Don’t call it a comeback. After early 90’s mega group Xscape split, former member Tamika Scott shifted her career field to acting and theater. Her breakout role in Tyler Perry’s 2004 play “Meet the Browns,” not only opened doors for her drama career, it resurged her name back into households and gave her new life for a solo R&B project. Serving as the A&R/co-executive for the “Daddy’s Little Girl” soundtrack, she began her resurgence for singing again. Now after the success of “Daddy’s Little Girl,” she is concentrating on her solo album, her daughter’s acting career as well as her writing vocation.
Singersroom: What’s your favorite love song?
Tamika: The “Greatest Gift.” (laughter). I swear. Before “Greatest Gift” I liked Mary’s (J. Blige) “Be Without You.”
Singersroom: “Greatest Gift” is said to be the love song of the century. When you were writing the song did you envision wedding bells?
Tamika: When I write I like to visualize things and if you can see a video for it then that means it’s good. I want people to feel my music without even seeing the videos. I like to use words people can relate to.
Singersroom: Is that going to be your wedding song?
Tamika: If I can ever find that greatest gift. (laughter) That’s a person I would want. The greatest gift is a man I would love to meet and the type of guy I would love to marry.
Singersroom: What have you been doing since the break-up of Xscape?
Tamika: Acting. I have done a lot of musical theater; my claim to fame is Tyler Perry’s “Meet the Browns,” where I played Millet Jenay Baptiste-Brown.
Singersroom: Outside of the plays I see you have also authored books?
Tamika: Yeah – I wrote a book called “Justice for All”, I wrote a screenplay called “DNA”, and I wrote another book called “Preacher’s Daughter” a fictional book based on how you always hear about preacher’s kids. It talks about what goes on when the church lights are out; the real story. I’m also working on a show for my seven year old daughter name Tinah called “Tinah’s World.” It is a little comedy that puts you in the mind of “in Living Color.”
Singersroom: Interestingâ¦a variety show for young people?
Tamika: It’s gonna be mixed but it will cater to African American people just like “In Living Color.” She is so funny, if she walks in this room right now all you would do is laugh. Things that she says [have] me like dying you know. All segments are real, I write down everything she says that is funny; things that she do that is funny. I write and do a little storyline behind it.
Singersroom: Being that you also started your career at an early age, what are some concerns you have for your daughter starting her career so early?
Tamika: First she wants to do it; I’m not making her do it. I brought her the idea and she was like okay! She will sit down and write certain things and give it to me; I be like where you get this from. She is so hype; she told me she is practicing her autograph signing (laughter). She call herself little diva. She wants to do it so I’m not afraid, because I’m here to guide her, direct her. We both have the same manager so we both are in good hands.
Singersroom: It seems like most of your artistic outlets are family oriented?
Tamika: Not all of my stuff, “DNA” is not. (laughter)
Singersroom: What is DNA about?
Tamika: It is about a young lady born perfect. She doesn’t age after the age twenty-five and the government tries to find a serum to make people stop aging.
Singersroom: Coolâ¦so why has it taken so long for you to come back with a solo album?
Tamika: I wanted to make an album when I was ready because all the girls did [solo albums]; first Kandi then my sister did hers; Tiny was in a group. My first love is acting, I’m just an entertainer. I love to act, that is my life. I grew up acting, my sister LaTocha (of Xscape), she sang and I use to act. It got to the point my manager was like sing with your sister so I was pulled into singing. When you’re acting you’re singing as well and a lot of people come up and say “your acting is good or “your singing is good”, they can’t tell which one I’m the best at. It’s like let me get back into this singing thing.
Singersroom: What was your role in producing “Daddy’s Little Girl” soundtrack?
Tamika: I A&R’d it, wrote a couple songs, produced a couple songs. I did a lot of vocal arrangement; I had to go in the studio with different artist. I was totally hands on with this whole project.
Singersroom: What was the most exciting part of the project?
Tamika: The most exciting part was about one of the songs with Yolanda Adams. I love her stuff. The crazy part is when I was writing I had one of her songs in mind. I was like how would Yolanda (Adams) sing it. So when I demoed it, Tyler (Perry) listen to it and he was like – we got to get her. I went to the studio with her, it was wonderful, the feeling I got from it was crazy. She told me when she heard the song “Step Aside” it was her testimony and before she got paid a dime she wanted to go in the studio and do it. Her lawyer was like wait a minute let’s finish the paperwork, she said “y’all finish the paperwork I got to do this; it’s my personal life testimony.” She said I was all up in her business. (laughter.)
Singersroom: Where are you with your project?
Tamika: I have completed seven songs and I have a lot more to go. I’m in the beginning stage.
Singersroom: Do you have a concept for the album?
Tamika: High definition chocolate. Something high definition is right there like the best. I feel that is me. It’s what you need in life. —— By: Interview By Adeniyi Omisore
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