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Tameka Cottle

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Tameka Cottle
Born
Tameka Dianne Cottle

(1975-07-14) July 14, 1975 (age 49)
College Park, Georgia, U.S.
Other namesTiny, Tameka Harris
Occupations
  • Singer-songwriter
  • television personality
Years active1992–present
Height4 ft 11 in (1.50 m)
Spouse
​
(m. 2010)​
Children4
Musical career
Genres
InstrumentVocals
Labels

Equity/ Roc Nation[citation needed]

Tameka Dianne Cottle-Harris (born July 14, 1975), known professionally by her nickname Tiny, is an American singer-songwriter. She rose to fame in the 1990s as a member of the multi-platinum R&B vocal group Xscape. She received a Grammy Award for her writing contributions on the TLC hit "No Scrubs". Cottle is also known for her marriage to T.I. She acquired the nickname "Tiny" due to her small stature of 4'11".

Early life

Cottle was born in College Park, Georgia, to a white 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]

Career

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 his birthday celebration in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 six of Xscape's hit singles: "Understanding", "Do You Want To?", "All I Need", "Love's a Funny Thing", "My Little Secret", 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 as well as 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] She appeared in her husband's video for "Hello", along with their family and the OMG Girlz.

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

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]

She and bandmate Kandi Burruss, also have writing credits on the song Shape of You by Ed Sheeran.

In 2018, Tiny Harris took a break from her XSCAP3 EP Promo to spend some quality time with her one-year-old daughter Heiress.[7]

Personal life

In 2001, Cottle began dating rapper T.I.[8] Cottle and T.I. married on July 30, 2010, in Miami Beach, Florida.[9] They have two sons together: King Harris (born August 25, 2004), Major Philant/Phillip Harris (born May 16, 2008) and a daughter, Heiress Diana Harris (born March 26, 2016).[8][10][11] Their first daughter was stillborn in 2007, six months into a complicated pregnancy.[12] Cottle also has an older daughter named Zonnique from her previous relationship with Zonnie "Zeboe" Pullins.[13][14][15] Through her marriage to T.I., Cottle has three stepchildren, Messiah, Domani, and Deyjah Harris.[16][17]

In December 2011, T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle premiered on VH1. The series chronicles the lives of Cottle and T.I. 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.[20] The series chronicles Cottle and her best friend, Shekinah Anderson, in a mobile hair salon across the country.

In March 2016, Cottle and T.I. had a daughter. In December 2016, Cottle filed for divorce from T.I. after six years of marriage.[21] However, the couple worked on healing their marriage in 2017 after Tiny spent time with her group Xscape, and Tiny dropped the divorce files stating, "The divorce is off."[22][23]

In 2017, it was announced Cottle would own the Atlanta Heirs basketball team under the newly developed Global Mixed Gender Basketball league, which was founded by rapper Master P.[24] Cottle's team would be a part of its inaugural debut on September 23, 2017, in a neutral match at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada, against Master P's own squad, the New Orleans Gators.

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.[25]

In 2021, Cottle and her husband T.I. faced numerous sexual assault allegations. More than 30 women contacted Attorney Tyrone A. Blackburn accusing Tameka "Tiny" Harris, her husband T.I., and their associates of "forced drugging, kidnapping, rape, and intimidation" in at least two states, including California and Georgia. Blackburn sent letters to the state attorney general of California and Georgia asking them to open an investigation. The women allege that "prior to or upon immediately entering T&T's home, hotel, or tour bus [they] were coerced by Tiny to ingest drugs or [were] unknowingly administered drugs to impair the victims' ability to consent to subsequent vile sexual acts."[26]

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. Archived from the original on March 11, 2005.
  3. ^ "QT-Possie". December 5, 2006. Archived from the original on December 5, 2006.
  4. ^ Ho, Rodney (July 9, 2009). "Tiny & Toya interviews about BET show". ajc.com. Archived from the original on July 24, 2011. Retrieved July 20, 2009.
  5. ^ "Tiny Sends a Message to T.I. on 'WTFYGD'". BET.com.
  6. ^ "Tiny's New Single #WTFYGD Hits Number 1 R&B/Soul for iTunes in Less than 24 Hours!". FreddyO.com. July 23, 2014.
  7. ^ Baumgartner, Scott (March 4, 2018). "Tiny Harris Takes Break From Xscap3 EP Promo To Celebrate 'Sunshine' Baby Heiress – Video". Hollywood Life. Archived from the original on April 2, 2018. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
  8. ^ a b "T.I.: Me, Myself & I". Vibe. July 23, 2007. Archived from the original on December 24, 2007. Retrieved October 31, 2007.
  9. ^ Ziegbe, Mawuse (July 31, 2010). "T.I. And Tiny Marry in Three Cities". mtv.com. Retrieved September 12, 2010.
  10. ^ T.I.: Me, Myself & I Archived December 24, 2007, at the Wayback Machine Vibe. Retrieved October 9, 2008.
  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'". 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. Archived from the original on July 15, 2013. Retrieved July 25, 2013.
  20. ^ "Tiny & Shekinah Are Hitting The Road For A Weave Trip!!!". www.vh1.com. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
  21. ^ "Tiny Harris Files for Divorce from Rapper Husband T.I. After Six Years of Marriage". People. December 28, 2016. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
  22. ^ Shilliday, Beth (October 12, 2018). "Tiny Doesn't Regret Filing For Divorce From T.I.: It Changed Their Relationship for the Better". Hollywood Life. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
  23. ^ Willis, Kiersten (October 23, 2018). "Tiny Breaks Her Silence About T.I.'s Cheating: 'Divorce Is Off But We're Still Living Separately'". Atlanta Black Star. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
  24. ^ "Tameka 'Tiny' Harris is Now the Proud Owner of a Basketball Team". Essence. October 26, 2020. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
  25. ^ Allen, Duke (September 2, 2010). "Police: Rapper T.I. and wife arrested on drug suspicion". CNN. Retrieved September 12, 2010.
  26. ^ Ryzik, Melena; Coscarelli, Joe (February 28, 2021). "Lawyer Seeks Criminal Investigation of T.I. And Tiny on Behalf of Multiple Women". The New York Times.
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