Early Life and Career
Tameka Cottle was born to Dianne Cottle-Pope and Charles Pope in College Park, Georgia. Cottle's father and her uncle, Joseph Pope (1933–1996), formed the R&B group The Tams. 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 1999, Cottle and fellow former Xscape band 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 new Xscape album entitled Unchained and released the single "What's Up" in 2005.
Cottle is involved in a new project with Kiesha Miles called the OMG Girlz. Cottle's daughter, Zonnique (aka Star) formally 1/3 members of QT Possie, is also involved in the music industry and is part of a musical trio called the OMG Girlz.
In June 2009, Cottle's reality series, Tiny and Toya, made its debut on BET.
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