Name Meaning: T-Boz, Left Eye, Chilli
Established Since: 1991
Group Base: Atlanta, GA
Record Label: Arista records
Management: Elephant Walk Management
Beautiful, Classy, Intelligent, Sassy, Crazy, Sexy, Cool... Just a few words to describe the
incredible super-trio TLC. It was ten years ago when these three ladies came together to
form a legendary Hip Hop/R&B group. Tionne ‘T-Boz’ Watkins, Lisa ‘Left Eye’ Lopes,
and Rozanda ‘Chilli’ Thomas were formed and signed by Antonio ‘LA’ Reid and his then
wife Perri ‘Pebbles’ Reid, to become TLC. Bringing together three different styles and
sounds, they would soon face controversy shortly after the release of there debut album,
Ooooooohhh...On the TLC tip. Illness, management disputes, relationship problems,
rumors, and criticism all affected them, but they quickly gained their composure and
released their sophomore breakthrough album, CrazySexyCool, in late 1994. No longer
managed by Pebbles, things quickly turned for the better. Spawning it all off was their
Platinum first single, “Creep”, which also happened to be their first number 1 single. Just
as things couldn’t get any better, they got worse. TLC was forced to file for bankruptcy,
due to millions of dollars owed to insurance claims, legal fees, and lawsuits. The group
quickly settled and moved on. The received numerous awards and achievements,
including two Grammy’s in 1996. TLC soon went on a nearly five year hiatus, but each
member ventured off on solo projects. T-Boz recorded a single for the Fled Soundtrack
called “Touch Myself”, became the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America (SCDAA)
spokesperson, was featured in Various TV and movies roles including ‘Living Single’ and
‘Belly’. Left Eye began talks of her solo project. She guest rapped on Lil’ Kim’s ‘Not
Tonight’ remix, ‘Ladies Night’. She also hosted her own show on MTV called ‘The Cut’,
in 1998. Chilli became a mother as she gave birth to her son, Tron, in 1997. She also hit
the big screen when she made a cameo appearance in 1998’s ‘Hav Plenty’ and
Nickelodeon’s ‘Snow Day’. In February 1999 came the released of TLC’s third and
highly anticipated album. Entitled Fanmail, TLC dedicated this album to their fans for
supporting them through the rough times and bearing with them during their absence. The
first single, ‘No Scrubs’, shot to the top of the charts and helped debut the album at
number one. The album soon went multi-platinum and they followed up their smash hit
first single with the enlightening ‘Unpretty’. In early 2000, rumors that TLC were
breaking up started to resurface. Partly due to Left Eye announcing that she would start
production on her solo effort, T-Boz pulling out of some international tour dates due to
health concerns, and small feuds between the three members. But the trio lives on. They
are all back together and working on releasing their fourth album, which is due later on
this year. Meanwhile, T-Boz married West Coast rapper Mack 10 nearly a year ago and
had a daughter with him a few months later. Left Eye recently completed her solo debut
entitled, Supernova, which will be out in August. Chilli will also make a solo album, but
she insisted to put it off until after this TLC project. TLC have proved themselves
throughout ten years of trials and tribulations and still they stand. Therefor, T-Boz, Left
Eye, and Chilli remain to be the most successful female group of all time !
