He learned to play piano and percussion; however, from his teenage years he was pursuing athletics as a swimmer, having achieved the title of the first black Middle Atlantic AAU champion in the backstroke, and in 1966 he entered Pasadena City College on a swimming scholarship.

[3] In 1966, Mtume joined the US Organization, a Black empowerment group founded by Hakim Jamal and Maulana Karenga, while a student at Pasadena City College.

[9] After his return from the West Coast he moved to New York City and had his first gigs as a sideman for McCoy Tyner (Asante album), Freddie Hubbard, and Miles Davis, whose group he wound up joining and playing in for the next few years.

[2] In July 2018, Mtume filed a lawsuit against Sony Music/Epic Records, hoping to reclaim the rights for two albums and his hit single "Juicy Fruit".

With Gato Barbieri With Miles Davis With Art Farmer With Carlos Garnett With Albert Heath With Jimmy Heath With Eddie Henderson with Harold Land With Azar Lawrence With Abbey Lincoln With Sonny Rollins With Lonnie Liston Smith With James Spaulding With Buddy Terry With McCoy Tyner