Tiny Harris Recalls Cypress Hill Suing Xscape Over Debut Album Title

BY Erika Marie 11.0K Views
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Tiny Harris, Xscape, Cypress Hill, Jermaine Dupri, Lawsuit, Hummin' Comin' At Ya, How I Could Just Kill a Man
"Hummin' Comin' At Cha" was a hit, but the rap group wanted to be paid because it was a line in one of their most famous songs.

Their debut album is a celebrated classic among R&B circles and earned them a platinum plaque, but Xscape's Hummin' Comin' At Cha landed the group in legal trouble. For those that may not know, the record's title is actually a lyric from Cypress Hill's classic single "How I Could Just Kill a Man." Tiny revealed that the rap group ended up taking them to court back in the 1990s over the use of their line.

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"It was definitely Jermaine [Dupri's] idea," Tiny told VladTV. "He had this idea of what he wanted us to be like and look like, so on and so on. He felt like, you know, us looking like little rappers and coming out singing like we sung was gonna be like a shocker, more so." The idea for the title of their debut was straight from Dupri's desk, but Cypress Hill ended up suing them. "We had to pay up."

Tiny explained that Dupri wanted to use the phrase Hummin' Comin' At Cha because they were "like hummingbirds." She added, "I get what he was thinking. It wasn't necessarily what they were talking about" on the original Cypress Hill track. Tiny added that they got sued a few times and couldn't remember how much they ended up paying the legendary rap group. Watch her discuss the title and lawsuit below.


About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.

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