NJ Mourns James Mtume; Beloved Musician, Activist Dies At 76

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — New Jersey is mourning beloved musician and social activist James Mtume, who died Sunday at the age of 76.

Mtume, a South Orange resident and Philadelphia native, also had deep ties to other North Jersey cities and towns, including Newark, where he was slated to serve as one of the national co-conveners for the Third National Black Political Convention.

According to his obituary:

“James Mtume (born James Heath) was an influential jazz and R&B percussionist, composer, and producer. He was the son of legendary jazz saxophonist Jimmy Heath but was raised by his stepfather, jazz pianist James Forman. He changed his name in college to Mtume which is the Swahili word for messenger. He worked with McCoy Tyner and was a member of Miles Davis’s group in the 1970s. He formed the band Mtume with musician Reggie Lucas and singer Tawatha Agee, releasing a series of jazz/funk/R&B records in the 1970s and 1980s. His composition ‘Juicy Fruit,” was a hit for Mtume in 1983, selling over a million copies. The song has been sampled by many popular artists, most famously on Notorious B.I.G.’s hit song ‘Juicy.’ He and Lucas won a Grammy for writing and producing Stephanie Mills’ hit song ‘Never Knew Love Like This Before.’”

Mtume gave a TEDx Talk on “Our Common Ground In Music” in 2019, where he spoke about the link between music, politics and community (watch it below).

TEDx Talks offered some additional background about Mtume’s storied career:

“Jame’s Mtume’s name means “messenger” in Swahili, which is a bit on-the-nose for this Grammy Award-winning musician. A former percussionist for Miles Davis, the prolific songwriter also headed the band Mtume, a group that helped define R&B’s jazz-funk roots. (Parts of their song “Juicy Fruit,” which you may recognize from the Grand Theft Auto soundtrack, have been incorporated into recordings by Snoop Dogg, Alicia Keys, Faith Evans, Jennifer Lopez and many more.) While the Philadelphia native’s pedigree also includes composing for motion pictures and producing for the likes of Mary J Blige and R Kelly, he’s equally well known for his activism. Formerly the host of the number one black talk radio show in New York, Mtume uses his platform to promote the role of music in defining a generation and advancing social progression, one song a time. Jame’s Mtume’s name means “messenger” in Swahili, which is a bit on-the-nose for this Grammy Award-winning musician. A former percussionist for Miles Davis, the prolific songwriter also headed the band Mtume, a group that helped define R&B’s jazz-funk roots. (Parts of their song “Juicy Fruit,” which you may recognize from the Grand Theft Auto soundtrack, have been incorporated into recordings by Snoop Dogg, Alicia Keys, Faith Evans, Jennifer Lopez and many more.)”

“While the Philadelphia native’s pedigree also includes composing for motion pictures and producing for the likes of Mary J Blige and R Kelly, he’s equally well known for his activism,” TEDx Talks added. “Formerly the host of the number one Black talk radio show in New York, Mtume uses his platform to promote the role of music in defining a generation and advancing social progression, one song a time.”

Mtume’s life was remembered with solemn respect in Newark, where Mayor Ras Baraka offered a message of condolence.

“My prayers and condolences go out to the Mtume family as the world mourns the loss of an incredible icon for our community and our culture,” Baraka said. “Brother James Mtume wrote scores for films and hits for so many artists. His musical genius, body of work, and its influence still resonate in artists’ music today.”

The mayor continued:

“What I loved most about Brother Mtume was the love that he had for his people and his commitment and never-ending fight for justice. As one of the lead organizers of the upcoming National Black Political Convention, Brother Mtume hoped to create actionable steps to move our people forward. On the same day that we lost Brother Mtume, in 2014 was the day I lost my father, Amiri Baraka Sr., and we will continue to honor them both through this work as their legacy will continue in Newark and beyond.”

Bashir Muhammad Akinyele, a teacher and community activist in Newark, also mourned Mtume after hearing of his passing.

Akinyele said Mtume was one of his teachers in Pan Africanism, and pointed out that he was part of the group that celebrated the first Kwanzaa in 1966.

“I will miss brother Mtume very much,” Akinyele said, lauding his musical accomplishments as well as his passion in local anti-violence efforts.

“He was an elder [who was] not afraid of young people,” Akinyele said. “With tears in my eyes I say, Ibaye Asé.”

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

Sign up for Patch email newsletters. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site.