Keith Sweat's 1987 debut album, Make It Last Forever, sold over three million copies, spawning the hits "I Want Her" (number one R&B, number five pop), "Something Just Ain't Right" (number three R&B), "Make It Last Forever" (number two R&B), and "Don't Stop Your Love" (number nine R&B). It was followed in June 1990 by I'll Give All My Love to You, another million-seller, that featured the hits "Make You Sweat" (number one R&B, number 14 pop), "Merry Go Round" (number two R&B), "I'll Give All My Love to You" (number one R&B, number seven pop), and "Your Love, Pt. 2" (number four R&B). Sweat's third album was Keep It Comin', an R&B chart-topper at the end of 1991, whose title track was another number one R&B hit. In 1994 he returned with Get Up on It; a self-titled release followed in 1996, and two years later he issued Still in the Game. Didn't See Me Coming (2000), Rebirth (2002), and Welcome to the Sweat Hotel.

In 1992, Sweat discovered the group Silk, and helped craft their debut album, Lose Control, which hit #7 on the Billboard 200 album chart. The album's single "Freak Me" hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on May 1, 1993.

Sweat also formed the R&B supergroup LSG with Gerald Levert and Johnny Gill, and released their self-titled debut Levert. Sweat.Gill in 1997. That album featured the hit "My Body", which became a huge hit single.