PHILLY STREET TO BE NAMED AFTER THE LEGENDARY JAMES MTUME

On Friday, May 12, 2023, Philadelphia honored legendary Jazz and R&B music composer, songwriter, producer and social activist, the late, great JAMES MTUME.

1500 S Wharton Street was renamed JAMES MTUME WAY, as a salute to the South Philly native’s profound impact on music and culture. Sadly, he passed away on January 9, 2022, just six days after his 76th birthday.

MTUME was born in South Philly and relocated to California in his young adult years. He was instantly fascinated by its rich music scene. He immersed himself in it and it wasn’t long before his wondrous talents were noticed by the late, great Miles Davis. Miles invited him to play in his band and became his mentor. He gave MTUME many precious jewels regarding music. He was a brilliant artist and a dear friend to him.

He attributed his success to his courageous spirit. “I was never afraid to be different and push forward. I always moved on to a new sound instead of going back to what I’d already done. As an artist, it’s about finding your own unique voice.”, he said. This spirit carried into his personal life. MTUME was a member of Hakim Jamal and Maulana Karenga’s US Organization, a Black nationalist group, passionate about empowering the Black race. The three men eventually formed the band, MTUME.

His special gift for music allowed him to write and produce music personally designed for each artist he worked with. Throughout his extensive career, MTUME created a heap of timeless hits for various artists. He wrote and produced classic R&B songs, “The Closer I Get To You”, by Donnie Hathaway and Roberta Flack and “Never Knew Love Like This Before” by Stephanie Mills. He won Grammys for both. His own band, MTUME’s, mega-hits, “JUICY FRUIT” and “YOU, ME and HE“, are still being sampled 40 years later.

Many may not know that MTUME also scored the entire soundtrack for “New York UnderCover”, the 1990’s ground-breaking television series, most notable for its musical sequences absent of any dialogue or sound effects, but instead accompanied by music. Scoring was the most rewarding task for MTUME because it allowed him to press the boundaries of music and explore new ideas.

Hip Hop is a genre that thrives on pressing boundaries and exploring new ideas. Could this be why MTUME’s music has been sampled 247 times and has 7 covers and 3 remixes?  And his band’s most popular record, “JUICY FRUIT”, was sampled on the NOTORIOUS BIG’s very first hit song, “JUICY“, which sparked his fantastic career. Warren G, Keisha Cole and Missy Elliott, NeYo and Jeremiah, Curren$y, Cam’Ron, Phil Ade and Kevin Ross, Infamous Mobb, Sauce Money, DMX, JAY Z, Grand Puba and Kid Capri, Aaliyah, Common, Chris Brown, R. Kelly and the late Coolio have all sampled MTUME’s work.

MTUME  stayed hip and relevant listening to the newer artists. Before he passed on he commented, “Our music is timeless and I want to keep it alive. I get energy from the younger generation. I would love to work with Kendrick Lamar. He is an extraordinary talent and I truly enjoy his music. I also enjoy listening to SZA and J.Cole. I admire their originality. There’s not enough of that in today’s music. I haven’t seen a real original talent since Miles Davis. Copying someone else’s style may get you in the door, but it won’t keep you there. The key is to find your own sound and build on it. Don’t be afraid to push the boundaries. This is a great time to be in the music business. Young people have a big advantage, they have direct access to the internet to promote their music. We had to rely on record companies.” 

JAMES MTUME will be greatly missed. We salute his phenomenal career and tremendous contributions to the Hip Hop, R&B and Jazz genres.

His son, FAULU MTUME, released a message inviting everyone to join him in celebrating his father’s life and legacy. The street renaming, organized by Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson, He’s been serving Philadelphia’s Second District area since 2012. The ceremony will take place on May 12, 2023 from 11am-2pm at 1500 Wharton Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Rest in heavenly power King.

https://www.jamesmtumeonline.com/