The ’90s were a golden era for R&B groups, and Cut Close was one of the most promising. With their soulful, elegant sound and the backing of Keith Sweat, they were featured on several of his hits, including “Twisted” and “Get Up On It.” They transitioned from background singers to chart-toppers with their 1995 hit “I Like.” Despite their early success, they only released one album before disappearing. The real story behind their sudden disappearance is much more complicated than anyone could have imagined.
“We were so excited when everything was released, but then it all flipped on us. We were left wondering what we did to deserve being ignored,” the group members recalled.
Tabatha, born into a family of 15 children, sought sisterhood beyond her protective upbringing. While working at Lafaye’s Records, she became a fan of TLC and decided to form her own girl group. With industry connections through her then-boyfriend, who knew people like Babyface and Keith Sweat, Tabatha managed to get an audition with Keith. He was impressed by their rendition of “Get Up On It” and, signed to Elektra, added Cut Close to his imprint, Kia Records.
“I got my own label, signed Silk and Cut Close, and never saw a loss. My first album sold 5 million copies.”
Tabitha shared with the Halftime Chat YouTube channel that they tried to do everything by the book, even hiring their own lawyer to review the contract. But they quickly realized that the industry was tightly knit, with everyone in bed with each other. Despite having a lawyer supposedly looking out for them, they ended up getting screwed with a seven-album deal.
“We contributed to the album, and they’d say, ‘Alright, sign here.’ They’d sneak a publishing contract into the recording contract, combining the two. We ended up giving up our publishing rights for one dollar. Who gives an advance of one dollar? One dollar!”
Tabitha expressed her frustration to Halftime Chat, saying, “Knowing you’re being taken advantage of is disheartening.”
“Get Up On It,” from Keith’s 1994 album, peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and went platinum. This exposure helped Cut Close gain a larger audience. Their debut album, “Surrender,” released in 1995, included the surprise hit “I Like,” which reached number 34 on the Billboard chart.
Athena, the lead singer, was favored by Keith, but Tabitha initially didn’t mind, acknowledging Athena’s unique talent. Their follow-up singles, “Lovely Thing” and “Surrender,” didn’t perform as well. A Washington Post journalist noted that while they had attractive voices, they lacked a distinctive group sound, and the lyrics, written by Keith, seemed inauthentic and catered to male fantasies. The journalist remarked, “There’s something unsettling about powerful industry figures who sign young women desperate for stardom and then direct them to perform in a way that fulfills male fantasies.”
The group continued working with Keith and were featured on his 1996 single “Twisted,” which became his biggest hit, reaching number one and staying on the charts for 33 weeks. However, the music video didn’t credit Cut Close, though they had songwriting credits. When Keith recorded “Nobody” in 1996, only Athena was featured. Despite Keith’s chart-topping success, the group struggled financially, prompting Tabitha to confront Keith directly.
“Home, food, cars – they’re all necessities. We signed a record deal, but we can’t work. We’re about to get kicked out of our house. What are we supposed to do? That guy told us to get a job and take MARTA, the city bus, to work.”
The ladies could have made some money on tour, but Tabitha says Keith only took Athena with him. This created a lot of tension and division in the group. They all went to New York to work on their second album and hit the studio with Missy Elliott. That’s when things really started to go wrong. The label only wanted Athena’s voice for the verses and background, leaving Lavon and Tabitha wondering why they were even there if they weren’t going to sing.
Tabitha shared with Halftime Chat that the higher-ups wanted to shake things up by presenting the project as “Athena Cage featuring Cut Close.” The other members were not okay with this, and even Athena was uncomfortable with being pushed to the forefront. One day, Tabitha heard on the radio that Cut Close was looking for two new members. Apparently, Keith wanted to replace her and Lavon, and Athena was meeting with the replacements behind their backs.
The song with Missy was never released, and Cut Close never finished their second album. Athena signed as a solo artist with Priority Records. Her single “Hey Hey” peaked at number 18, and she had some success with “All or Nothing” on the 2001 “Save the Last Dance” soundtrack.
“If I were Tabitha and Lavon, I’d be really upset if you went solo. We came up together, and now you have a solo record? I’d be mad.”
“We weren’t working together anymore before I started my solo career. It didn’t just happen out of nowhere.”
But it was clear Athena needed Cut Close as much as they needed her. The label wasn’t happy with her solo music’s performance, so before her album could be released, she was dropped from Priority Records.
Athena and Lavon returned to their hometown, while Tabitha remained in Atlanta. She explained that due to owing Keith’s label six more albums, they were unable to pursue new projects until their contract expired around 2003. Adjusting to a quieter life, they started families but found the transition challenging, particularly Tabitha, who shared her unpleasant experience of working a regular job in public where people often derided her perceived fall from grace.
Nearly a decade later, the women reconciled their differences and reunited as sisters. They joined Keith on stage a few times, and in 2010, released “Let It Ring,” followed by another single, “Congratulations,” in 2020. However, during Keith’s appearance on Verzuz with Bobby Brown in July 2021, the ladies were notably absent, despite expectations for them to perform together. Tabitha expressed confusion over Keith’s exclusion of them in an interview with the Marty A. Johnson Show, stating they were left puzzled by his actions.
Their absence from the Verzuz event sparked speculation about Keith’s motives. Tabitha suggested various possibilities, including gender bias, a belief that they needed more hit songs to share his stage again, or even embarrassment over disputes regarding their publishing rights.
Despite their challenges, Tabitha still regards Keith as their musical mentor, acknowledging the opportunity he provided them. In May 2022, they announced plans for their second studio album on Facebook, launching a GoFundMe campaign with a $100,000 goal. As of the latest update, they’ve raised over $2,600. The group continues to tour, determined to assert their individuality beyond their association with Keith Sweat, aiming to be recognized as significant contributors to music history.