Keith Sweat brushed off online criticism with a groove instead of an apology, sharing a video of himself dancing to Kendrick Lamar’s “peekaboo” after comments about “entitled” single women sparked backlash. The 63-year-old R&B icon appeared carefree in the Instagram clip, captioned, “We ain’t worried about nothin the haters gotta say. Enjoy life.”
But in the comment section, Sweat defended his stance. “Y’all tripping. I cook and clean and I don’t have to,” he wrote. “What’s the problem? I said a lot of women don’t even do what I do.”
He added, “If you don’t fall into that category, why y’all trippin? Still love y’all anyway. Back to doing my dance.”
The controversy began during a recent performance, when Sweat criticized women who, in his words, no longer share domestic responsibilities.
“You gotta bring something to the table to get something from me,” he told the crowd. “They don’t want to cook no more. I wash and iron my own clothes. You gotta do something for me.”
The comments quickly circulated online, with many labeling them outdated. Critics accused him of echoing misogynistic talking points often found on social media.
“If Keith Sweat, with all his fame and hits, still can’t find a woman to cook and iron for him, maybe he’s the problem,” one user posted. Another said, “When did Keith start quoting red pill Twitter?”
Rather than walk back his statements, Sweat offered a brief clarification: “I didn’t say all. I said a lot of women. Not all. Y’all need to listen lol.”
The fallout hasn’t slowed his posts, but it has reignited larger conversations about gender roles, generational views, and the expectations placed on public figures. A singer once celebrated for romantic sensitivity now faces a digital climate that challenges nostalgic views with sharper scrutiny.
Whether his fans agree or not, the moment underscores how quickly personal remarks can turn into public flashpoints in the age of social media.
Oliver Tree’s team has provided a new update following the singer’s death in a helicopter crash on June 14, confirming that a new artist grant will soon be established in his memory to help creatives secure funding, a plan he had detailed in his will before his passing.
Accompanying a collection of photos highlighting Tree’s performances, travels and creative work through the years, a post shared Sunday (June 21) on his Instagram account revealed that the musician’s remains have been brought back to California, the state he called home and where he will be laid to rest. “His legacy will live on through his foundation/endowment named ‘Dr. Oliver Tree’s Extremely Epic Grant For Baby Geniuses’ coming soon,” the caption reads. “This is something that Oliver had put together before his passing.”
“We will make sure his wish comes to fruition so that more joy, love and art can be spread into the world, that was his final wish,” the statement continued, adding that “the constant love, support and positivity” shown by fans throughout the past week has helped his “family, friends and collaborators make it through these extremely difficult times.”
Tree was among six people who lost their lives in a helicopter collision in Rio de Janeiro. The musician was in Brazil for his The World’s First Tour run and had performed what would ultimately be his final concert on June 6 in São Paulo. The other victims of the crash were identified as passengers Lucas Vignale, Gaspar Prim and Lucas Brito Chaves, along with pilots Alexandre Souza and Charles Marsillac.
Just months before his death, Tree discussed his plans to direct his fortune and future earnings from his music toward a grant program for artists during an appearance on the Zach Sang Show. “I take no credit for anything I’ve ever done,” he said during the April interview. “Furthermore, I don’t believe that any of the wealth or things that get made from it is mine. So when I die … my will is set up so that when I pass, my family, nobody is going to get a penny.”
“If I have a wife or kids or anything, they’re not getting a penny,” he added at the time, explaining that the initiative would focus on helping artists create work rather than funding education. “I’ll get my kids through college, that’s the agreement, but there’s not gonna be a silver spoon. All the money is going to go back to artists.”