James Mtume dead at 76: Tributes pour in as Grammy-winning R&B legend passes away

American jazz and R&B musician James Mtume passed away on Sunday, January 9, 2022, at the age of 76. The news of his demise was confirmed by Lisa Lucas, daughter of his late creative associate Reggie Lucas:

“So much loss. So much grief. Rest in power to Uncle Mtume. My late father’s partner in crime, the co-creator of the songs of my life (and about my birth!). He was an essential part of the life of the man who made me, therefore me too. Gone now. He will be dearly, eternally missed.”

No immediate cause of death was made available at the time of writing, and it is not known if he suffered from any health conditions. Fatiyn Muhammad, the host and executive producer of the WBLS radio show Open Line, also confirmed Mtume’s passing:

“A lot of folks didn’t know that Mtume was so political and savvy in so many different areas. I felt like the air got sucked out of the room. Mtume was a special individual.”

Mtume was known as the pioneer of the jazz and R&B industry. He is best remembered for his 1983 R&B hit Juicy Fruit, which was sampled by The Notorious B.I.G. for his debut single, Juicy, in 1994.

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A look back into the life of James Mtume

Legendary R&B singer Mtume passed away on January 9 (Image via David Corio/Getty Images)

James Mtume was a singer, songwriter, record producer, radio personality, and activist. He was born on January 3, 1946, to jazz saxophonist Jimmy Heath and raised by jazz pianist James Forman.

Mtume learned to play the piano and percussion in his childhood and was also a prolific teenage swimmer. The athlete became the first African-American Middle Atlantic AAU champion in the backstroke and earned an athletic scholarship to study at Pasadena City College.

In 1966, the musician joined Hakim Jamal and Maulana Karenga Black empowerment group, the US Organization, and was part of the first Kwanzaa celebrations. James Mtume debuted in the music industry by contributing four compositions in Albert Heath’s 1970 album Kawaida.

The performer moved to New York and started working with the likes of McCoy Tyner, Freddie Hubbard, and Lonnie Liston Smith, among others. He gained widespread recognition for his collaboration with Miles Davis between 1971 and 1975.

Mtume also started writing for Roberta Flack along with fellow musician Reggie Lucas. The duo co-wrote Flack and Donny Hathaway’s hit number, The Closer I Get to You. They also won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Song for writing and producing Stephanie Mills' Never Knew Love Like This Before.

The Philadelphia-native went on to establish his own band Mtume in the late 70s and collaborated with other artists like Phyllis Hyman, R. Kelly, Mary J. Blige, Teddy Pendergrass, and Inner City, among others.

Following the release of the band’s final album in 1986, Mtume continued to provide music behind the scenes. He created the soundtrack for shows like New York Undercover and the drama film Native Son.

He also started working as a session musician with the Players Association and later joined New York City's KISS 98.7 FM. Following his departure from the music industry, Mtume spent two decades as the co-host of the WBLS program, Open Line.

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Twitter mourns the loss of James Mtume

Hundreds of tributes poured in as Mtume passed away at 76 (Image via Ebet Roberts/Getty Images)

James Mtume was considered a trailblazer in the music industry for using his creative genius to build a bridge between art, politics, and culture. He also created some of the most iconic 70s music in the jazz and R&B genres.

The percussionist influenced several musicians in the past, and his works like Juicy Fruit continued to be sampled by contemporary R&B artists. Following the news of Mtume’s passing, several people took to Twitter to pay their tributes to the legendary musician:

Mtume is survived by his sons, music producers Damu and Fa Mtume. The R&B legend will be deeply missed by his family, friends, colleagues, and fans. However, his legacy will always be cherished by contemporaries and future generations.