Ooooh... On The TLC Tip...

TLC made many waves their first few years out and it was said that they’d either be a fad or a one hit wonder group. But the trio followed-up their debut cd in 1994 with a complete image makeover. Those sassy tomboys morphed themselves into three sexy young women and deemed themselves as crazy, sexy and cool. TLC’s second album "Crazysexycool," had barely any rapping on it which surprised some TLC fans but pleased others as the group had grown up some and moved toward a more mature R&B sound. They were the singing/rapping trio that (outside of Salt & Pepa) began to change the tomboy image of female rappers.

Just before the release of that second album, Left Eye made major headlines when she was arrested for burning down the house of her boyfriend, football player Andre Rison. Although she briefly went into hiding and had to answer to a few counts of arson and reckless endangerment, the incident didn't hinder sales of "Crazysexycool" since the record sold over 4 million copies. Three number one singles came out of this second album and they were "Creep," "Red Light Special" and "Waterfalls." TLC earned two Grammys in ’96 for this album.

During a five-year hiatus TLC changed in many ways. Left eye broke up with, made up with and then got engaged to Rison, T-Boz released a solo single which got major attention as she sang about masturbation, she also went public with her battle of sickle-cell anemia and became a spokesperson for the disease, Chilli met and made amends with an absent father and also gave birth to a son named Tron (who's father is Dallas Austin), the group as a whole went bankrupt and had to dig themselves out of trouble, they broke their contract with Pebbles and found new recording freedom dealing directly with LaFace Records. In 1999 TLC put out their third release and called it "Fanmail."

"Fanmail" launched a few hits of it’s own including, "No Scrubs" "My Life" and "Unpretty." Recently Left Eye announced that she was joining forces with Tha Row (Suge Knight's label formerly known as Death Row). She was going to record under the name N.I.N.A. ("New Identity Non-Applicable").

Now, as the group was working on a fourth album, tragedy sets. On April 26, 2002, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes was recently killed while on a spiritual mission/vacation retreat in Honduras. Lisa was driving a rented SUV with seven passengers. She lost control of the vehicle when her path was suddenly obstructed by another vehicle and they swerved off the road. The car rolled over several times and Left Eye was killed while four others were injured.

At the time of the accident TLC were taking a break from recording that fourth cd. It will be the last cd featuring Left Eye. The remaining members of the group say that she will not be replaced in the group.

"It's not over," says Chilli. "I know that Lisa would not want us to stop. As for Lisa being replaced -- never. You can't replace a TLC girl. The chemistry we have is something God gave us. You can't put that together."

No comment has been made as of yet what will be done with that project and there is no word on how much material Left Eye had recorded for the N.I.N.A. project or for the TLC cd.