Tawatha

Hailing from Philadelphia, Tawatha Agee sang lead vocals on Mtume's million-selling single "Juicy Fruit" as well as her own hits "Thigh Ride," "Are Your Serious," and other hits produced by Mtume leader/jazz-based keyboardist James Mtume and Reggie Lucas. Mtume's first charting single was "Just Funnin'" on Epic; though the single was played in Chicago and other major markets it stalled at number 93 R&B in summer 1978. The next charting single, "Give It on Up (If You Want To)," hit number 26 R&B in summer 1980. The follow-up, "So You Wanna Be a Star," went to number 60 R&B in late 1980. Both were included on their 1980 Epic LP In Search of the Rainbow Seekers issued September 1980. It would be three years before Mtume would have another charting single, but what a "charting" single it would be! James Mtume (m-too-may), who had produced and/or written (usually along with Reggie Lucas) hits for Stephanie Mills ("Whatcha Gonna Do With My Lovin'," "Sweet Sensation," "Never Knew Love Like This Before"), Phyllis Hyman ("You Know How To Love Me," "Under Your Spell"), Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway ("Closer I Get to You"), wanted to put the same level of attention on the next release from his group. To distinguish Mtume from his other productions, James decided to use a sparse sound, no horns or strings. He also wanted to write a song that was based on a female view. He used his usual method of creating the music first, then writing lyrics that fit while listening to the music track. In fact, for "Juicy Fruit," Tawatha would be recording one verse while James would be writing the verse that would follow it. No doubt these improvising skills were honed from his playing days with Miles Davis, Joe Henderson, Sonny Rollins, and Freddie Hubbard. Though Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It...