Xscape revitalized It's Act 2 for the women of Xscape, ready to reinvent themselves for today's urban R&B marketplace.
Hoping to rekindle
Bayfest: Concerts and more
the fire of the '90sBy Gary C. W. Chun
gchun@starbulletin.comWhen they appear tonight at the annual BayFest at the Kaneohe Marine Corps air base, they'll be minus one member, a young woman who has found success more as a writer than a performer.
Kandi Burruss, who has gone on as a solo act, wrote some of the top hits of the late '90s, building on the success of her Grammy-winning hit for TLC, "No Scrubs," co-written with Xscapee Tameka "Tiny" Cottle.
Burruss wrote "Makes Me Ill" that was covered by 'N Sync, Pink's "There You Go," and, more importantly, helped build Destiny's Child's cred by giving them "Bills, Bills, Bills" and "Bugaboo."
The remaining members of Xscape -- Cottle and the Scott sisters, LaTocha and Tamika -- hope to recapture the vibe they enjoyed 11 years ago as a featured swing-beat quartet assembled by writer/producer Jermaine Dupri in their hometown of Atlanta, Ga.
"We never really split up," said LaTocha Scott by phone from her Atlanta home last Friday. "We were all working on solo projects, conceding that we all had things we wanted to work on on our own. In our coming back together, it seemed natural to take it to the next level."
The BayFest appearance will mark their first performance as a trio, but a fourth member may be added before they truly embark on this new stage of their career.
"The group is still strong as we were," said Cottle by phone from her New Orleans hotel room, just before she left to attend the Essence Festival, "even though, right now, we're missing someone like Kandi. The Xscape sound has not changed."
Cottle said they plan to kick out their So So Def hits, singing to prerecorded backing tracks that date back to '93 with "Just Kickin' It," '95's "Who Can I Run To" and "Do You Want To," continuing with hits from 1998's "Traces of My Lipstick" album, "The Arms of the One Who Loves You" and "My Little Secret."
Three years after the quartet's initial parting-of-ways, which included Tamika Scott's foray into gospel (she's an ordained minister), the time to regroup seemed right.
"We've learned to overlook our differences," Cottle said. "After all, we're just like sisters and the business is just that -- a business. The love is still there; we just needed to take some space and time apart from each other, which helped out."
"Two of us want to get into movies," said Scott, "even though I'm still a producer and songwriter. There are a lot of avenues to pursue everywhere. Acting, voice-over work, and I've met ('Baby Boy' director) John Singleton. Plus Atlanta is so hot right now, what with acts like 112, Outkast, TLC and Toni Braxton.
"Just because we've been pursuing our own individual careers of late, it doesn't mean that there isn't a lot of love between us," she said. "There's no love lost with Kandi gone."
Scott said that her foundation work keeps her busy as well, what with a recent charity celebrity basketball game that included celebrities like R. Kelly, Jamie Foxx, Lil' Bow Wow and the group's original producer, Dupri.
With the regrouping of Xscape, everyone involved will come in with ideas of how to change things image-wise and record producer-wise.
"Jermaine is still hot," Scott said, "but I'd like to work with other established producers, like Dr. Dre and Timbaland. But we'd also like to work with up-and-comers, those who would be committed to listen to people like us who've been in the game for so long."
"We realized that, during the break, our true fans were waiting for us to get back together," Cottle said. "We hope that they'll be accepting to the changes and like us like how they felt the first time they heard us!"
"The harmony is still there and we're still kickin' it!" said Scott.
When: 9:30 to 10:45 p.m. today Xscape at Bayfest 2001
Where: Kaneohe Marine Corps Base
Admission: $3 active duty, military family members and retired military, $3.50 civilian (12 years and older), $1.50 children 4 to 11 years and free to children 3 and under today.
Featured will be lots of entertainment, carnival rides, Coconut Island boat rides, dunker-and-striker games, an island lifestyle expo, classic and new car shows, fest tent entertainment, outrigger-canoe and kayak rides, a Marine Corps chin-up challenge and late-night DJ parties. The 12th Annual
BayFest
When: 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. today; noon to 2 a.m. tomorrow; and noon to midnight SundayWhere: Kaneohe Marine Corps Base Hawaii
Admission: $3 active duty, military family members and retired military, $3.50 civilian (12 years and older), $1.50 children 4 to 11 years and free to children 3 and under today. Tomorrow and Sunday rates are $2.50 for military ($3 after 5 p.m.) and $3 civilian. Child rates remain the same. Advance tickets, available at Papa John's pizza locations, are $6 (grants one admission, three carnival rides and two pizza coupons).
Information: 254-5229 or www.bayfesthawaii.com
A laser-light show precedes late concerts. The concerts
Today
5 to 7 p.m.: Rail
7 to 7:45 p.m.: 24/7 dance group
7:45 to 8 p.m.: Forté
8 to 9 p.m.: DisGuyz
9:30 to 10:45 p.m.: Xscape
Tomorrow
7 to 7:45 p.m.: Lo-Vibe
8:15 to 9:15 p.m.: Natural Vibrations
9:45 to 11:15 p.m.: Sister Hazel
Sunday
5 to 6 p.m.: Paradise Cove Luau Dancers
6 to 7 p.m.: Koa'uka
7 to 8 p.m.: Ten Feet
8 to 9 p.m: Ho'onu'a
9:30 to 10:45 p.m.: Kalapana
The events
Today
4:30 to 5:30 p.m.: BayFest 5K airfield run (starting at Hangar 105, $15 entry fee)
Tomorrow
1:30 to 2:30 p.m.: Children's snorkeling treasure hunt
3:30 to 4 p.m.: Pizza-eating contest
4 to 5:30 p.m.: Bodysearch fitness competition
5:30 to 6:30 p.m.: Strongman competition
6:30 to 8 p.m.: Boxing challenge
Sunday
1 to 1:30 p.m.: Ice cream-eating contest
3 to 4 p.m.: Bathtub regatta
Click for online
calendars and events.
