Xscape

Xscape, an American all-female R&B quartet, first sang publicly at producer Jermaine Dupri’s birthday celebration in 1991 and secured a platinum album just two years later. Sisters LaTocha Scott and Tamika Scott anchored the group; they had been raised in church, where their father, Rev. Randolf Scott, sang with the early-’70s R&B outfit the Scott Three. Rev. Scott began coaching the sisters when they were young, and the pair soon moved from gospel settings into talent-show circuits. While enrolled at Tri-City High School in the Atlanta suburb of College Park, the siblings met Kandi Burruss and Tameka “Tiny” Cottle, and together the four women launched Xscape in 1990.

After performing at Dupri’s party, he signed them to his So So Def label and produced their debut album, Hummin’ Comin’ at ’Cha. The LP climbed into the Top 20 on the strength of the number-two single “Just Kickin’ It” and eventually earned platinum certification. Their second album, Off the Hook, also attained platinum status, although Xscape adopted a smoother style for their third release, 1998’s Traces of My Lipstick.

That record became the quartet’s third platinum effort, yet Xscape soon disbanded, each member turning to separate endeavors. Burruss wrote material for Mariah Carey (“X-Girlfriend”), Whitney Houston (“Tell Me No”), TLC (“No Scrubs” with Tiny), Destiny’s Child (“Bills, Bills, Bills”), *NSYNC (“It Makes Me Ill”), and additional artists. Tiny likewise explored songwriting, though she became best known for the reality series Tiny & Toya and T.I. and Tiny. LaTocha launched a solo recording career while Tamika concentrated on acting.

Nearly a decade after Traces of My Lipstick, Tiny and the Scott sisters regrouped as the trio Xscap3. In early 2018 the threesome issued the EP Here for It through XSCAP3 Entertainment.