The History of Xscape's Drama

Atlanta-based girl group, Xscape was formed with Kandi Burruss, Tameka “Tiny” Cottle-Harris, Tamera Coggins-Wynn, and sisters LaTocha Scott-Bivens and Tamika Scott. Tamera Coggins-Wynn left the group after Tiny joined; allegedly a new manager believed Tamera wasn’t a good singer. Tamera is still friends with Kandi today and was in her wedding party in 2014.

Xscape was signed to Jermaine Dupri’s So So Def label. The group released three albums before their first breakup: Hummin’ Comin’ at ‘Cha (1992), Off the Hook (1995), and Traces of My Lipstick (1998).

Xscape broke up for the first time in 1998. The group members all have different reasons why they believe the group split. Kandi believes that Rocky, LaTocha’s husband, caused tension when he became the group’s manager. She believed that he wasn’t equal in his management and LaTocha started prioritizing herself and branching off from the group with Rocky. LaTosha believed that Kandi’s relationship with Jermaine Dupri ruined the group.

Jermaine Dupri was Xscape’s producer and songwriter and he believes he played a part in the group breaking up in 1998. He began a romantic relationship with Kandi, and her members didn’t take it well. They believed she was getting special treatment as far as the spotlight, although he denies giving Kandi special treatment.

Xscape briefly reunited (without Kandi) garnering two movie soundtracks, Big Momma’s House (2000) and Hardball (2001). The group went on hiatus after that. In 2005, Kandi rejoined the group and they released the single, “What’s Up”.

Tamika Scott announced on an Atlanta radio station that Kandi slept with Jermaine Dupri and his father, Michael Mauldin. She admitted almost a decade later that she made it up in order to protect her sister since Kandi claimed that LaTocha broke up the group to start her solo career.

Xscape reunites at the BET Awards and films their comeback with Bravo for the limited series, Xscape: Still Kickin’ It. They also went on a 30-city tour.

Xscape makes a comeback with the Here for It EP, recorded without Kandi under the name Xscap3. Kandi turned down recording new music as she was working on Broadway in the musical, Chicago.

In the midst of the pandemic, Xscape (including Kandi) battled fellow 90s girl group SWV for Verzuz. The event encouraged Bravo to create a reality show in the future following the two groups.

Xscape has drama at a performance because Kandi and Tamika were locked out of their dressing rooms during the Lovers and Friends Festival in May 2022 and LaTocha left them behind. Tamika confronted her sister about leaving her and said that it was wrong to not check on her own sister.

Tamika says that she texted in their Xscape group chat, “Everyone who left without making sure we were good can kiss my ass.”

Latocha responded, “You know what you saying when you tell a person to keep walking.” Tamika fired back texting, “If you had an ass to kiss.”

LaTocha accused her sister of body shaming her with the comment. The sisters are seen apologizing in an episode of SWV & Xscape: The Queens of R&B.

LaTocha wore a green dress to the 2022 Soul Train Awards for Xscape to receive the Lady of Soul Awards while the rest of the group wore silver gowns. She said on social media that she didn’t get the memo and the other members claimed it was a miscommunication. LaTocha later clarified that she had a different stylist than the rest of the group.

Xscape announces a tour without LaTocha and she announces a gospel album through Motown Gospel titled The Invitation: A Conversation with God.

Bravo premiered SWV & Xscape: The Queens of R&B, a reality series following SWV and Xscape’s journey to putting on a concert together. The show has been revealing loads of drama between and within the groups, especially Xscape.

Tamika accused LaTocha’s husband, Rocky Bivens, of stealing $30,000 in royalties from her while she was pregnant with her first child. The allegation came out during a heated argument about favoritism with the Scott sister’s mother. Their mother had an outburst about the allegations being presented on camera. The sister’s relationship continues to be in an unstable place as SWV & Xscape: The Queens of R&B continue to air.