Xscape

by itemvn  |  June 20, 2011 [Edit]

Xscape, was a female American R&B group that originally started out as a quintet and then became a quartet. The group had a string of hit songs during the 1990s. The original lineup of the group consisted of sisters LaTocha Scott and Tamika Scott, Kandi Burruss, Tameka "Tiny" Cottle, and Tamera Coggins, though Coggins departed the group before their debut album was released.

After Coggins left the group in 1993, Xscape became a quartet. They were later discovered by Jermaine Dupri while singing at an annual Martin Luther King, Jr. festival in Atlanta. Dupri immediately signed the group to his up and coming So So Def label. He debuted the quartet at his birthday party in 1991. The group released their debut album, Hummin' Comin' at 'Cha, on October 12, 1993. The album peaked at number seventeen the U.S. Billboard 200 and number three on the Top R&B Albums chart. It was a critical and commercial success, certified platinum within a year, and launched two top 10 singles. The debut single, "Just Kickin' It", and second single, "Understanding", both entered the top 10 of the official Hot 100 and became platinum and gold certified number-one hits on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The follow-up singles, "Love on My Mind" and "Tonight", did not achieve the same success.

After much success, Xscape released their second studio album, Off the Hook, in 1995. The lead single, "Feels So Good", reached the top 40 of the US Hot 100, while "Who Can I Run To" peaked at #8. The follow-up singles, "Do You Want To" and "Can't Hang", the latter featuring rapper MC Lyte, were released as a double A-side single. It went only as high as number 50 on the Hot 100, but peaked at #9 on the "Hot R&B/Hip Hop" charts. The album eventually went platinum.

In early 1998, Xscape was featured on the Keith Sweat produced single, "Am I Dreamin'", by R&B new-comer group Ol' Skool. The single was a success in North America, peaking at #31 on the "Hot 100", and was later featured on Xscape's third album Traces of My Lipstick.

Traces of My Lipstick debuted at #28 on the Billboard 200 and at #6 on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop album chart; over a million copies were sold in the U.S. The album featured the top 10 hit "The Arms of the One Who Loves You", which reached #7 on the Hot 100 chart, and "My Little Secret", which reached #9. Although there no official third single was released, "Softest Place on Earth" reached #28 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.