadays when people come to a show, they're more concerned about what kind of show you put on. They don't really care who headlining because, you know, it's like, you know, as long as you rock the joint, you know, they're going to talk about you. So that's what I do. I say, you want to close or you're closed? I don't care. Who put together the line up?

Well, you know, you can't get me on my show unless I agree to it. I got to agree to it. So, you know, any deals I do, it's like you got to tell me who's on the show before I agreed to it. Who all over there? Who are all over there? Are we going to see you and cut close on the stage together, doing some of the subject got together? Yeah, yeah. Fire.

This is crazy. Joe, Drew Hill, Genuine. You going to try to dance? Because you got to compete with Genuine. You got to compete with Jim. I mean, I don't need to dance. I got dancers. I don't need to dance.

You got my dance. I got eight, 12 dancers, so I don't need to dance. You know, when people talk about R&B, Keith, like, your name is, like, foundational when it comes to R&B. At what point did you realize

you weren't just making songs, you were, like, shaping a whole sound? I mean, when I came in, I knew I could do up-tempo and slow, and they all had the same effect. So, like, there's nothing I can, you know, like I do Afrobeat, R&B, slow, fast. It doesn't matter. So, I mean, I knew at that point, once I knew I could do whatever, you know,

I knew I would captivate, you know, the R&B audience because of the fact, you know, everybody in the R&B game can't do everything. Or you sound crazy if you're doing the slow, so if you're a balladeo, you sound crazy trying to do an uptemple joint. It don't work for everybody. How do you feel when, like, some of your songs, like, I know I won't be here for long is like the TikTok and even on Instagram

like it's like the go-to for a lot of the videos that people use for the means when that happens like as an artist like when you're watching it how do you feel when you see people using your sounds across TikTok and Instagram like all these years later? I feel good about it because I felt like I did what I needed to do. I accomplished what I needed to accomplish

I made an effect on the whole generation you know so I feel like you know it makes me feel good it makes me feel proud about yo I created it because I you know I write and produce all my joints. So, you know, me riding and producing my joints and people still loving it to this day

makes me feel like, yo, I am that dude. Yeah, I saw you post, can somebody please explain to me how Mary go around ended up on Roblox? How did you even know what the hell Roblox was? Because I know you wasn't on Roblox over here. No, I looked at that joint. I was like, damn, what the hell is this?

Nah, I don't even know, man. It's just, I look at Instagram and face, and YouTube and I'm like what the hell is this? How did you hear he was on roadblocks? I just happened to look at see it. You ain't just happened to be on no damn bro. He was at some chick house that got a Lou kid.

Look Uncle Keith in my life. I'm younger than you. I'm on robox and than you. I'm on robox and whatever blocks is my block and You block. It is interesting to know how you got a whole generation that's rediscovering, like, real grown R&B.

So what do you think, like, modern R&B is getting right, and what do you think that they're missing, that they keep coming back to the OG stuff? Well, like, I had a conversation with pleasure and all some of them young brothers, and I said, man, y'all, y'all keep saying R&B is dead. Y'all killed R&B because y'all want to curse it in songs. Y'all want to act like R&B is a rap record. You know what I'm saying? I mean, R&B is full play. R&B is, you know, I took the whole four play game out to

rap. If you're cursing and you're trying to make up up with your girl or whatever and you're playing an R&B song, you curse it, now you're going to make up. Y'all been arguing, so now that's making it arguing with y'all. You know, I'm saying? They're joined the argument, you know what I'm saying? So I'm like, so that's not what R&B was about.

That's what our NB is to mellow the shit out, mellow, you know what I'm saying, for y'all to sit down talk it out talking out talking out y'all don't kill the game so that's why they keep sampling my shit because they like omega last who can let you like me nobody you know you got me twisted girl you know what I'm gonna say I said that's what everybody's going back to that's why they're every sample in my my my songs I got it to a argument with this guy at Starbucks yesterday right two days ago he works there and he was talking about hip-hop and R&B and he was saying that you know people are making R&B hip-hop and I'm like that That's not true. I'm like, there are some R&B artists that are hip hop, like Mary J. Blah, as I say, Chris Brown. I said, there are R&B artists that are not hip-hop. And I'm like, like, Keep Sweat is an R&B artist. So do you think that when you talk about the cursing in the music, do you think there's different levels of doing it, different ways of doing it, like the hip-hop version to R&B and then just R&B. Well, back in the day, R&B was just R&B. Even when Mary did it back in the day, she still did the R&B. You know, I mean, and so I think, what sometimes we as R&B artists have a tendency to do is we try to be, we create ourselves and we know follow the trend of what everybody else is doing, which doesn't work for everybody.

And it shouldn't work for everybody. I'm not trying to follow what everybody else is doing. That's why I'm in this lane by myself or certain lanes by myself because I don't care what he's doing on the right or he's doing on the left. You know what I'm saying? That doesn't make you a pioneer following somebody else. I don't want to father you. I don't want to bother you.

This is what I do. Because for so long, people have talked shit about Keith Sweat, but he don't do this, he don't do that, he don't do that. So now my point is I'm just laughing, 30 all years later and say, y'all thought I couldn't do this. I didn't do this. I didn't do it. What did they say you couldn't do?

No way they said you to dance. That's the only I heard. I could dance. You've seen me on something. Go back and look at something. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm dancing. I'm dancing.

You know, you know, like, for you know, like, For instance, like I never won a BETT award. That's BET PART. I never won a Grammy. That's the Grammy problem. You know what I'm saying? But when I get on stage, I always say, y'all are my Grammys because, look, you know, everybody that has done that, they're not even still relevant. You know, I'm still headlining.

I'm still doing what I do. So I'm still able to do tours and, you know, do six, seven thousand or more people. So, you know, Africa has been trying to get me over there for the longest, you know what I'm saying? and they're trying to go up on the money more and more. Please me, see, this way it's coming to. See me. Why you won't go? Why haven't been there? I've been to Africa.

I've been all over Africa. I've been to Cape Town, Durbin, you know, Johannesburg, Nigeria. I've been to Africa before. But, you know, I mean, you know, last time went to Africa, it was funny because they got me because, you know, he said, you're playing in Africa. I say, okay.

So I'm in Africa, right? We're in the car driving. So I said, where the show? I said, oh, man, they're having a game over there. It's packed out. It's a soccer stadium. He said, my brother, that's where you perform me tonight. I said, hold up.

Wait a minute. Let me get this person on the phone. You tell them out. He said, it's so loud. Soccer stadium, standing room only. Damn. Man, I called back to America. I said, man, if you don't put some more money in my house.

Oh, wow. I'm coming home. So that's the last time I've been, South Africa, when it was soccer stadium. You know, it was packed out. It was damn, man. And so. So you thought you was doing a smaller venue? Oh, my God.

Yes, I did. And then I see, and I said, man, it's there game there? No, that's what you at today. That's what you at. So now they're getting it all together. So, you know, they sent me some stuff. They want me to Ghana, San Bia, you know, I'm Kenya. Or, you know, they're trying to put a whole thing together.

but I said before I go, I want to make sure What stadiums are you doing? The stadiums and money got to be what it got to be. You know what I'm saying? That's what I'm saying. Do you think pain is necessary to make great R&B or can Joy be just as powerful in these love songs? I've never been happy making a love song.

Damn. Never? No, I mean, you know, like my best songs came from being hurt. Make it last forever. That first album was a hurt. It was all pain. and nobody was, I think, was all pain. You know, like we all go through things in our life, you know what I'm saying, and some people, you know, and it doesn't necessarily a female, you know what I'm saying?

They ain't hit you at, you know, where you least expected, you know, we could be like, one day and be like, what the dog going on with the next, you know what I'm saying? So, you know, that's when I think I get my best ideas when I run the studio after, you know, I'm going through something because that's like for me, therapeutic. I can write songs and it's very therapeutic for me and I'm like oh my God because I've written songs in two hours, three songs in two hours and they were hits and it was therapeutic for me it was like me, you know, getting counseling

you know what I'm saying, that type of stuff. That's interesting you said that because a lot of your records do feel like conversations people were afraid to have in real life so you are writing from personal experience. Right, right, definitely. I don't know if you want to share but during to make it last forever time like what was it that you were experiencing? Oh, this girl cheating on me.

Oh, go ahead. So I was like, yo. So I went through a whole, it was like what I really went to, something just ain't right was really something just ain't right. Make it last was really, make it last. Don't stop your love was really, don't stop your love. How deep is your love was really, yo, you don't really love me like you say you love me. Oh, that was one girl?

Yeah. So Megalas forever, she cheated on you with another celebrity, a ball player or just a regular dude. Not, she's not. She came to whatever. her school reunions and got a guy with one of the old you know actually I was in New York she came to Atlanta

where I lived and then her girlfriend told on her damn oh damn did you get with the girlfriend then you knocked up a girlfriend you knocked up the girlfriend I ain't

you're gonna fuck a girlfriend man she didn't fucking I didn't want a girlfriend you're a snitch that is for laughing so that's how you felt where you wasn't happy that the girl came to you

and told you what was up that shit nah that shit made me hurt more damn so you rather be cheated on in peace you might not even know I want to know

but I don't want to know you know but you're kind of like you want to know but you say something's a better said you know what I'm saying you know how that is you want to know

you don't want to know you know what I'm saying so it's like I'm like damn do I really want to know because some things going to hit you harder knowing. Getting that confirmation.

Yeah. So sometimes you always had that little bit and you say, well, maybe that didn't happen. You know, but what you know it did happen? You'll be on a whole other level, man. So you thought she was cheating? Like you already had that. I had it in my mind, but she put that confirmation. Give you that clarity.

And I was like, damn, girl. You ever go back to check out she doing it, but like, I hope she doing bad now? You check on Facebook. I want everybody cheats on me to do bad. Did you do bad? How many people was it? Anybody. Now, that's the, that's people mentality.

Because if you, if they do, they, they, they, they, and they, and you doing good, they hate that. That's the word. They look at you. Oh, God. My last. Wrong man. You know what I'm saying? But if you're doing bad, they'd be, oh, thank God I left that one.

So you be warned, it's kind of like, it's selfish. Yeah. But it's real. And if somebody say that's not true, they lie. I don't care what nobody's there. You know what's interesting to keep it, people would think that you were a player and you out here sleeping

with a bunch of girls and stuff, but you seem like you was a one-woman man. Loyal dude. What's that? Look at you. Look at you. What's I? You were faithful in that whole situation

before you found out she cheated? I think I was. I think I was. No, I think I was. So she wasn't cheating back? No, no, no. I think because I was into her. Oh, I got you.

You know what I'm saying? If I'm into somebody, I ain't trying to mess it up. Mess it up. But if I ain't really into you because, you know, sometimes you think you into somebody and you ain't into somebody and then you see something else walking out, you'd be, oh, shit. You know what I'm saying? I guess I wasn't into it. You can be in love, but you still got eyes.

Right. But then my eyes can't be open, but so I'm funny, man. Because, you know, you know, the one, if I'm into you, I'm into you. But if you, if I see the slightest little. little bit of, you know, something that you ain't doing right. Then I'm like that. Right now I'm going through that shit.

You know what I'm going? I'm going to that. They think they slick, but they ain't slick and I'm putting them out there for y'all. Okay. Wait, hold on. No, that's right. That's right.

That little ass, go. I was, okay, explain. They think they're slick. What they doing? What's happening? Yo, you know, when you, when you were, when you, when you, when you, when you don't wrote songs about

bangs. When you're on the spirit thing, you know when somebody being slick. You know what I'm saying? When somebody is doing, banging somebody else too. You know what I'm saying? So you know what I'm saying? And they, you know, they have a tendency to play that, though. I'm a good girl role. Don't play

it. Like, yo, my attitude is this, right? To anybody. Right? And this is the truth. If you want to open a relationship, just say, yo, I want to do my thing. You do your thing when we back together. We together. You know, you take care things with me when I'm with you and if you won't be with the next man let him do what

he do when he with you because if that's what you want there's nothing wrong with that because now you've been out because nowadays you don't want to play with people feelings and emotions it's a dangerous game out here when you're playing with people feelings and emotions so it's like I tell people all day long don't you know you know that's not something to toy with you know what I'm saying because if you ever been hurt that joint ain't no joke for real and some people can't do pain, that kind of pain. I can handle it. You know what I think?

I go to a student and start singing. You know what I'm saying? Everybody can't handle it. So it's like it's better for people to say, yo, this is what I want to do. You do you. When you do you, I do me. And then when we want to be together, we do it.

Yeah, but you cannot make somebody or you can't ask somebody to do certain things that only your real significant other should do and playing games with them. That is not something to toy with it. You got to make a real commitment. I was going to say, are you in a relationship right now? Are you in a relationship right now?

Sometimes I think I am. Sometimes I think I'm not. Man, you got to stop with this. You think you are. How does she know when she's playing games? Like, what do y'all? Y'all have, like, boundaries or, like, a certain situation set up. Like, there's, like, are you exclusive?

Like, what is she playing? Yeah. Hey, yo. You're supposed to be. Oh, so y'all are supposed to be exclusive right now. Right, but it doesn't work like that. She's wearing a wire, Keith. Don't talk about me.

She's ready to go back and tell the girl. Don't tell her. No, I'm just trying to figure. No, I'm just trying to figure it out because I just wanted to know where you coming from. Okay. You got it. I know you know. Okay.

He backed up from the mic in the next day. He's like, nah. Nah. What's the closest you think you ever been to getting married? I've been married before. Oh, you know you're married? Yeah, a long time ago. Don't bring it up, though.

Oh. Damn. What era of people was this? If you are crazy, man. Don't bring it up. We got to move on to another stuff. It did last, man. Who do you listen to when you're going through a heartbreak?

Because people listen to your music when they're going to. You just go in there and write something? You think I'm playing? No, I'm not playing. I don't want to hear nobody else singing to me when I'm going to a heartbreak. I want to hear me sing to me and say, yo, this is how you fix your situation. I promise you, I do not listen to nobody else when I'm going to heartbreak.

Because I've written too many songs to heal myself, you know what I'm saying. I go back and listening, you know, because I've written for Drew Hill, Ron Isley. and mature everybody, right? So I can listen to some of them songs. You know what I'm saying? Okay, because like I said, every time I've been through a situation,

I've been able to write. So I can go to maybe the second, third album, and listen to something that'd be like, oh, damn. And it might heal me. I feel good, you know, I feel good about it. You know, LSD album, anything, something like that, you know what I'm saying?

Are you the type of person after a heartbreak, like, if the person breaks your heart, Are you willing to work it out and move forward? Or you just completely off the person after that? And you're moving on to somebody. No, I don't like starting over. I'm a person that don't like, I like to try to fix what's broke. Because, you know, I just feel like if you, when you get into a new situation,

it's still going to be something that you have to work through and fix. And then you're going to have the same problem. So a lot of times you're going to have the same problems. So my attitude is to try to fix what's broken. because you know that person someone and that person knows you somewhere. So do what you got to do to fix that if you think you can trust that person

and you feel that person can trust you or you feel you can get to a middle point where y'all both agree. That's my point. Because going to something else, it's like, oh, I got to meet the family members. I got to meet the kids. It's just that whole process

and it takes a long time and then you'd be like, you're so consumed with a bunch of different because it's always going to be somebody who has the next set of problems. It's going to be that. And anybody that says it's not true because I've experienced that, okay, I got to deal with this. This is what I dealt with in this situation.

I got to deal with this in their situation. So it's always going to be something else. So the current situation now, why ain't trying to fix that? Don't say I ain't try. They might think they still slick, you know what I'm saying? So, you know. Not after she watched this. Huh?

Not after she watched this. You're going to know she ain't that slick. No, son's son just ain't right. Is it another celebrity that you're dating Or do you stick to people who are like non-celebrity? I don't do the celebrity dating thing. I just don't, I mean, because it's, I don't. Have you tried before?

I was going to say, have you ever? Well, when I got with them, they wasn't celebrity. I don't, I just don't, I like to be private but not be private. You know what I mean? If you don't want to take a picture with me, that means you're doing something wrong. You know what I'm saying? You know, but I don't do the dating celebrity thing. I've always been like that.

I don't know. It's just something about me. I don't want to do that. When you say not wanting to take a picture with you, what do you mean? I mean, you know, when most people, you know how people are out. And if somebody don't want to be seen, take a picture with you. That sounds like them young girls on vacation with their sugar daddy. So what are you saying?

I don't start that bullshit. You say, you want to be in the video. Gee, hi, you funner, you know what I'm talking about. You go with your shit. Oh, you want to be in the video? Right, yeah, don't just take a picture of the food and crop my head out, bitch. I'm not that you a sugar daddy, but you are Keith's sweat. So it's like, I would think that you wouldn't want to be in the photo until.

But if I'm not, if that's the one I'm messing with. I mean, you sugar zaddy. You know, don't, here y'all go. You know, get them some water. But can the R&B singer have a night off, right? And what I mean by that is you guys sing to these ladies and you guys, these ladies desire you. When y'all get into the bedroom,

y'all can't have a night off because it's over. Well, that's over. Because you can't have it? Because you are R&B singers. What you're trying to say? Like, you mean like you got to put it down? Yeah, like if you don't, like, it's the pressure.

It's the pressure there for you. I don't know why you asking you that. Ain't no pressure for me, man. He said, you know, not on the stuff. They were all right. There's pressure for you. You're goddamn. That lady gave you some chicken wings and sent you on your way.

Hold on, let me ask you a son. You're not an R&B, but you're a celebrity, so they're pressure for you? It's my wife. Oh, bad, but there's still pressure on wife. There's still pressure on wife. I'm glad you bought that up. No, no, no, no, no. In his first book, he talks about how he didn't make his wife orgasm for 10 years.

Get the fuck out of here, nigga. Keith. we made each other when we were 15 and 16 I don't matter you are 10 years what was wrong with the joint what was wrong with the joint it wasn't that

you're missing what was wrong with the joy he was probably he was plugging a nugget shout out the gear so man I got to get the socket

wasn't working I used to think sex was porn You just go bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang. I was 16 years old, 15. Hey, man. And I made it come from my mouth just not from my... I had to learn. Oh, man.

The sock it wasn't working. That's all right. Continue on, man. A decade. I'm not telling you, I'm nothing. You wasn't a hundred... Oh, right. All right.

Oh, Envy. He did have a new job today. He nice. Man, listen, is there anything you understand now about relationships? that you wish you knew when you was writing them heartbreak record? Nah, I think I understand everything. I understood stuff back then, but you know, like, it's always wishful thinking. You know what you know.

But you know, we just have wishful thinking. We hope that when we get into something, it's going to be, you know, perfect, but there ain't nothing perfect. So, you know what I'm saying? So the things I felt that it could be, ends up being that way, you know what I'm saying? So we all have wishful thinking. We all want certain things to be amazing. and great.

That's why I said, make it last forever, because that's wishful thinking. That's what make it last forever was about wishful thinking. We want everything to last forever. But it's just not that way. You know what I'm saying?

It's just going to... You want to know what my evenings actually look like? Homework questions. Someone needs a permission slip signed. The dog's begging for a walk. Someone's yelling for a snack. And somewhere in the middle of all that, I'm supposed to figure out dinner?

That's why Hello Fresh has been a lifesaver. Fresh ingredients show up at my door, locally sourced when possible, simple step-by-step recipes that actually make sense. And no matter how chaotic the rest of my night gets, dinner is the one thing I don't have to stress about. I'm just cooking a delicious meal my family will actually eat and it takes around 30 minutes. And honestly, the real value is knowing that even on the messiest nights, dinner's handled. That's one less thing pulling at me. And that matters. Take some stress out of your evenings right now, get 50% sent off your first box plus free sides for life.

That's right, free sides for life. Go to Hellofresh.cate and use code box. That's hellofresh.cate, code box. Hellofresh, Canada's number one meal kit delivery service. Pro drivers live for race day, but for small business owners, every day is race day. That's why Going Pro with Lenovo Pro matters. One-on-one advice, IT solutions, and customized hardware powered by Intel Core Ultra Process keep your business on the right track. Business goes pro with Lenovo pro. Sign up for free at

Lenovo.com slash pro. Lenovo, Lenovo. Hi, I'm Dr. Priyanko Wally. And I'm Hurricane DeBolu. It's a new year. And on the podcast's health stuff, we're resetting the way we talk about our health. Which means being honest about what we know, what we don't know, and how messy it can all be. I like to sleep in late and sleep early. Is there a chronotype for that? or am I just depressed? We talk to experts who share real experiences and insight.

You just really need to find where it is that you can have an impact in your own life and just start doing that. We break down the topics you want to know more about. Sleep, stress, mental health, and how the world around us affects our overall health. We talk about all the ways to keep your body in mind, inside and out, healthy. We human beings, all we want is connection. We just want to connect with each other. Health stuff is about learning, laughing, and feeling a little less alone.

Listen on the I-Heart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hello, I'm Jorge Ramos. This week, on the moment, we take a look at Venezuela's uncertain future in a conversation with two people who have directly advised U.S. presidents. Juan Gonzalez, during the Obama and Biden administrations. We're really good at invading countries. We're very bad at nation building. in Carlos Dyer Rosillo,

we're in Trump's two terms. I can guarantee you that nobody in the Trump administration likes Deli Zed Rodriguez. Listen to the moment with Jorge Ramos and Paola Ramos on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or whatever you get your podcasts.

You know, you're going to have bumps in the road and anything you're doing like, there's going to be some bumps in the road. I like what you was explaining earlier, though, because you were kind of explaining how to make it last forever, meaning that when you go through those bumps in the road, that don't mean give up.

That don't mean quit. If you really love this person, like, listen. Right. You know what I'm saying. You're not, it doesn't make you a sucker when you, when you love someone on neither the man or the woman. It'll make you whack for trying to fix what you love or want. You know what I'm saying?

I think it's whack if you walk away from something and you love it because sometimes people just try to be hard. Oh, I don't need you. I don't want you. I can go find me something else somewhere else. And, you know, at that point, you're fooling yourself because you're going to, going to run, like I said, you're going to run into the same baggage somewhere else. So, you know, that's why I said I hate to start all over because it's like you got to date again, you got to start just doing all the, and sometimes, you know, when we get older, we just

be like, man, I ain't trying to do all that. I mean, as you get older, you ain't trying to do all the same shit you was doing before. So I don't want to do all that, man. I'm not doing all that. So you try to balance everything else out because, like, for me, I'm too busy working on too many other things to keep, like y'all, you know what I'm saying? We're all business people.

You're trying to grow. No matter what we do, we're trying to grow and keep growing and keep moving, right? And we ain't got time for the bullshit. So if that's what you're bringing to me, just stay where you at. Let me say where I'm at. If you want to work things out, let's come on work things out

and help me create me and let me help you create you and let's build together. That's my whole point in life. Is anything you're still trying to prove, right? You mentioned you didn't get a Beatty Award, no Grammy. Is there anything that you want, or you just, right now it's all like, I'm just having a good time and for it. Right now, I'm just, God is good, and I'm just happy that I, like,

like when I grew up in the Grand, you know, I grew up in the project, home, grand progress, home, 25th Street, morning, so on the afternoon. Like, for me to even be where, I'm somewhere where I never thought I would ever be, never had an idea, you know, on my dream from me walking down the street, watching OJ's on the, you know, like the Apollo on the parlor, the Marquis, the Marquis, all the people, Teddy saying, damn, maybe one day I'll be there. You know what I'm saying? And to have accomplished that and more than ever I thought I would have accomplished, you know,

to me, you know, I've gotten my heart's desire. And you know what I'm saying? I got more than what, because there's a lot of people that will never, ever get their hard desire, things they dream about in life. So I think we are blessed, you know, for all those that have gotten certain things in life, we're definitely blessed to have been able to build and get what a lot of things out of life that most people will never get. Yeah, but, you know, I think about like a Habitian, Hon and Teddy Riley, like that was maybe

10 years ago now, right? They got to do that for you. Because if you want to do a new Jack Swing tribute, definitely salute to Teddy. I don't want it. What? What? What? Because, you know why I don't want it?

If I haven't got, listen, I'm funny. Y'all got to understand how funny I am. My attitude in life is give it to me when I deserve it. You deserve it right now? Hold up. Hold up. Hold up. Hold up.

I've had more. First of all, if you don't give it to me when I deserve it, like I told my daughter, God forbid I leave here today tomorrow, you better not take no award they try to give you now. because, you know, like, my attitude is this, right? You know, don't try to give me my applause when I'm not here. And then, like, I'd be seeing them do that to people. And I'm like, yo, you never really ignited them like that when they was head. Come on.

I don't want that bullshit. You know what I'm saying? It's like I'm the man that I am. You know, I'll teach my kids to be the same way. You know, be proud men. Don't be take a hand out. You know what I'm saying? Don't give it to me because now you want to make this big thing.

And you want people to come and acknowledge it. Man, that's for the networks and shit. The fuck that shit. And that's not me. But you don't think that it adds like just education around your legacy? Because there are a lot of people who don't know your role in the new Jack Swing here. I'm going to do my own documentary and put my own shit out. There you don't know.

But there's so many people you're fluent, though. I don't need to do, you know, because I can, I got my money to do my own doc. Eight, nine, ten episodes if I want to do it. Put it all together. And that's what I do. You know what I'm saying? You won't buy this? You won't buy this?

I own it. You know what I'm saying? That's how you do things today. I'm not going to do that. That's why I never did it on song and none of that other stuff, right? Because I'm not going to let you have my thing and show it at any time you want to show me. This is no. You can't do that to me.

So I'll do mine, sell it to you. And then I'll tell you when I want you to show it and then I want you to stop to show me. And you don't want anybody else to tell your story. Right. Yeah, because half the people of the stories that are told are not real story. They're not true. And they leave a lot of tape on the floor. And we want to show the neckwith, want to show what they want to show.

They can't fabricate things. I don't want that. You know, you can't fabricate things, you know. I mean, it's just like everybody said New Jack Swing started on my first album. No, it did not start on my first album. I was with Such a record, Mars Levy, Adam Levy, when they had the Fat Boys, I was producing for Sucher Records back in the day, you know. I got two records on the end of that.

All I wanted my baby. My mind is waiting. I was with Tony Lopez, the GQ. You know what I'm saying? Back in the day on 165th Street on Woody Crest Avenue in the Bronx. You know what I'm saying? So my legacy extends,

y'all just know to make it last for ever part. You know what I'm saying? But me hanging on 95th Street in Columbus Avenue to go and sell a restaurant, you know what I'm saying, and all that type of stuff, you know what I'm saying? When Earl Monroe used to I'm a 165th, Woody Cresden Avenue to see me because he had pretty Pearl Records, all that type of stuff.

You know what I'm saying? People don't know about all that stuff. So that was way before I want to. So that's what I'm saying. You know, it's like it didn't start with people thinking Don't Stop Your Love was my first song. That's what I got my deal on, Don't Stop It Love. It wasn't on I Wanted.

It was on Don't Stop It Love. You know, and Benson Davis gave me the deal with entertainment, and that's where it all started. That's why I want to see your story told because if you can't, I love Teddy, but Teddy can't get all the credit for creating New Jack Swing that without keep sweat. Well, Teddy will tell everybody and that's my man is that what happened is when I got my deal but don't stop your love, I'm the one that went to Teddy and told Teddy, yo, I need, I got to deal with Electra and I want you to come on and work without me because he was with this group

called Kids at Work, if you remember. and we would do the Chittland circuit in New York we would do the Red Parrot Mark 4, all of them Smalls Paradise, all of them clubs in Harlem and that, I had a group called Jamila. Kinky and, what's name was in Kinky Fox? My Jessica Pade man.

Johnny Kim. Johnny Kim was in... Johnny Kent was in... See, because I wrote Jessica Pade with Teddy. You know? know what I'm saying, but I never got credit for it. So, you know, it's just a whole other thing, you know what I'm saying? Because I'm the one that ran to Johnny Kimmer and say, yo,

because if Jessica Pay was supposed to go on my first album. And we missed the time frame of it because we had handed the credits in. So it was sitting with Teddy that whole time and Yanni went over there and recorded it and then, you know, that's exactly what happened, but that's, that's hell there. There was some, you applied a little bit of pressure to Teddy for that too because you heard the record on the radio. told a story told.

Now I applied a little pressure to Johnny Kemp's. You know, God rest of soul, I applied some pressure to that. And, you know, and Jane Griffin. Gene Griffin, that's what, yeah. Look at his face, man. Yep. But the record sounds just like you, though. You can tell.

Yeah, so, you know, that's what the pressure got about. But I just, but I left it alone because, you know, it's just like, Because I, you know, then they went on for more. It just kept going going on. And then because Let's Chill was supposed to be the song I did. Then me, Teddy and Bernard Bell wrote Let's Chill together. And that was supposed to go into the, that was the song that I was supposed to do in New Jack City. And, you know, I didn't, it didn't happen.

And, you know, that's how I end up singing there, you go telling me no again. Why would I be singing there, you go telling me no at a wedding thing? And then, yeah, because I had to have it. See, the song was supposed to be ready that next day. I had to have it for the wedding scene Very bad people said You know we got to have a song If you're going to be in a thing

You got to have a song So I had to go And right there you go telling me no again That same night before I shot that scene In Grandstone At Grandstone So that's where there you go telling me no came in Because I couldn't think of nothing else

But there you go telling me no We're going to get y'all that Wow And that's how that came about I was asking so if BET The Grammy's any of those organizations Come out said we want to do something for you, you're going to say no.

Yep. Wow. Damn, can you? Why say you? I don't know. I would love to see you get your flowers. She just felt a damn was appropriate. I would love to see you get your flowers.

Look where I'm at. I got my flowers. That's right. I'm like everybody, the thing is different. Everybody, you know what I'm saying? That's not going to take my legacy away. Me not having that.

That's not going to do nothing less for me. they ain't gonna give me no more money you know what I said so what is it gonna do is oh it's just nah I don't care man I used to care it used to bother me I'm gonna tell you the truth it used to bother me it's just like when

when you know they took the what was it the American Music Award for me the first time or something like that and gave it to George Michael or whatever for Best Army album and I was halfway out my sleep best army and George manga I sat myself back down So it's like, but that was the only one that really ever acknowledged me and gave me was American Music Award.

That was my first real big award, American Music Award. So it's like, so when I got that, I'm like, yo, I didn't get a VD award. And I never got a Soul Train Award when Don Caneas was with it. What? Never. That's crazy. Paxon Baker gave me, I never got an award, but Paxon Baker realized I never got a Soul Train Award and gave me a lifetime achievement award

on the second Soul Train Run. So I never got a Soul Train. I'm sitting there trying to think, who the hell was they giving awards to then, back? I never got a Soul Train. I'm going to say, hold on, wait a matter.

That's great. How I never get a Soul Train award? I can't even get on the train. You know, everybody knows. On a more, sole train. I can't even get on a Soul Train, man. Damn. So that's why you like that.

That's why I'm like that. Like, I'm not playing politics. I'm not playing a political game. Because the game is, I don't feel like playing the game. I don't feel like. Like, if my music don't say what it says or say that, yo, like, I know everybody knows who Keith Sweat. I went to the Knicks' game last night.

I know everybody know who Keith's where it is. You know, just walking in a spike, Allen Houston, all of them. Yo, what's up, baby? You know, you know, T. Lou, you know, all of them. What's up? You know, hanging. Drake said he, the lights game, Keep Sweat. He said that years ago.

Yeah, but I'm the dark skin, he's way. Have y'all ever hooked up the door record? Mm-mm. Did y'all ever reach out, speak to each other or no? I saw him in the hotel. Hmm. Did he try? Did you try or not?

Yeah, I just didn't have that conversation. Did he speak to you? You say, hey, light skin keeps the website. When I first met him, he was excited to meet me. As time went on, he became, he was Drake. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Oh, the interaction wasn't good or?

No, it was, yeah, it was good. It was good. You know me. I'm just like, you know, it was good. Yeah, got you. You know, he never, we never, we, we, it's always been cool with us, me, you know, running into it. There's never been, though, I don't fuck with you or you don't fuck with me type of shit. Yeah.

I don't do that. I'm glad I cut closes on this tour. Why isn't silk on this tour? You wrote so many hits for silk. Mm. There we go. around it's because I tried to make it happen

as recently as last week but you know when you're doing shows right there's only but so much money and the thing you know because you got production and license you know what I'm saying and you know like I gave up a lot of my money to make it happen

with Cut Close and And, you know, I gave up certain things, you know, when I do shows, I look at the branding of the show. I'm not, if it's, if it's about me putting all the money in my pocket, but the show is going to be whack, I won't do it. So I try to make it weird. The show is good for the public, because now in the temperature we're in, in the world and in this time and people losing their job or whatever. I tell people, I say, you can't charge as much for the ticket price because, you know, And you got so many tours. So you got to have the ticket price has to be at the right price.

Because everybody can't afford those high prices right now. So they want to see the show. It's got to be at a price. So that means the artist prices has to come down to make sense if you want to tour. Right? Some people get it. Some people don't. Until they didn't get that.

I'm not saying, but they're five guys so I can understand that. You know, you got to split the money five ways. You know, and so the money has to be a little more for somebody who got to split the money by way. I realized that shit when I did L-S-G. I wasn't thinking, swear your money will get cut three ways. You know what I'm saying?

Then when I started touring, I'm like, hold up, wait a minute, man. Look at my money, I'm going to be out by myself. So that type of thing. So I was disappointed. It didn't happen. but I'm understanding that you got to split the money far away. So my money is just me.

And I make a lot more than I did back in the day when I hit the boat. But I'm not giving up all my money because you're splitting five ways. I can't do it. You know what I'm saying? I heard you say you're going to give up some of it, though, so that cut close can be good. There's sometimes these conversations about you and cut close and like your relationship being a little bit rocky.

But it sounds like, you know, you're taking care of them, So when you hear those. Okay, I don't, listen, when it comes to people with relationships being rocky, I hear things and, you know what I'm saying? It's my truth, they truth and the real truth, right? Like, and I say this to Silk cut closer to anybody else. I always tell people, if you think I did something from you, I'll pay for my lawyer to open my books.

You go look at my books and I'll pay for it. People have heard me say that. I've told Tady that. I'll tell Silp that, hey, I tell you what. You think I took something from you? I'm going to call my lawyer. You can look through whatever you want and I'll pay for it.

Now, if you don't find nothing, you're going to pay that money back. So the lawyer. So really, it's like, to me, it's like, okay, I'm going to pay my lawyer. But me, okay, you got to take time, you got to find things. Go ahead and find it. Look through it. Now, if you find something, then you got a point. But if you don't find them, watch it.

I pay for you to find and you don't find nothing, right? You got to pay that back. Am I right or wrong? That makes perfect sense to me. That makes sense, right? You know what I'm saying? So I tell anybody, but when you, but Close was signed through a production company. They weren't signed directly to me.

Got you. So that's- So the production company gets everything and they got to pay their artists. So it's never a direct thing because. Because I didn't, they were, they were bought to me by someone else. Glad you. Okay. Right.

So when they saying, that's not, that wasn't a deal I put together. That was a deal to a production company put together. Because it's like if anybody signed to a production company, you know how that work. The production company is basically the artist. And you signed to pay the production company and the production company don't pay the artist. That's not, you have nothing to do with that. That's not. That's not your, your fault.

That's why it was only one album done, I believe, you know. So, but, you know, I still, you know, love the hell out of them girls. And I'm, I'm, that's why I'm taking them on tour. I don't have to take them on tour with me, but I want to take them on tour. Number one, I want to take them because I think that's what the fans want to see. And, you know, everything you see is Keith Sweat, when there was a whole era, key sweat cut close, key sweat, cut close. So I'm doing that because of the fans.

Now, I'm going to make it work if they have issue because I've been blessed to be in a position with, I can make it work. You know what I'm saying? So I'm definitely going to look after them at this point. You know what I'm saying? Because it's like, it's my responsibility I feel to do that. That's why I'm taking them on the road.

That's my hearing from you is so important, though, because like there's like the dollar publishing story. The sophomore album was supposed to come out. They throw a lot of what doesn't happen or didn't happen for cut close on you. But to hear that there, it was somebody, the production company that was also involved and not just keep sweat, but your name gets

I don't even know none about a dollar. You know, I say, where did that come from? Because I don't, some of them them bullshit as stories, why would I take, like that, that's so beneath a person. Like, like, that's not even my, my pedigree. You know what I'm saying? So,

so when I, like, sometimes when I hear things, I laugh because that's not even my pedigree. You know what I'm saying? Because when I see people that have a problem, I go in my pocket and I say, yo, can I buy some money? I know you can't, and you ask them for thousands. I know you can't pay it back, man. I'm giving this to you because I know you can't give it back because you ain't even got it to give it back. So, you know what I'm saying? It's going to put you back in a hole if I'm looking for it, right? That's what I do with a lot of my friends, who are my friends, to be honest with you, right? So I'm not, I'm not even a dollar. Come on now. That's not even real. That's not

real. You know, because if somebody did that to me, I would never talk to their ass. Never. For people that are listening, I don't know what he's talking about. The story was that cut close signed. They're publishing away for a dollar. Just don't want to mention what the story was. Some people don't know what the story is that we're talking about.

I wouldn't take nobody publishing for a dollar. I don't think nobody would sell it for a dollar. Thank you. You got to sell your publishing to me, right? Mm-hmm. Okay. I can't force you to sell you. So how can I get to take it?

your publishing for a dollar. How can I buy your publishing for a dollar? Because somebody would have had to, so that doesn't even make common sense. Like, you know, nobody's going to say, yo, here's a dollar, here's a dollar, let me get you have your publishing. Who's going to do that?

So I'm telling you, it was a production company signed them to me. Now, if somebody's lying, we gave you keep, to your publishing for a dollar, then they better go check them niggins. You know what I'm saying? Because of the damn lie.

Like, that is like, I need to go to hell and burn like a motherfucker if that's true. Damn. And I'm telling the truth. That's our feel, you know what I'm saying? Because that is so fucking whacked to me. It was up for somebody to do some shit like that. That's like me having a problem with that. Why would, I had issues with people in the past on my, my music.

Matter of fact, I'm having issues right now that I'm hiring like two or three lawyers to go at certain people. right now where there's millions and millions and millions of dollars at stake on my shit. Right? So my master's in all kinds of shit, right? So I know I'm going to get that ass. You know what I'm saying? I'm putting it out there for those. I know I'm going to get that ass.

So you might as well with Jason. I'm on. Okay. What made you want to do Afro beats? It's the new R&B. Yeah. I call it new R&B because of it. So, so.

The energy. Yes, the energy. I just came from Cape Town. I agree. Yes, the energy is the feeling of, oh. What's the, um, what's the, yeah? Yeah. What I'm a what's in?

Yes. That's right. That's right. That's right. It is smooth. Yeah. What made you want to do radio? And you got your radio show.

I was so long ago. You been doing that for her. Yeah. Yeah. But what made you want to do radio? I don't know. Dot winners. No.

No, it's like, he's just like, he said, you said, let's, let's, do radio and I just did radio because it was like the next thing my next move everything is the next move

like you know like executive producer movies all the shit I do is my next move my next movie what's my next move you know what I'm saying that type of stuff

so I'll be on that next move thing you know what I'm got a candle line you have platinum bag platinum stuff you want to smell like freak me

you can put it on you won't smell like make it last put it on nah because of a candle line I think there's a different scent. Do I got my candles?

What I mean my shit? Y'all came to hit with all kinds of bags. Don't worry about it. Don't worry about sleep. Sleep. Don't worry about sleep. Don't know what you mean. Candles by Keefe.

Oh, this smells good. I ain't even open the box and it smelled good. Oh, my God. I'm a candle guy. You're just going to come getting candles just one side. Okay, what that candles say? This one says, um, candles by Keith, make it last forever. This one is, I give all my love to you.

This one is twisted. Yes. God damn. They smell amazing. Damn, I want one. Y'all got three candles apiece. I want one. But they gave me one baby.

When you're going to be in Atlanta, man? I'm always in Atlanta. Okay, well, you need to come to my house and get your bag. Say no more. Say no more. Yes, Keith, I like this. You had a- out and about in Atlanta.

There was a video that went by you singing. I think it was like a karaoke night or something like that. A pleasure of people made me come there. You were just. I don't know what kind of bag. You're special because I'm going to tell you, Keith gave all the brown skin and dogskin people in here. Yeah, I didn't get it.

What's wrong. Keep spreading your bag. It wasn't wrong with that. Hang your lights. Keep running. Because you. No, they told me you always in Atlanta. I can over night your bag.

I'm just messing with you. I'm all good. Oh, you better bring in your hands up and come to my house and you can pick whatever one you want. That's all. That's fine. That's all. Don't worry. I'm calling you later on for something else.

What? You call to me before. I see you leave a comment on my daughter. There's a page that she gets married. Meag last forever. I've got to comment. Yes, you did. No, I didn't leave no shit.

Okay. He didn't ask you. He needs you to sing. Not like you act Like You want you to sing Oh no No

No She used your song She used your song She used your song Oh no No no no She got engaged No no no

She got engaged And you want Hold on Hold the fuck up nigga What the other She's saying At the wedding

Pia No Oh Oh She used your song When they got engaged And you said And you said

Yeah Hey, man. You're like, I have it on the end door. I don't know you. Is it? I say no shit. Yo, that's funny.

You know, Keith Sweat is going out on tour. 30 city tour. Kick it off on the 13th of February. That's a, that's valentine.

And go to keepswet. com for the candles and the bags, you know what I'm saying? They, you know what? Oh, my gosh. It smells.

It smells. They got to send me some candles. They're not going to burn them here. They're going to burn them right in. They're going to burn them right in. So, and the candle, Kitswit.com.

You know, candles by Keith. Candles by Keith, platinum status bags. Great quality. Kelly Clarkson, Kelly Clarkson got hers. You know what I'm saying? Spike Lee got his. You know what I'm saying? You know what I'm saying?

You're going to see it. The zipper works. They got Lipskin, brother, one, but it's all good. All the black people here got one. All the brand. What did they get the tickets from for the tour? Matt. Matt Black.

Yes, that bag is five. quality. Look at that. Look at it. See? Let it. Yes, sir. Put it all out so you're going to see it. Hold up.

I want to show it. Hold up. The backpack comes off. That's fire, y'all. You know what I'm saying? Lip. Whatever it is. It's got some.

Oh, you can use that as like a little tanning back or something. Sean, don't put none on that fanny. Come on, baby. I told her everything. That's right. It got a bunch of pockets. You know what I'm saying? Look.

That's clean. Bang. That's clean. You know what I'm saying? But you know it comes in this style too. Okay. Okay.

Hold on you had that one at that table. You're funny. I want that one. Get your tickets. What are you going to get tickets? Yes, I like that one too. Keepsweat.com. Keepsweck.

Everything on Keepsweat.com. Appreciate you, Keith. Man, always a pleasure, my brother. That's right. Make sure you get your tickets, your candles and your bags. It's the Breakfast Club. And when he comes to my house,

he'll get his. And I ain't, I didn't hit up. Make it last ever, boy, that was scary to me. This is what you think of the wedding. It's the breakfast club. Good morning. Hold on. Every day I wake up.

Wake your ass up. The breakfast club. You're all finished or y'all done? Pro drivers live for race day. But for small business owners, every day is race day. That's why Gulling Pro with Lenovo Pro matters. One-on-one advice, IT solutions, and customized hardware powered by Intel core ultra-processors,

keep your business on the right track. Business goes pro with Lenovo Pro. Sign up for free at Lenovo.com slash pro. Hi, I'm Dr. Priyanko Wally. And I'm Hurricane DeBolu. It's a new year. And on the podcast's health stuff, we're resetting the way we talk about our health.

Which means being honest about what we know, what we don't know, and how messy it can all be. I like to sleep in late and sleep early. Is there a chronotype for that or am I just depressed? Health stuff is about learning, laughing, and feeling a little less alone. Listen on the I-Heart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hello, I'm Jorge Ramos. This week, on the moment, we take a look at Venezuela's uncertain future in a conversation

with two people who have directly advised U.S. presidents. Juan Gonzalez, during the Obama and Biden administrations. We're really good at invading countries. We're very bad. at nation building. In Carlos Dyer Rosillo, we're in Trump's, two terms. I can guarantee you

that nobody in the Trump administration likes Delsi Rodriguez. Listen to the moment with Jorge Ramos and Paola Ramos on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcast, or whatever you get your podcast. Hey, everybody,

it's Michelle Williams, host of checking in on the Black Effect Podcast Network. You know, we always say New Year, New Me, but real change starts on the inside. It starts with giving your mind and your spirit

the same attention you give your goals. And on my podcast, we talk mental health, healing, growth, and everything you need to step into your next season, whole and empowered. New Year, Real You. Listen to checking in with Michelle Williams from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.