Tameka Cottle

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Tameka "Tiny" Cottle

Background information
Birth name Tameka Cottle
Born July 14, 1975 (1975-07-14) (age 32)
Origin Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Genre(s) R&B, Soul
Years active 1992-2005 (with Xscape) 2005-present (solo)
Label(s) Sony BMG Music Entertainment

Tameka "Tiny" Cottle (born July 14, 1975) is an American singer/songwriter who was a member of the multi-platinum R&B female group, Xscape. She acquired the nickname "Tiny" due to her small stature of only 4'11".[1]

Contents

[edit] Career

Born to Dianne Cottle-Pope and Charles Pope in College Park, Georgia, Cottle was immersed in the arts since childhood. She began modeling and acting at 5 years old, doing several commercials for TBS early in her career. Cottle's father and brother are both members of the R&B group, The Tams.[2]

Tiny joined the R&B quartet Xscape in 1992 while attending North Atlanta Performing Arts High School. Xscape was discovered by producer Jermaine Dupri while singing at a Martin Luther King, Jr. birthday celebration in Atlanta. Dupri immediately signed the group to his new record label, So So Def Recordings. As a member of R&B group Xscape, Cottle has contributed to three of the band's platinum albums: Hummin' Comin' at 'Cha, Off the Hook, and Traces of My Lipstick. As a member of Xscape, she has received two Soul Train Music Awards for Best New R&B Artist and Best R&B Album, and the A-Town Music Award for Best Duo/Group. Cottle sang lead vocals on four of Xscape's hit singles: "Understanding", "Do You Want To?", "All I Need","Love's A Funny Thing", and "Am I Dreamin". She has also recorded on soundtracks for, Soul Food, "Panther," "Bad Boys," and "Love Jones"

In 1998, after the release of Xscape's third album, Traces of My Lipstick, the band parted ways.

In 1999, Cottle and fellow former Xscape band member Kandi Burruss were honored in with a Grammy Award for Best R&B Song, for penning TLC's hit single, "No Scrubs".[3] Cottle's other accomplishments include an American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers award in the R&B and Pop Music categories for "No Scrubs", as well as the ASCAP Rap Award for her work on the Sporty Thievz track, "No Pigeons." Cottle has also worked with T.I., 8Ball & MJG, Lil' Kim and Bow Wow.

After a five year hiatus, Cottle reunited with sisters LaTocha and Tamika Scott and added a new member, Kiesha Miles, to release a new Xscape album entitled, Unchained, and released the single, "What's Up" in 2005.[4]

Cottle is currently involved in a new project with Keisha Miles called The Ga.P Girlz. Cottle's daughter, Zonnique (aka Star) is also involved in the music industry and is part of a musical duo called the QT-Possie.[5]

[edit] Personal life

Cottle has three children, a daughter, Zonnique Pullins, from a previous relationship, and two sons, Clifford Harris III (known as "King") and Major Harris, with rapper T.I.[6] Cottle has dated T.I. on and off for the last 6 years.[7]

On March 21, 2007, Cottle gave birth to her second child with T.I, a stillborn baby girl. The couple named the child Llayah Amour.[8]

On October 13, 2007, both Cottle and T.I were arrested in Atlanta. Cottle was charged with possession of marijuana and ecstasy, and released on $100,000 bail the following day.[9]

[edit] References

  1. ^ IMDb bio for Tameka Cottle
  2. ^ Tameka Cottle Bio
  3. ^ T42nd Annual Grammy Award Winners (2000-02-23). Retrieved on 2007.
  4. ^ "Xscape breaks the chains by Jamie Foster Brown with the assistance of Ericka Boston and Calvin Terrell", Sister 2 Sister, 2005-03. Retrieved on 2007. 
  5. ^ QT Possie: Official Website
  6. ^ Rapper T.I. and Girlfriend Welcome Baby Boy!. usmagazine.com (2008-05-16). Retrieved on 2008-05-19.
  7. ^ "T.I.: Me, Myself & I", Vibe, 2007-07-23. Retrieved on 2007-10-31. 
  8. ^ Sandra Rose Gets Word From Tiny's Mother (2007-03-26). Retrieved on 2007-09-10.
  9. ^ T.I.’s Girlfriend Hit With Drug Charges, Lawyer Says Rapper In Good Spirits (2007-10-15). Retrieved on 2007-10-31.

[edit] External links


Persondata
NAME Cottle, Tameka
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Tiny
SHORT DESCRIPTION Singer, Songwriter
DATE OF BIRTH July 14, 1975
PLACE OF BIRTH Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH