Carl Carlton Dies — 'She's a Bad Mama Jama' Singer Was 72

Carl Carlton, a gifted soul singer who enjoyed two massive crossover hits across his more than 50-year career, died December 14, People magazine reports.

Reportedly born in Detroit on May 21, 1953 (some sources cite 1952), he was a professional by his teens, billed as Little Carl Carlton.

Signed in 1968 to Texas-based label Back Beat, he enjoyed a smash in the U.K. with "Competition Ain't Nothing" two years later.

Along with other, more minor, successes, his 1974 cover of "Everlasting Love" hit no. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Weathering royalty disputes, he emerged in 1981 with his next big single, "She's a Bad Mama Jama (She's Built, She's Stacked)." The funky number only managed to peak at no. 22 on the Hot 100, but went gold and has since become a staple of the genre.

"Mama Jama" has been especially evergreen thanks to it being sampled repeatedly, including by Dru Hill, Foxy Brown, Coco Lee, and Flo Milli.

In 2010, Carlton released a proper gospel album, "God Is Good."

He continued performing until 2019, when he was dealt health challenges by a stroke.