Tameka Cottle

Tameka Cottle
Birth name Tameka Pope
Also known as Tiny
Born (1975-07-14) July 14, 1975
College Park, Georgia, U.S.
Origin Jonesboro, Georgia, U.S.
Genres R&B, Soul, Hip hop
Occupation(s) Singer-songwriter, Television Personality
Instruments Vocals
Years active 1992–2005 (with Xscape)
2005–present (solo)
Labels Sony BMG Music Entertainment Pretty Hustle
Associated acts T.I., Xscape, Kandi Burruss, Tamar Braxton, OMG Girlz, Miss Precious, French Kiss

Tameka "Tiny" Harris (née Cottle, born Tameka Pope; July 14, 1975) is an American singer-songwriter from Jonesboro, Georgia. She is best known as a member of the multi-platinum R&B group Xscape and her marriage with rapper T.I.. She received a Grammy Award for her writing contributions on the TLC hit "No Scrubs". She acquired the nickname "Tiny" due to her small stature of 4'11".

Early life and career

Cottle was born in College Park, Georgia, to a Caucasian mother, Dianne Cottle (b. 1945) and an African American father, Charles "Speedy" Pope (1936-2013). Cottle's father and her uncle, Joseph Pope (1933-1996), formed the R&B group The Tams.[1] Cottle joined the R&B quartet Xscape in 1992 while attending Tri-Cities 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 then new record label, So So Def Recordings.

As a member of the group, 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 five 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 2000, Cottle and fellow former Xscape group member Kandi Burruss were honored with a Grammy Award for Best R&B Song for penning TLC's hit single "No Scrubs". 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 Xscape album entitled Unchained and released the single "What's Up" in 2005.[2]

Cottle is involved in a project with Kiesha Miles called the OMG Girlz. Cottle's daughter, Zonnique, is a part of the musical trio.[3]

In June 2009, Cottle's reality series, Tiny and Toya, made its debut on BET.[4]

She appeared in her husband's video for "Hello" along with their family and the OMG Girlz.

On July 22, 2014, Tameka returned to the music industry under her new label Pretty Hustle, with her first solo single "What The Fuck You Gon Do?". Within a few hours of "WTFYGD" being released it reached the number 5 spot on the iTunes R&B/Soul charts, and less than 24 hours after release it became the number one song on the charts for the genre.[5][6]

Personal life

In 2002, Cottle began dating rapper T.I.[7] Cottle and T.I. married on July 30, 2010 in Miami Beach, Florida.[8] They have two sons together: King Harris (born August 25, 2004), Major Philant Harris (born May 16, 2008) and a daughter, Heiress Diana Harris (born March 2016).[7][9][10][11] Their daughter Leyah Amore Harris was stillborn on March 22, 2007, six months into a complicated pregnancy.[12]

Cottle also has an older daughter, Zonnique Jailee Pullins (born March 20, 1996), from her previous relationship with Zonnie "Zeboe" Pullins.[13][14][15]

Through her marriage to T.I., Cottle has three stepchildren: stepsons Messiah Ya'Majesty (born 2000) and Domani Uriah (born 2001), and stepdaughter Deyjah Imani Harris (born 2001).[16][17]

In December 2011, T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle premiered on VH1. The series chronicles the lives of Cottle and T.I.'s plus their family.

Cottle's father, Charles Pope, died on July 11, 2013, at the age of 76 after a long battle with Alzheimer's Disease.[18][19]

Tiny and Shekinah's Weave Trip premiered on VH1 on October 13, 2014. The series chronicles Cottle and her best friend Shekinah Anderson in a mobile hair salon across the country.

On December 25, 2015, the couple announced that they were expecting their third child together and on March 26, 2016, the couple welcomed a baby girl named Heiress Diana Harris.

Legal issues

On September 1, 2010, Cottle and T.I. were arrested following a motor vehicle stop in Los Angeles. The police reported that an odor of burnt marijuana was coming from the vehicle and the couple were found to be in possession of a controlled substance, ecstasy. They posted $10,000 bail.[20]

References

  1. ↑ Miller, Zell (1996). They Heard Georgia Singing. Mercer University Press. p. 285. ISBN 0-86554-504-9.
  2. ↑ Boston, Ericka; Terrell, Calvin. "Xscape Breaks the Chains". s2smagazine.com.
  3. ↑ QT Possie: Official Website
  4. ↑ Ho, Rodney (July 9, 2009). "Tiny & Toya interviews about BET show". ajc.com. Retrieved July 20, 2009.
  5. ↑ http://www.bet.com/news/music/2014/07/23/tiny-sends-a-message-to-t-i-on-wtfygd.html
  6. ↑ http://freddyo.com/tinys-new-single-wtfygd-hits-number-1-rbsoul-for-itunes-in-less-than-24-hours/
  7. 1 2 "T.I.: Me, Myself & I". Vibe. July 23, 2007. Retrieved October 31, 2007.
  8. ↑ Ziegbe, Mawuse (July 31, 2010). "T.I. And Tiny Marry In Three Cities". mtv.com. Retrieved September 12, 2010.
  9. ↑ T.I.: Me, Myself & I Vibe. Retrieved October 9, 2008.
  10. ↑ "Tameka Births Son Named Major". Blackcelebkids.com. Retrieved April 9, 2011.
  11. ↑ Herndon, Jessica (May 16, 2008). "Rapper T.I. Welcomes His Second Son". people.com. Retrieved December 12, 2008.
  12. ↑ Byrd, Kenya N. (February 6, 2009). "Tameka 'Tiny' Cottle: 'I Know My Man's Heart'". essence.com (via archive.org). Archived from the original on February 15, 2010. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  13. ↑ Bennett Kinnon, Joy (June 2001). "Toni & Keril's Dream Wedding - singer Toni Braxton weds". Ebony. Retrieved December 13, 2008.
  14. ↑ Cole, Harriette (February 2008). "Who's Lovin' Who?". Ebony. pp. 75–76.
  15. ↑ "Zonnique & Her Biological Dad". Tipharris-tameka.blogspot.com. April 27, 2007. Retrieved April 9, 2011.
  16. ↑ "Hip-Hop Star & Actor T.I.". People. Time. April 24, 2006. Retrieved December 12, 2008.
  17. ↑ "T.I. to pay ex $3,000 per month in child support". NME. Time Warner. September 25, 2008. Retrieved December 12, 2008.
  18. ↑ Doc Rock. "July to December". The Dead Rock Stars Club. Retrieved July 12, 2013.
  19. ↑ Scott, Tracy (July 12, 2013). "Tiny Harris 'heartbroken' following dad's death". S2S Magazine. S2S Magazine. Retrieved July 25, 2013.
  20. ↑ Allen, Duke (September 2, 2010). "Police: Rapper T.I. and wife arrested on drug suspicion". cnn.com. Retrieved September 12, 2010.

External links

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