Tameka Cottle is a popular American singer and a rapper from the state of Georgia and an author, who was a member of an R&B group named “Xscape”. Tameca became very famous after she wrote a hit single “No Scrubs” for TLC, one of the most popular female group in America.
She is known by her nicknames Tiny and Lil Mama. She is a member of OMG music group.
Early years
She was born as Tameka Dianne Cottle on July 14, 1975 in College Park in Georgia, United States.
Her mother Dianne was caucasian and her father Charles (nicknamed “Speedy”) was an African American. He died in 2013, leaving Tameka overwhelmed with sadness and grief since he was a good father to her.
She has a sister Michelle Pope and a brother Red Pope. She is very attached to them since she has spent all of her childhood days playing with them. Tameka always felt that family must stick together so she always helped out her siblings and expected the same from them.
Tameka was surrounded by music from an early age since her father was a former member of a populae R&B group called “The Tams”. The Tams were very popular in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s.
Her father and his brother Charles (Tameka’s uncle) had great success from 60’s to 80’s, under Charles’s leadership. They were known and had a lot of gigs so they have earned a decent income. They released a few albums until the group split up.
After finishing elementary school, Tameka enrolled Tri-Cities Performing Arts High School where she joined an R&B group “Xscape”.
This was in 1992 and the band had four members. Tameka wasn’t really a student of this High School but she had the opportunity to enjoy these classes.
Career development
Jermaine Dupri, an American producer and rapper who worked with many known artists such as Usher, Jay-Z, TLC and more, discovered her talent while they both attended the same birthday event, he was so satisfied with her singing abbilities that he convinced her to sign to his label “So So Def Recordings” the same day.
This meant that the whole quartet, and not only Tameka, joined this record label and the label offered them a good contract.
The group consisted of Tameka and her childhood female friends named Kandi Burrus, Tamika and LaTocha Scott.
The quartet “XsCape” had many success and Tameka was involved in the work on their three albums which became platinum: “Hummin’ Comin’ at ‘Cha”, “Off the Hook” and a popular “Traces of My Lipstick”.
The group received “Soul Train Music Award” twice and Tameka was the leading vocal on most of their hit singles; some of the most famous are: “Do You Want To?”, “Love is a Funny Thing”, “Am I Dreamin” and “My Little Secret”.
Their 3rd album “Traces of My Lipstick” was their last album and the group splited after it’s release.
2000 was a great year for Cottle and Kandi Burruss from “Xscape” since they have won a Grammy Award for Best song in R&B. It was “No Scrubs”, a hit single from TLC. She has received several awards such as “American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers” for the same song and ASCAP Award for “No Pigeons” by Sporty Thievz.
She was also known for collaborating with Lil’ Kim, Bow Wow and T.I. Due to her popularity the group had no problem in finding collaborative artists to work and tape with them.
Five years later, the girls from Xscape united and released a new album “Unchained” with a hit single “What’s Up”.
Tameka was also a part of OMG Girlz, later known just as OMG. They were formed in 2009 and encouraged by Tameka herself. The group’s first public performance was on a TV reality series called “Tiny and Toya”, since it was a BET reality show with Tiny and Toya as the main characters. It was one of the most watched BET series ever in history.
The other actress, Toya, was Lil Wayne’s former wife named Antonia Wright.
In 2012 she was involved in another reality TV series called “T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle” where she acted alongside her husband T.I. The series ended in 2017. It was produced by “51 Minds Entertainment” and released on VH1 TV Channel.
The series was very popular and the first season which started following the life of her family, started filming after her husband, a rapper named “T.I.” returned from prison.
Tameka also appeared in a music video for her husbands song called “Hello”, joined by OMG.
Her manager is Nick Roses and she is signed to Sony BMG Music Entertainment and Grand Hustle record labels.
Personal life
At the begining of 90’s she often repeated that she had a fling with Tupac Shakur.
In 2000, Tameka started her relationship with a rapper named T.I. or Tip. They got married ten years later, in 2010. The ceremony was held in a beautiful place at Miami Beach in Florida.
She gave birth to four children and has three from T.I. The sons are Clifford “King” Joseph Harris III, Major Philant Harris and Messiah Ya’Majesty Harris. The daughters are Heiress Diana Harris and Heuness.
Her fourth child, Leyah Amore, was born dead. This was a terrible shock for her and she dissappeared from the stage for a while to recuperate.
In 1996, before she even met T.I., she had a short relationship with Zonnir “Zeboe” Pullins. They had a daughter Zonnique born in 1996.
Zonnir ended up in prison and their relationship broke. Zonnir stayed in contact only with his daughter Zonnique.
Tameka’s daughter Zonnique has a nickname – it’s Niq. She is also active in music and acting.
By marrying T.I. she became a stepmother to 3 children: Messiah, Domani and Deyjah.
In 2006, her husband T.I. violated his probation facted that he hasn’t done community service like he should so he was arrested for breaking the probation. He was on probation because he assaulted a person a few years earlier.
This didn’t wise him up: he was arrested again, when he tried to buy illegal machine guns on black market. He wasn’t aware that he was buying it from state agents who played the roles of gangsters.
He was sentenced for one year but was released earlier due to his good behaviour and the fact that his wife Tameka had to raise children alone while he was in prison.
In 2010, she and her husband T.I. were arrested after they were found overspeeding on a motor vehicle and the policemen found ecstasy in their posession.
Her father Charles died in 2013, after fighting Alzheimer for years. His disease was very painful both for him and the family.
In 2016 she gave birth to Heiness Dianna, their third child, but the end of the same year they started a process for divorce.
Tameka insists in getting custody of all their children because of his latest troubles with the law.
Quick summary
Full name: Tameka Dianne Cottle
Date of birth: July 14, 1975
Birthplace: College Park in Georgia, United States.
Age: 43
Profession: singer, songwriter
Height: 1,55 m
Weight: 50 kg
Net Worth: $3 million
