The silky-voiced crooner and R&B great Keith Sweat, 63, ignited an online firestorm after his remarks on stage about modern women and domestic duties circulated widely online. Instead of delivering an overblown apology or going quiet, Sweat did what he did best: danced his way out of it.
In a video shared on Instagram, Sweat can confidently vibe to Kendrick Lamar’s “peekaboo,” flaunting that classic Sweat swag. The caption? For one, that is simple but pointed: “We ain’t worried bout nothin the haters gotta say. Enjoy Life.”
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It started when Sweat told a live audience, “You got to bring something to the table to get something from me. I can’t help it. They don’t want to cook anymore.” He added, “I do my laundry, iron my clothes. Gotta do something for me.”
That clip quickly went viral on social media and was met with a deafening chorus of critics accusing the R&B icon of reinforcing dated; some said even misogynistic gender norms. Some compared his words to “red pill” rhetoric and wondered why a man of his stature hit records, an adoring fan base, and five children should be criticizing women for the way they handle chores.
One pithy tweet read, “If he’s still having trouble finding a woman to cook and iron for him, it’s imperative… actually, it’s CRITICAL for him to realize that he is the problem.”
But Sweat didn’t keep his mouth shut for long. Replying in his comment section, he clapped back, sassy but strong: “Yall tripping? I cook and clean, and I don’t have to. What’s the problem? Lots of women don’t even do what I do.”
He then clarified that he wasn’t referring to all women, noting, “If You don’t fit in that, then why yall trippin!! Still love you’ll tho back to going up dancing.”
To many, his remarks sounded tone-deaf in today’s landscape of changing gender roles and shifting expectations in relationships. But others saw a man speaking his truth, however flawed a truth it may have been, and refusing to fold under digital pressure.
Whether Sweat’s Rocky Horror-esque stance was a point or an irritable one, It will not stop him from living his life or getting his dance on, even in the event of a few viral tweets. After all, this is the same Keith Sweat who has been crooning about love, heartbreak, and human foibles since the ’80s.
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