Xscape

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Biography

Xscape was a female United States|American Contemporary R& B|R& B group that originally started out as a quintet and then became a quartet . The group had a string of hit songs during the 1990s. The original lineup of the group consisted of sisters LaTocha Scott and Tamika Scott, Kandi Burruss , Tameka Cottle|Tameka "Tiny" Cottle , and Tamera Coggins, though Coggins departed the group before their debut album was released.

Background

LaTocha and Tamika Scott's father, Rev. Randolf Scott, was part of the 1971 R& B group Scott Three during the early '70s. The sisters were trained to sing by their father at an early age. They sang in church and competed in talent shows around the area while growing up. In the early '90s, they met Xscape's other three members, Kandi Burruss, Tamera Coggins, and Tameka "Tiny" Cottle-Harris at the magnet performing arts high school, Tri-Cities, in East Point, Georgia , a city outside of Atlanta, Georgia|Atlanta . Cottle's father, Charles Pope, and her uncle, Joseph Pope (1933�1996), were members of the R& B group, The Tams.

''Hummin' Comin' at 'Cha (1992-1994)

After Coggins left the group in 1993, Xscape became a quartet. They were later discovered by Jermaine Dupri while singing at an annual Martin Luther King, Jr. festival in Atlanta. Dupri immediately signed the group to his up and coming So So Def label. He debuted the quartet at his birthday party in 1991. The group released their debut album, '' Hummin' Comin' at 'Cha , on October 12, 1993. The album peaked at number seventeen the U.S. Billboard 200| Billboard'' 200 and number three on the Top R& B/Hip-Hop Albums|Top R& B Albums chart. It was a critical and commercial success, certified platinum within a year, and launched two top 10 singles. The debut single, " Just Kickin' It ", and second single, " Understanding (song)|Understanding ", both entered the top 10 of the official Hot 100 and became platinum and gold certified number-one hits on the Hot R& B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The follow-up singles, " Love on My Mind (Xscape song)|Love on My Mind " and "Tonight", did not achieve the same success.

The group's lyrics, chiefly written and produced by Dupri, had strong, female-empowering, soulful, and powerful vocals with harmonization. The musical formula was augmented by the girls' baggy and cool down-to-earth Atlanta style.

The group later appeared on The Mask (film)|The Mask soundtrack.

At the conclusion of ''Hummin' Comin' at 'Cha'', the group appeared on " Freedom (Theme from Panther) " for the Panther (film)|movie of the same name , and the Panther (soundtrack)|film's soundtrack in 1995.

Off the Hook (1995-1998)

After much success, Xscape released their second studio album, Off the Hook (Xscape album)|Off the Hook , in 1995. The lead single, " Feels So Good (Xscape song)|Feels So Good ", reached the top 40 of the US Hot 100, while " Who Can I Run To " peaked at #8. The follow-up singles, " Do You Want To (Xscape song)|Do You Want To " and " Can't Hang ", the latter featuring rapper MC Lyte , were released as a double A-side single. It went only as high as number 50 on the Hot 100, but peaked at #9 on the "Hot R& B/Hip Hop" charts. The album eventually went Music recording sales certification|platinum .

In 1996, the group was featured on MC Lyte 's single " Keep On, Keepin' On ", which appeared on the Sunset Park (soundtrack)|Sunset Park soundtrack. The single reached the top 10 on the Hot 100 and #3 on the Hot R& B/Hip-Hop Songs charts.

In 1997, the group's popularity was growing and their songs appeared on the soundtracks to the films Love Jones (soundtrack)|Love Jones and Soul Food (soundtrack)|Soul Food .

Traces of My Lipstick (1998-2001)

In early 1998, Xscape was featured on the Keith Sweat produced single, "Am I Dreamin'", by R& B new-comer group Ol' Skool . The single was a success in North America , peaking at #31 on the "Hot 100", and was later featured on Xscape's third album Traces of My Lipstick .

Traces of My Lipstick debuted at #28 on the Billboard 200 and at #6 on the Hot R& B/Hip Hop album chart; over a million copies were sold in the U.S. The album featured the top 10 hit " The Arms of the One Who Loves You ", which reached #7 on the Hot 100 chart, and " My Little Secret ", which reached #9. Although there no official third single was released, "Softest Place on Earth" reached #28 on the Hot R& B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

After Traces of My Lipstick , Burruss left the group to pursue a solo career. The remaining trio made appearances on the '' Big Momma's House and Hardball (film)|Hardball soundtracks before going on hiatus.

Unchained and present (2003-present)

After a five-year hiatus, sisters " LaTocha Scott " and " Tamika Scott " reunited with Tameka " Tiny " Cottle to record a fourth album, Unchained . The new single, "What's Up", was released on a mixtape and later got some airplay in hometown Atlanta . However, the album was not released due to lack of promotion from the record label.

Solo careers

Tamika Scott

Tamika released the single "Day & Night" in Japan in 2003. She also appeared in the 2004 Tyler Perry play, Meet the Browns , originating the role of Millet Jenay Baptiste-Brown. Tamika has written for several soundtracks including a song on Jim Carey's " The Mask" movie ", and Keanu Reeves movie " Hard Ball ". She also has written, produced, and arranged four songs for and is featured as a solo artist performing " Greatest Gift " for Tyler Perry's '' Daddy's Little Girls '', movie and Tyler Perry's " Why Did I Get Married " movie. Tamika wrote three songs for Tyler Perry's stage play " What's Done In The Dark " wrote and co-produced Yolanda Adams "Step Aside" which was also featured on Tamala Mann new gospel CD. Tamika has written songs for artist such as Yolanda Adams, Tamala Mann, Anthony Hamilton, Musiq Soulchild, Jaheim, Xscape and Latoya Luckett. On December 18, 2010, she performed in a musical play, Christmas in the Hood . In 2011 She starred in BET's " Strangers In My House " alongside of Vivica Fox and Clifton Powell. She's currently touring with the gospel stage play " Shh Please Dont Tell "

LaTocha Scott

Scott recorded a solo album, titled Solo Flight 404 , featuring "Night Stand", Scott's first solo R& B single. She also appears on "Liar, Liar" from the soundtrack of The Best Man (1999 film)#Soundtrack|The Best Man , Cha Cha's "Dear Diary", and Trick Daddy 's single "Thug Holiday".

Kandi Burruss

Burruss has co-written songs for artists such as Mariah Carey , Faith Evans , Pink (singer)|Pink , Whitney Houston , and Alicia Keys . She has also written songs for the groups TLC (band)|TLC , Destiny's Child , 'N Sync , and Boyz II Men . In 1999, she appeared on Sol� 's debut album and was in a video for the single, titled "4, 5, 6". In 2000, Columbia Records released her solo debut, Hey Kandi , which featured the hit song " Don't Think I'm Not ". On December 14, 2010, Burruss released the album Kandi Koated , featuring tracks "Fly Above" and "Leave U". She is also responsible for discovering the male R& B quartet Jagged Edge (band)|Jagged Edge .

In 2003, Burruss sang backup on "Wide Open", on LSG 's their final album LSG2 . In 2006, she released "I Need", featuring Eightball & MJG from an upcoming solo album on UpFront Records . She is also featured on E-40 's hit " U and Dat " and performs under the name Kandi Girl. In 2007, she formed a duo, Peach Candy, with Atlanta female rapper Rasheeda

In 2009, Burruss joined the hit Bravo (US TV channel)|Bravo reality show , The Real Housewives of Atlanta .

Tameka "Tiny" Cottle

Cottle co-wrote TLC (band)|TLC's 1999 hit " No Scrubs " with Burruss, with her singing vocals on the chorus of the song and on Lil' Kim 's "I Know You See Me", Lil Bow Wow 's " Let's Get Down ", and on 8Ball & MJG 's "Things We Used to Do."

Cottle is still in the music business, and has branched out into television. She stars in the BET reality show Tiny & Toya , which follows Cottle and her friendship with Antonia "Toya" Johnson Carter, the ex-wife of rap artist Lil� Wayne . In 2011, she and husband T.I. began appearing in the reality series T.I. and Tiny: The Family Hustle .

Discography

'' Hummin' Comin' at 'Cha (1993)

Off the Hook (Xscape album)|Off the Hook (1995)

Traces of My Lipstick (1998)

Unchained (2005)

Copyright Citations

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1. Jagged Edge 2. Keith Sweat 3. R. Kelly 4. SWV 5. Kandi

Urban/R&B; Music Artists