Mtume

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Mtume
Origin New York City, United States
Genres R&B, funk, jazz-funk, [1] post-disco [1]
Years active1973–1986
LabelsThird Street (1973–1977)
Epic (1978–1986)
Past members Hubert Eaves III (1978–1980)
Reggie Lucas (1978–1980)
Basil Fearrington (1978–1980)
Howard King (1978–1980)
James Mtume (1978–1986)
Tawatha Agee (1978–1986)
Philip Field (1982–1986)
Ed "Tree" Moore (1982–1986)
Leslie Ming (1982–1986)

Mtume (pronounced em-tu-may) was an American funk and soul group that rose to prominence during the early 1980s and had several R&B hits during its career. Its founder, former percussionist James Mtume, previously played and toured with Miles Davis in the early 1970s. [1] Other members of the group included Reggie Lucas, Philip Field, and vocalist Tawatha Agee. Mtume also gained recognition after having its hit single "Juicy Fruit" extensively sampled by many hip-hop artists, most notably by the Notorious B.I.G. in the 1994 hit song "Juicy". [1]

Contents

History

During the start of the group's career, they recorded three albums, their first for Strata East (1972) titled Alkebu-Lan- The Land of the Blacks, and two for the independent label Third Street Records: Kawaida (1973); Alkebu-Lan [2] (1975); and Rebirth Cycle [3] (1977). However, not finding pop or R&B chart success, they signed to major label Epic Records in 1978, releasing the albums Kiss This World Goodbye (1978), and In Search of the Rainbow Seekers (1980), which found modest success on the R&B chart. Their 1983 album Juicy Fruit , however, provided Mtume with its biggest hit, when the title song reached number one for eight weeks on the U.S. R&B chart, and was certified gold by the RIAA, [4] despite being just shy of the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 at 45.

Mtume's 1984 album You, Me, and He also proved to be a success with the title song reaching number 2 on the R&B chart. [5] Their final R&B top ten hit was "Breathless" [5] (1986) from their final album Theater of the Mind. Mtume continued recording with Epic Records until the late 1980s. Group member Tawatha Agee subsequently went solo in 1987. [2]

Other success

Concurrent with his time in Mtume, James Mtume wrote several songs for an assortment of artists, often with Mtume bandmate Reggie Lucas, such as Stephanie Mills' Top-ten single "Never Knew Love Like This Before" (for which they both received a Grammy Award for Best R&B Song Writing and Producing) and the Roberta Flack/Donny Hathaway hit singles "The Closer I Get to You" and "Back Together Again". [1] [6]

Following Mtume's disbandment, James Mtume resumed his already prolific production and songwriting career, which has included writing "Freak Tonight" [7] by R. Kelly from the A Thin Line Between Love and Hate Soundtrack, and co-producing Mary J. Blige's album, Share My World . [6] He also produced Roy Ayers, and the Bar-Kays, and composed the music and theme tune for the 1990s television police drama New York Undercover .

Reggie Lucas (along with Jellybean Benitez) produced the majority of Madonna's first album, Madonna , [1] including the songs 'Borderline' and 'Lucky Star'.

Tawatha Agee later became a background singer. She sang on Steely Dan's 2003 album Everything Must Go , Empire of the Sun's 2013 album Ice on the Dune and Lenny Kravitz's 2014 album Strut .

Philip Field continued to produce and write for many artists including Gwen Guthrie, Tawatha Agee, Tyrone Brunson, the Bar-Kays, Charles Earland and others. He co-wrote and co-produced on Roy Ayers' album You Might Be Surprised and co-wrote How Many Ways from Toni Braxton's debut album.

Line-ups

Discography

Studio albums

YearAlbumPeak chart positions Certifications Record Label
US
[8] 		US
R&B
[8] 		UK
[9]
1978 Kiss This World Goodbye ——— Epic
1980 In Search of the Rainbow Seekers 11930—
1983 Juicy Fruit 263—
1984 You, Me and He 77585
1986Theater of the Mind13523—
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart.

Compilation albums

Singles

YearSinglePeak chart positions Certifications Album
US
[8] [11] 		US
R&B
[8] [11] 		US
Dan
[8] [11] 		UK
[9]
1978"Just Funnin'"—93——Kiss This World Goodbye
"Funky Constellation"————
1980"Give It on Up (If You Want To)"—2630—In Search of the Rainbow Seekers
"So You Wanna Be a Star"—6052—
1983"Juicy Fruit"4513034Juicy Fruit
"Would You Like To (Fool Around)"—11——
"Green Light"—66——
1984"You, Me and He"832——You, Me and He
"Prime Time"———57
"C.O.D. (I'll Deliver)"—20——
"I Simply Like"————
1986"Breathless"—9——Theater of the Mind
"P.O.P. (Pursuits of Pleasure) Generation"—39——
"Body & Soul (Take Me)"—71——
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart.

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<i>You Know How to Love Me</i> 1979 studio album by Phyllis Hyman

You Know How to Love Me is the fourth album by American soul singer-songwriter Phyllis Hyman. It was released by Arista Records in 1979, and produced by James Mtume & Reggie Lucas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let It Go (Keyshia Cole song)</span> 2007 single by Keyshia Cole featuring Missy Elliott and Lil Kim

"Let It Go" is a song by American R&B singer Keyshia Cole featuring American rappers Missy Elliott and Lil' Kim. It was written by Cole, Jack Knight, Cainon Lamb, Lil' Kim, and Missy Elliott for her second album Just Like You (2007) and samples "Juicy Fruit" by Mtume, and "Don't Stop the Music" by Yarbrough and Peoples, while also interpolating "Juicy" by The Notorious B.I.G., who also sampled "Juicy Fruit." An uptempo song written by all three artists with Jack Knight, Cainon Lamb and James Mtume and produced by Lamb and Elliott, it marked the first collaboration between any of the three artists with one another.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Never Knew Love Like This Before</span> 1980 single by Stephanie Mills

"Never Knew Love Like This Before" is a 1980 song written and produced by James Mtume and Reggie Lucas, and recorded by American R&B singer Stephanie Mills for her fourth studio album Sweet Sensation (1980). The song was inspired by the birth of Lucas' daughter Lisa.

<i>Juicy Fruit</i> (album) 1983 studio album by Mtume

Juicy Fruit is a 1983 album by R&B group Mtume. It contains their No. 1 R&B hit, "Juicy Fruit". It was their third album for Epic Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juicy Fruit (Mtume song)</span> 1983 single by Mtume

"Juicy Fruit" is a song written by James Mtume and released as the lead-off single from Mtume's third album, also titled Juicy Fruit. It features lead vocals by Tawatha Agee. The mid-tempo song is Mtume's most well-known, proving enormously successful on R&B radio stations when first released.

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<i>Sweet Sensation</i> (Stephanie Mills album) 1980 studio album by Stephanie Mills

Sweet Sensation is the fourth album by American R&B and soul singer Stephanie Mills. Released in 1980, produced by James Mtume and Reggie Lucas. The album features her biggest hit, "Never Knew Love Like This Before" which peaked within the top ten of the US Billboard Hot 100 and won two Grammy Awards for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female and Best R&B Song, the former becoming her first career Grammy win. Sweet Sensation received gold status by the Recording Industry Association of America for sells over 500,000 copies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Two Hearts (Stephanie Mills song)</span> 1981 single by Stephanie Mills and Teddy Pendergrass

"Two Hearts'" is a hit duet sung by American R&B singers Stephanie Mills and Teddy Pendergrass, from Mills' fifth studio album Stephanie (1981). The song was written and produced by James Mtume, Reggie Lucas and Tawatha Agee. Released in January 1981, the single reached number 40 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1981. On the US Billboard R&B chart, "Two Hearts" reached number three.

<i>Stephanie</i> (album) 1981 studio album by Stephanie Mills

Stephanie is the Grammy-nominated fifth studio album by American R&B/soul singer Stephanie Mills. It was released in 1981 and produced by James Mtume and Reggie Lucas. The album features hit song "Two Hearts" a duet with Teddy Pendergrass. By default, this fulfilled her contract with 20th Century-Fox Records, as the following year, the label was sold to PolyGram Records, which quickly folded it into Casablanca Records, to which Mills' contract was subsequently transferred. Stephanie scored Mills her second nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 24th Annual Grammy Awards in 1982.

<i>What Cha Gonna Do with My Lovin</i> 1979 studio album by Stephanie Mills

What Cha Gonna Do with My Lovin' is the third album by Stephanie Mills. It was released in 1979 and produced by James Mtume and Reggie Lucas.

<i>In Search of the Rainbow Seekers</i> 1980 studio album by Mtume

In Search Of The Rainbow Seekers is a 1980 album by R&B group Mtume. This was their second album on the Epic Records label.

<i>Kiss This World Goodbye</i> 1978 studio album by Mtume

Kiss This World Goodbye is a 1978 album by R&B group Mtume. This was their debut album on the Epic Records label as well as the first album featuring vocals by Tawatha Agee.

<i>Watching You Watching Me</i> 1982 studio album by Ullanda McCullough

Watching You Watching Me is the third and final studio album by R&B/soul singer/backing vocalist Ullanda McCullough, released in 1982 by Atlantic Records. It features the title cut, written by William Eaton, and a cover version of Carrie Lucas' "Men Kiss and Tell" written by Deniece Williams, Lani Groves and Clarence McDonald. It also features herself, Luther Vandross, Tawatha Agee from the soul/R&B band, Mtume, and her friends providing the background vocals on the album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tawatha Agee</span> American singer

Tawatha Agee is an American vocalist and songwriter. Her voice has been described in The New York Times as an "acrobatic, gospel-charged soprano." She was the lead singer of funk and soul band Mtume; her soulful lead vocals are featured on their 1983 R&B hit "Juicy Fruit".

<i>Rebirth Cycle</i> 1977 studio album by James Mtume

Rebirth Cycle is the second studio album by American musician James Mtume. It was produced by Mtume himself, and released on the Third Street Records label. It is one of a number of contemporary albums described as "some of the most compelling artifacts of the Black Power-Black music nexus", with "explicit endorsements of radical nationalist principles" and "of a very high artistic level and featuring some of the best musicians".

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Kellman, Andy. "Artist Biography". AllMusic . Retrieved December 27, 2009.
  2. 1 2 "Mtume Page". Soulwalking.co.uk. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Mtume – Rebirth Cycle / PHILIPPE URBAN SHOP". Archived from the original on January 2, 2014. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  4. ↑ "RIAA - Gold & Platinum Searchable Database". Recording Industry Association of America . Archived from "Juicy+Fruit" the original on January 2, 2014.
  5. 1 2 Ron Wynn. "Mtume | Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on June 25, 2012. Retrieved January 10, 2016.
  6. 1 2 "Biography written by Steve Kurutz of AllMusic". soulinterviews.com. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Freak Tonight - R. Kelly,James Mtume | Lyrics". AllMusic. Retrieved January 10, 2016.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 "US Charts > Mtume". Billboard . Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  9. 1 2 "UK Charts > Mtume". Official Charts Company . Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  10. 1 2 "US Certifications > Mtume". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  11. 1 2 3 "Mtume Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography". Music VF. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
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