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TLC is an American
girl group A girl group is a music act featuring several female singers who generally harmonize together. The term "girl group" is also used in a narrower sense in the United States to denote the wave of American female pop music singing groups, many of wh ...
whose original line-up consisted of Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes. Formed in
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,7 ...
,
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...
, in 1990, the group enjoyed success during the 1990s. After the addition of Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas, they scored nine top-ten hits on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, including four number-one singles: "
Creep Creep, Creeps or CREEP may refer to: People * Creep, a creepy person Politics * Committee for the Re-Election of the President (CRP), mockingly abbreviated as CREEP, an fundraising organization for Richard Nixon's 1972 re-election campaign Art ...
", "
Waterfalls A waterfall is a point in a river or stream where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops. Waterfalls also occur where meltwater drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf. Waterfalls can be formed in several w ...
", "
No Scrubs "No Scrubs" is a song recorded by American girl group TLC as the lead single from their third studio album, ''FanMail'', on February 2, 1999, by LaFace Records and Arista Records. The song was written by producer Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs, ...
", and "
Unpretty "Unpretty" is a song by American group TLC, released on May 17, 1999, through LaFace and Arista Records as the second single from the band's third studio album, ''FanMail''. It was written by Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and the producer Dallas A ...
". The group also recorded four multi-platinum albums, including ''
CrazySexyCool ''CrazySexyCool'' is the second studio album by American girl group TLC, released on November 15, 1994, by LaFace and Arista Records. Following the group's record deal, they released their debut album '' Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip'' in 1992 ...
'' (1994), which received a diamond certification from the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/ ...
(RIAA). TLC also became the first R&B group in history to receive the Million certification from the
Recording Industry Association of Japan The is an industry trade group composed of Japanese corporations involved in the music industry. It was founded in 1942 as the Japan Phonogram Record Cultural Association, and adopted its current name in 1969. The RIAJ's activities include pr ...
(RIAJ) for ''
FanMail ''FanMail'' is the third studio album by American girl group TLC, released on February 23, 1999, by LaFace and Arista Records. The album title is a tribute to TLC's fans who sent them fan mail during their hiatus. ''FanMail'' debuted at numbe ...
'' (1999). Having sold over 65 million records worldwide, TLC is the best-selling American girl group. VH1 ranked TLC as the greatest female group, placing them at number 12 on the list of 100 Greatest Women in Music. ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large adverti ...
'' magazine ranked TLC as one of the greatest musical trios, as well as the seventh-most-successful act of the 1990s. The group's accolades include four career
Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...
, five
MTV Video Music Awards The MTV Video Music Awards (commonly abbreviated as the VMAs) is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honour the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards (in the video category) ...
, and five
Soul Train Music Awards The Soul Train Music Awards is an annual music awards show which previously aired in national broadcast syndication, and honors the best in African-American culture, music and entertainment. It is produced by the makers of '' Soul Train'', the p ...
. Twenty years after their debut, TLC was honored with an award called Outstanding Contribution to Music at the 17th
MOBO Awards The MOBO Awards (Music of Black Origin, also known as the MOBOs) are an annual British music award presentation honouring achievements in " music of black origin", including hip hop, grime, UK Drill, R&B, soul, reggae, jazz, gospel, and ...
and with the Legend Award at the
2013 MTV Video Music Awards Japan The 2013 MTV Video Music Awards Japan was held in Chiba on June 22, 2013 at the Makuhari Messe and was hosted by Atsuko Maeda and Nobuaki Kaneko from Rize. Awards Video of the Year Exile Tribe — "24karats Tribe of Gold" * Namie Amuro — " ...
. Following Lopes's death in 2002, instead of replacing her, the remaining members chose to continue as a duo. In 2017, they released their eponymous fifth album '' TLC''. In 2022, the group was inducted into the
Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame The Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame, located in Atlanta, Georgia, started in January 2021, to honor African Americans, and Black people internationally, with a monument for their achievements in entertainment. The walk of fame is located i ...
.


History


1990–1991: Formation and early years

In 1990, Atlanta-based record producer Ian Burke and one of his clients, a teenager named Crystal Jones, came up with a concept for a
girl group A girl group is a music act featuring several female singers who generally harmonize together. The term "girl group" is also used in a narrower sense in the United States to denote the wave of American female pop music singing groups, many of wh ...
with a tomboyish, hip-hop image, similar to the blend of
contemporary R&B Contemporary R&B (or simply R&B) is a popular music genre that combines rhythm and blues with elements of pop, soul, funk, hip hop, and electronic music. The genre features a distinctive record production style, drum machine-backed rhy ...
and hip-hop music of
new jack swing New jack swing, new jack, or swingbeat is a fusion genre of the rhythms and production techniques of hip hop and dance-pop, and the urban contemporary sound of R&B. Spearheaded by producers Teddy Riley and Bernard Belle, new jack swing wa ...
act
Bell Biv DeVoe Bell Biv DeVoe, also known as BBD, is an American music group from Boston, Massachusetts, formed from members of New Edition, consisting of Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins and Ronnie DeVoe. The band is best known for their debut album, the multi-p ...
. Jones put out a call for two more girls to join her, eventually answered by
Tionne Watkins Tionne Tenese Watkins (born April 26, 1970), better known by her stage name T-Boz, is an American singer and actress. Born in Des Moines, Iowa, Watkins rose to fame in the early 1990s as a member of the girl-group TLC. She has won four Grammy ...
, a native of
Des Moines, Iowa Des Moines () is the capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small part of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moine ...
, who had moved to Atlanta with her family at a young age, and
Lisa Lopes Lisa Nicole Lopes (May 27, 1971 – April 25, 2002), better known by her stage name Left Eye, was an American rapper and singer. She was a member of the R&B girl group TLC, alongside Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas. Beside ...
, a
rapper Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...
who had just moved to the city from her native
Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...
with a small
keyboard Keyboard may refer to: Text input * Keyboard, part of a typewriter * Computer keyboard ** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping ** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware Music * Mu ...
and $750 ($ today). The group, then named "2nd Nature", was formed of Jones, Watkins, and Lopes, who then began working with producers Jermaine Dupri and
Rico Wade Organized Noize is an American production team from Atlanta, Georgia composed of Rico Wade, Ray Murray and Sleepy Brown. History Among the hit records they have worked on include TLC's "Waterfalls", En Vogue's "Don't Let Go (Love)", and L ...
on
demo tape A demo (shortened from "demonstration") is a song or group of songs typically recorded for limited circulation or for reference use, rather than for general public release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas in a fixed for ...
material. Through a connection at the hair salon where Watkins worked, the group eventually managed to arrange an audition with singer Perri "Pebbles" Reid, who had started her own management and production company, Pebbitone. Impressed by the girls, Reid renamed the group TLC, an
acronym An acronym is a word or name formed from the initial components of a longer name or phrase. Acronyms are usually formed from the initial letters of words, as in ''NATO'' (''North Atlantic Treaty Organization''), but sometimes use syllables, as ...
for the names Tionne, Lisa, and Crystal. Reid arranged an audition for them with local record label
LaFace Records LaFace Records was an American record label based in Atlanta, Georgia, that operated as a unit of Sony Music Entertainment from 2008 to 2011 and was historically a part of Bertelsmann Music Group from 1989 to 2004. It was most active and achiev ...
, run by
Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds Kenneth Brian Edmonds (born April 10, 1959), better known by his stage name Babyface, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He has written and produced over 26 number-one R&B hits throughout his career and has won 12 Grammy A ...
and Reid's then-husband, Antonio "L.A." Reid. Antonio Reid saw potential in Watkins and Lopes as performers, but felt that Jones should be replaced. According to Jones, things began to unravel for her after Pebbles denied the group the opportunity to take home the contracts that Pebbitone had drafted. Jones did not want to sign before having the contract reviewed by others and perhaps a lawyer. In contrast, Watkins's recollection of Jones's departure is that both she and Lopes asked Jones to leave the group before their initial contracts were negotiated. On February 28, 1991, Watkins and Lopes signed production, management, and
publishing Publishing is the activity of making information, literature, music, software and other content available to the public for sale or for free. Traditionally, the term refers to the creation and distribution of printed works, such as books, newsp ...
deals with Pebbitone,Tionne WATKINS (T'Boz), Lisa Lopes (Left Eye), Rozonda Thomas (Chilli), Debtors. v. LaFace Records, Pebbitone, Inc., Peri Reid d/b/a Pebbitone Music, Movants (In re Watkins)
, 390 210 BR 394 (Bankr. Court, ND Georgia, 1997) (Cotten, S.) Retrieved February 11, 2013.
with Perri Reid becoming their general manager. As they looked for a replacement for Jones, the two-member TLC made its first recorded appearance on a track for LaFace act Damian Dame's self-titled 1991 LP. Pebbles found the third member in Rozonda Thomas, one of Damian Dame's part-time backup dancers. Thomas was signed to the act in April 1991, and to maintain TLC's name as an acronym for the girls' names, Watkins became "T-Boz", Lopes became "Left-Eye", and Thomas became "Chilli". The girls were then signed to LaFace in May through the production deal with Pebbitone; their records would be distributed by Arista Records/BMG. TLC was immediately set up to go into the studio with Reid and Edmonds, Dallas Austin, Jermaine Dupri, and
Marley Marl Marlon Williams (born September 30, 1962), better known by his stage name Marley Marl, is an American DJ, record producer, rapper and record label founder, primarily operating in hip hop music. Marlon grew up in Queensbridge housing projects ...
producing their first album. The new trio debuted as backing vocalists on "Rebel (With a Cause)", a track on
Jermaine Jackson Jermaine La Jaune Jackson (born December 11, 1954) is an American singer-songwriter and bassist. He is best known for being a member of the Jackson family. From 1964 to 1975, Jermaine was second vocalist after his brother Michael of The Jackso ...
's sole album for LaFace, '' You Said'' (1991).


1992–1993: ''Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip'' and early success

Their debut album, '' Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip'', was released on February 25, 1992, by
LaFace LaFace Records was an American record label based in Atlanta, Georgia, that operated as a unit of Sony Music Entertainment from 2008 to 2011 and was historically a part of Bertelsmann Music Group from 1989 to 2004. It was most active and achie ...
/
Arista Records Arista Records () is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. The label was previously handled by BMG Entertain ...
. The songs on the album are a blend of funk (Watkins), hip-hop (Lopes), and R&B (Thomas), similar to the new jack swing sound popularized by producer
Teddy Riley Edward Theodore Riley (born October 8, 1967) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer credited with the creation of the New Jack Swing genre. Riley credits Barry Michael Cooper with giving the genre its name.Hogan, Paul. "Tedd ...
in the late 1980s. The album was a critical and commercial success, being certified quadruple-platinum for shipments of four million copies in the United States. It scored three top-ten singles on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 with "
Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg "Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg" is the debut single by American girl group TLC, from their debut album, '' Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip'' (1992). It was released by LaFace Records on November 22, 1991 (promo) and late January 1992 (retail). The song woul ...
", "
Baby-Baby-Baby "Baby-Baby-Baby" is a song by American girl group TLC. It was the second single released from their debut studio album, '' Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip'' (1992), and their second consecutive top-10 hit. It was the most successful single from th ...
" (peaked at number two), and "
What About Your Friends "What About Your Friends" is a song by American group TLC, released as the third single from their debut album, '' Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip'' (1992). It was released on August 21, 1992, and reached number seven on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, ...
", as well as the top 30 single " Hat 2 da Back". Observers coined the term "new jill swing" to describe the album and the group. Later, TLC's sound would evolve away from this genre, but not before opening the door for similar groups such as SWV,
Destiny's Child Destiny's Child was an American girl group whose final line-up comprised Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams. The group began their musical career as Girl's Tyme, formed in 1990 in Houston, Texas. After years of limited ...
, 702,
Jade Jade is a mineral used as jewellery or for ornaments. It is typically green, although may be yellow or white. Jade can refer to either of two different silicate minerals: nephrite (a silicate of calcium and magnesium in the amphibole group ...
and the Lopes-produced
Blaque Blaque is an American girl group that charted from 1999 to 2004. Outside of the United States, they are known as Blaque Ivory. Their self-titled debut album ''Blaque'' sold more than 1 million copies and was certified Platinum. The group's d ...
. TLC's debut album, chiefly written by Dallas Austin and Lisa Lopes, consisted of playful lyrics, with some female-empowering songs. It was characterized by Watkins's tenor vocals, Thomas's alto vocals, and Lopes's
soprano A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261  Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880& ...
raps. The musical formula was augmented by the girls' brightly colored videos and peculiar costuming: each girl wore wrapped condoms on their clothing (Lopes also wore one over her left eye in a pair of glasses). During this period, TLC recorded a cover version of the Christmas song "
Sleigh Ride "Sleigh Ride" is a light orchestra standard composed by Leroy Anderson. The composer had formed the original idea for the piece during a heat wave in July 1946, and he finished the work in February 1948. The original recordings were instrument ...
", which first appeared on the soundtrack of the film '' Home Alone 2: Lost in New York'' in 1992. A year later, the song was released as a promotional single and music video for the 1993 holiday season, appearing on the compilation album ''A LaFace Family Christmas''. Also in 1993, TLC released a cover version of The Time's 1981 hit "
Get It Up "Get It Up" is the debut single by the Time, from their 1981 self-titled debut album. Like most of the album, the song was recorded in Prince's home studio in April 1981, and was produced, arranged, composed and performed by Prince with Morris ...
" as a single from the '' Poetic Justice'' film soundtrack. During TLC's first national tour, as MC Hammer's opening act, Lopes and Thomas discovered that Watkins had sickle-cell anemia, a blood disorder which she kept as a closely guarded secret until becoming extremely ill while touring with TLC in the Southwest US, ending up hospitalized, with Lopes and Thomas staying with her, resulting in the cancellation of some concerts. Watkins continued to battle her condition and eventually became a spokesperson for the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America in the late 1990s. At the conclusion of the tour, TLC—who had received little monetary compensation up to this point—decided that they no longer wished to employ Pebbles Reid as their manager, in an effort to hold more control over their careers. Reid released the group from its management deal, but they remained signed to Pebbitone, and Reid continued to receive a share of their earnings. Lopes began dating
Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The Falcon ...
American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team wi ...
player Andre Rison shortly after the release of ''Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip'', and by 1994 the two were living together in Rison's upscale double-story home. Their relationship was allegedly violent at times, and Lopes filed an assault charge against Rison on September 2, 1993, which Rison denied. Lopes was also battling alcoholism at the time, having been a heavy drinker since the age of 15. After another fight between the couple in the early morning hours of June 9, 1994, Lopes tossed numerous pairs of Rison's newly purchased shoes into a bathtub, doused them with lighter fluid, and lit them on fire. The
fiberglass Fiberglass ( American English) or fibreglass (Commonwealth English) is a common type of fiber-reinforced plastic using glass fiber. The fibers may be randomly arranged, flattened into a sheet called a chopped strand mat, or woven into glass cl ...
bathtub quickly melted and set the structural frame of the house on fire. Lopes was arrested and indicted on charges of first-degree arson; she was sentenced to five years of
probation Probation in criminal law is a period of supervision over an offender, ordered by the court often in lieu of incarceration. In some jurisdictions, the term ''probation'' applies only to community sentences (alternatives to incarceration), such ...
and a $10,000 fine. Rison eventually reconciled with Lopes, and they continued dating on and off for seven years.


1993–1997: ''CrazySexyCool'', career height and bankruptcy

TLC's second studio album, ''
CrazySexyCool ''CrazySexyCool'' is the second studio album by American girl group TLC, released on November 15, 1994, by LaFace and Arista Records. Following the group's record deal, they released their debut album '' Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip'' in 1992 ...
'', saw the group reunited with producers Dallas Austin, Babyface, and Jermaine Dupri, as well as new collaborators Organized Noize, Chucky Thompson, and Sean "Puffy" Combs. Lopes was released from rehab to attend the recording sessions, but the finished album featured significantly less of her raps and vocals. An R&B and hip hop soul album, ''CrazySexyCool'' featured hip-hop beats, funk, deep grooves, propulsive rhythms, and smooth production. Released on November 15, 1994, ''CrazySexyCool'' was critically acclaimed, with ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' ranking it among the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. ''CrazySexyCool'' debuted at number 15. Eventually, it peaked at number three on the ''Billboard'' 200 and spent over two years on the chart. The album sold over 7.7 million copies in the United States alone and received a diamond certification from the RIAA. Worldwide the album sold over 14 million copies. All four singles from ''CrazySexyCool'' reached the top five on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100—"
Creep Creep, Creeps or CREEP may refer to: People * Creep, a creepy person Politics * Committee for the Re-Election of the President (CRP), mockingly abbreviated as CREEP, an fundraising organization for Richard Nixon's 1972 re-election campaign Art ...
" and "
Waterfalls A waterfall is a point in a river or stream where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops. Waterfalls also occur where meltwater drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf. Waterfalls can be formed in several w ...
" reached number one, " Red Light Special" peaked number two, and "
Diggin' on You "Diggin' on You" is a song by American girl group TLC, from the group's second studio album, ''CrazySexyCool'' (1994). The song was written and produced by Babyface. It was released by LaFace and Arista Records on October 10, 1995, as the fou ...
" reached number five. "Waterfalls", an Organized Noize-produced song that features an old-school soul-based musical arrangement, socially conscious lyrics criticizing drug dealing and unsafe sex, and an introspective rap from Lopes, became the biggest hit of TLC's career. Its million-dollar music video was an
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
staple for many months and made TLC the first black act to win
MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
. At the 38th Annual Grammy Awards, TLC took home Best R&B Album and Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group for "Creep". ''Billboard'' also crowned TLC as the Artist of the Year at the 1996 ''Billboard'' Music Awards. Amidst their apparent success, the members of TLC filed for
Chapter 11 Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code (Title 11 of the United States Code) permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Such reorganization, known as Chapter 11 bankruptcy, is available to every business, wheth ...
bankruptcy on July 3, 1995. TLC declared debts totaling $3.5 million, some of it due to Lopes's insurance payments arising from the arson incident and Watkins's medical bills, but the primary reason being that the group received what they called a less than favorable deal from Pebbitone. After Arista Records, LaFace, and Pebbitone recouped their investment for recording costs and manufacturing and distribution (common recoupable charges in most record contracts), both Pebbitone and LaFace Records went on to charge for expenses such as airline travel, hotels, promotion, music videos, food, clothing, and other expenses. According to the members of TLC, ironically, the more successful the album became, the more they were in debt. In addition to this, managers, lawyers, producers, and taxes had to be paid, leaving each member of the group with less than $50,000 a year after having sold millions upon millions of albums. TLC sought to renegotiate their 1991 contract with LaFace, under which they received only 56 cents (split three ways) per album sold—considerably less than most major label recording contracts—and received even less than this for each single sold; TLC also wanted to dissolve their association with Pebbitone. LaFace Records refused to renegotiate their deal midway through the contract, thus prompting TLC to file a bankruptcy petition. Both Pebbitone and LaFace countered that TLC "simply" wanted more money and were in no real financial danger, resulting in two years of legal debates before the cases were finally
settled A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established a permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. A settler who migrates to an area previously uninhabited or sparsely inhabited may be described as a pioneer. Settle ...
in late 1996. TLC's contract was renegotiated with LaFace, and Pebbitone agreed to let them out of their production/management deal in exchange for Pebbitone receiving a percentage of royalties on some future releases. By this time, Pebbles had separated from her husband. TLC also bought the rights to the name TLC, which was previously owned by Pebbles. TLC recorded the theme song to
Nickelodeon Nickelodeon (often shortened to Nick) is an American pay television channel which launched on April 1, 1979, as the first cable channel for children. It is run by Paramount Global through its networks division's Kids and Family Group. It ...
's popular
sketch comedy Sketch comedy comprises a series of short, amusing scenes or vignettes, called "sketches", commonly between one and ten minutes long, performed by a group of comic actors or comedians. The form developed and became popular in vaudeville, and ...
''
All That ''All That'' is an American sketch comedy television series created by Brian Robbins and Mike Tollin. The series originally aired on Nickelodeon from April 16, 1994, to October 22, 2005, lasting ten seasons, and was produced by Tollin/Robbins ...
'', which was produced and co-written by Arnold Hennings. The show ran for ten seasons from 1994 to 2005, and was later revived in 2019. The group appeared on the
soundtrack album A soundtrack album is any album that incorporates music directly recorded from the soundtrack of a particular feature film or television show. The first such album to be commercially released was Walt Disney's ''Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs' ...
of the
Forest Whitaker Forest Steven Whitaker (born July 15, 1961) is an American actor. He is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a British Academy Film Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. After making his f ...
's 1995 film '' Waiting to Exhale'' with "This Is How It Works" (a song written by Babyface and Lopes) and was set to re-enter the recording studio the following year after signing a new contract with LaFace and with distribution handled by Arista. Watkins began to release her solo effort with "
Touch Myself "Touch Myself" is the debut solo single by American singer Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins for the soundtrack album to the film ''Fled'', starring Laurence Fishburne and Stephen Baldwin. It was released by Rowdy Records as the album's lead single on J ...
", a single from the
soundtrack album A soundtrack album is any album that incorporates music directly recorded from the soundtrack of a particular feature film or television show. The first such album to be commercially released was Walt Disney's ''Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs' ...
of 1996 film ''
Fled ''Fled'' is a 1996 American buddy action comedy film directed by Kevin Hooks. It stars Laurence Fishburne and Stephen Baldwin as two prisoners chained together who flee during an escape attempt gone bad. Plot An interrogator prepares a man t ...
''; It reached the top 40 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Lopes also collaborated with fellow female rappers Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott,
Da Brat Shawntae Harris-Dupart (born April 14, 1974), better known by her stage name Da Brat, is an American rapper. Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, she began her career in 1992, the year she signed with So So Def Records. Her debut album '' Fun ...
, and Angie Martinez on
Lil' Kim Kimberly Denise Jones (born July 11, 1974), Those giving 1974 include: * * * * * better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper and reality television personality. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City, she lived much of h ...
's single " Not Tonight". It peaked at number six on the Hot 100 and was nominated for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the
40th Grammy Awards The 40th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 25, 1998, at Radio City Music Hall, New York City. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year. Rock icon Bob Dylan, Alison Krauss & Union Station, and R. Kelly were ...
.


1998–2001: ''FanMail'' and members feud

Preliminary work on TLC's third studio album was delayed when friction arose between the group and their main producer Dallas Austin, who was romantically involved with Thomas and had had a child with her in 1997. Austin wanted $4.2 million and creative control to work on the project, resulting in a stand-off between the producer and the artists. During this period, Thomas appeared in the independent film ''HavPlenty'', while Watkins co-starred with rappers
Nas Nas (born 1973) is the stage name of American rapper Nasir Jones. Nas, NaS, or NAS may also refer to: Aviation * Nasair, a low-cost airline carrier and subsidiary based in Eritrea * National Air Services, an airline in Saudi Arabia ** Nas Air ...
and
DMX Earl Simmons (December 18, 1970 – April 9, 2021), known professionally as DMX, was an American rapper and actor. He began rapping in the early 1990s and released his debut album ''It's Dark and Hell Is Hot'' in 1998, to both critical acclaim ...
in
Hype Williams Harold Williams (born August 1, 1970) is an American music video director, film director, film producer, and screenwriter. Early life Williams was born in Queens, New York. He is of mixed African-American and Honduran descent. He attended Ade ...
's 1998 film ''
Belly Belly may refer to: Anatomy * The abdomen, the part of the body between the pelvis and the thorax; or the stomach ** A beer belly, an overhang of fat above the waist, presumed to be caused by regular beer drinking ** Belly dance * The fleshy, cent ...
''. Lopes started her own production company, Left-Eye Productions, and signed
Blaque Blaque is an American girl group that charted from 1999 to 2004. Outside of the United States, they are known as Blaque Ivory. Their self-titled debut album ''Blaque'' sold more than 1 million copies and was certified Platinum. The group's d ...
, an R&B trio. Under her guidance, Blaque released their 1999 self-titled debut album, which was certified platinum and contained two top-ten singles on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Lopes also hosted the short-lived
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
talent series '' The Cut'' (1998), which featured then-unknown recording artists
Ne-Yo Shaffer Chimere Smith (born October 18, 1979), known professionally as Ne-Yo, is an American singer, songwriter, actor, dancer, and record producer. He gained fame for his songwriting abilities when he penned Mario's 2004 hit " Let Me Love You ...
and
Anastacia Anastacia Lyn Newkirk ( ; born September 17, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter and former dancer. Her first two albums '' Not That Kind'' (2000) and '' Freak of Nature'' (2001) were released in quick succession to major success. Spurred o ...
. TLC eventually began working with other producers for their third album, until finally negotiating with Austin, who produced the bulk of the album. Lopes always had an idea of a futuristic feel for the project, which Austin incorporated into the album. Titled ''
FanMail ''FanMail'' is the third studio album by American girl group TLC, released on February 23, 1999, by LaFace and Arista Records. The album title is a tribute to TLC's fans who sent them fan mail during their hiatus. ''FanMail'' debuted at numbe ...
'', the album was released in February 1999, another critical and commercial success. It debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart and was certified six-time platinum by the RIAA for six million copies shipped in the United States. Worldwide the album exceeded over 10 million copies sold. "
No Scrubs "No Scrubs" is a song recorded by American girl group TLC as the lead single from their third studio album, ''FanMail'', on February 2, 1999, by LaFace Records and Arista Records. The song was written by producer Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs, ...
" was released as the lead single and became a worldwide hit, topping the singles charts in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United States. The album's second single, "
Unpretty "Unpretty" is a song by American group TLC, released on May 17, 1999, through LaFace and Arista Records as the second single from the band's third studio album, ''FanMail''. It was written by Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and the producer Dallas A ...
", incorporated folk and
alternative rock Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from mainstream or commercial ...
influences and became TLC's fourth number-one hit on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The other three singles also received decent radio play: "
Silly Ho "Silly Ho" is a song recorded by American girl group TLC for their third studio album ''FanMail'' (1999). The song was written and produced by TLC's long-time collaborator Dallas Austin under his artificial intelligence alter ego pseudonym named ...
", "
I'm Good at Being Bad "I'm Good at Being Bad" is a song recorded by American girl group TLC for their third album ''FanMail''. It was released as a promotional single when "No Scrubs" was distributed to radio. Despite not being commercially released, the track peake ...
", and Edmonds-written ballad, "Dear Lie". At the
42nd Annual Grammy Awards The 42nd Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 23, 2000, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the year 1999. Nominations were announced on January 4, 2000. Santana was the main ...
, ''FanMail'' received eight nominations, and won three awards: Best R&B Album, Best R&B Song and
Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals The Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal was awarded between 1970 and 2011. From 1967 to 1969 and in 1971 the award included instrumental performances. The award had several minor name changes: *From 1967 to 1968 th ...
, the last two for "No Scrubs". At the Lady of Soul Awards, the group was honored with the Aretha Franklin Entertainer of the Year Award. TLC went on a worldwide tour called the
FanMail Tour The FanMail Tour is the debut headlining tour by American group TLC. The tour support their third studio album, ''FanMail''. The tour visited North America with dates later planned for Japan and Europe. However, the international dates after th ...
. The group had a PayPerView special of their tour, which at the time became PayPerView's highest-grossing televised special. During and after the release of ''FanMail'', Lopes made it known to the press on multiple occasions that she felt that she was unable to express herself in TLC fully. Her contributions to songs had been reduced to periodic eight-
bar Bar or BAR may refer to: Food and drink * Bar (establishment), selling alcoholic beverages * Candy bar * Chocolate bar Science and technology * Bar (river morphology), a deposit of sediment * Bar (tropical cyclone), a layer of cloud * Bar ( ...
raps, and there were several songs in which she had no vocals. Studio session singers such as Debra Killings often sang background vocals for the group's songs, something Lopes also wanted to do on songs in which she did not rap. In late 1999, Entertainment Weekly published a letter written by Lopes that challenged her groupmates Watkins and Thomas to all record solo albums and see which album performed the best: The members eventually settled the feud, and ''The Challenge'' was never taken up. After the conclusion of the successful ''FanMail'' tour, they took some time off and pursued personal interests. Lopes was the first to begin recording her solo album, ''
Supernova A supernova is a powerful and luminous explosion of a star. It has the plural form supernovae or supernovas, and is abbreviated SN or SNe. This transient astronomical event occurs during the last evolutionary stages of a massive star or whe ...
''. The album was released in Europe, and the first—and only—single "The Block Party" reached the Top 20 on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
. The song was released in the United States a few weeks before the scheduled album release. However, when the song did not perform well, the album's release was canceled for North America, and no further singles were promoted. In 2000,
Spice Girls The Spice Girls are a British girl group formed in 1994, consisting of Melanie Brown, also known as Mel B ("Scary Spice"); Melanie Chisholm, or Melanie C ("Sporty Spice"); Emma Bunton ("Baby Spice"); Geri Halliwell ("Ginger Spice"); and ...
member
Melanie C Melanie Jayne Chisholm (12 January 1974 - 25 December 2022), better known as Melanie C or Mel C, is an English singer-songwriter and media personality. She is best known as one of the five members of the Spice Girls, during which time she was ni ...
collaborated with Lopes on the single "
Never Be the Same Again "Never Be the Same Again" is a song by British singer-songwriter Melanie C from the British girl group Spice Girls, featuring American rapper Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes of American girl group TLC. It was released on 20 March 2000 as the third sing ...
"; it became an international hit reaching number one in many countries. On August 1, 2001, the group performed "Waterfalls" at MTV's 20th anniversary party in New York City, which would be their final performance as a trio before the death of Lopes.


2002–2006: Lisa Lopes's death, ''3D'' and ''R U the Girl''

Following her unsuccessful debut solo album, ''Supernova'', Lopes started working on her second solo album, known as ''N.I.N.A. (New Identity Non Applicable)'', whilst regrouping with Watkins and Thomas in the studio to record raps for TLC's fourth album. On April 25, 2002, before both projects were completed, Lopes died in a car crash while filming a documentary in Honduras, which would later be released as ''
The Last Days of Left Eye ''The Last Days of Left Eye'' is a documentary directed by Lauren Lazin that premiered on VH1 and VH1 Soul on May 19, 2007. Filmed from March 30, 2002 until her death on April 25, 2002, it centered on the life, last days spent in spiritual ret ...
'' in 2007 on VH1. After taking a two week hiatus following Lopes's death, Watkins, Thomas, and Austin decided that they would complete the remainder of their fourth album, to be called '' 3D'', which also featured production from
Rodney Jerkins Rodney Roy Jerkins (born July 29, 1977), also known by his stage name Darkchild, is an American record producer, rapper, and songwriter. He has collaborated with a broad range of popular artists. Jerkins has won multiple Grammy Awards. Among hi ...
,
The Neptunes The Neptunes are an American songwriting and production duo composed of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, formed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in 1992. Williams often provides additional vocals on records and appears in the duo's music video ...
, Raphael Saadiq, Missy Elliott, and Timbaland. They also decided that TLC would go on an indefinite hiatus after the release and promotion of ''3D'', rather than replace Lopes and continue as a group. However, they ultimately chose to carry on as a duo. Lopes appears vocally on ''3D'', as she had already completed her vocals for three songs for the new album, two of which were included on the standard version. Also, two other songs featured vocals of hers taken from previously unreleased songs, and several of the songs eulogy, eulogized Lopes. ''3D'' was released on November 12, 2002. Upon its release, ''3D'' debuted at number six on the ''Billboard'' 200 and was certified two times platinum by the RIAA for two million shipped in the United States. It failed to generate success overseas, except for Japan, where it reached number two and achieved platinum from the RIAJ for 200,000 copies sold. The album's lead single, "Girl Talk (TLC song), Girl Talk", peaked at number 28 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, making it their lowest-charting lead single ever. Its music video featured Watkins and Thomas alone in live-action segments and Lopes in animated segments. It was followed by "Hands Up (TLC song), Hands Up", which became their first single not to enter the Hot 100 chart (peaking at number seven on the Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles), and "Damaged (TLC song), Damaged", which reached number 53 on the Hot 100. In June 2003, a year after the death of Lopes, at ''Zootopia'', an annual concert hosted by New York radio station WHTZ, Z100 held at Giants Stadium, TLC appeared in what was announced to be their last performance. The group, introduced by Britney Spears and Carson Daly, showed a video montage dedicated to Lopes and went on to perform songs against video footage of Lopes performing the same songs and wearing the same outfits appearing onstage. Nevertheless, TLC made a comeback in February 2004 as a featured artist on a Japanese charity single titled '':ja:VOICE OF LOVE POSSE, VOICE OF LOVE POSSE'' with other Japanese artists. In 2003, LaFace released the first TLC's greatest hits album titled ''Now & Forever: The Hits'' with a new song, "Come Get Some (TLC song), Come Get Some", featuring Lil Jon and Sean P of the YoungBloodZ. However, the compilation was not released in the United States until June 2005. The album debuted at number 53, with 20,000 copies sold. On June 25, 2004, Watkins and Thomas announced that they were pitching a reality television show that was eventually picked up for development by UPN. Titled ''R U the Girl'', the show debuted on July 27, 2005. Despite media speculation that the winner of the series was to become a new, permanent member of TLC, Watkins and Thomas have vowed never to replace Lopes with a new member. The winner of the show, 20-year-old Tiffany "O'so Krispie" Baker, recorded with Watkins and Thomas on a new song, "I Bet", and perform it together in a live concert finale in Atlanta. Roughly 4.1 million viewers tuned in for the season finale of ''R U The Girl'' on September 20, 2005. "I Bet" was released to radio and iTunes on October 4, 2005, but failed to make it onto the charts. The song later became a bonus track on ''Now & Forever: The Hits''.


2007–2014: Hiatus and biographical television film

On August 20, 2007, a new greatest hits album was released in the UK called ''Crazy Sexy Hits: The Very Best of TLC''. The album fared better than previous compilation ''Now & Forever: The Hits'', peaking at number 57 on the UK Albums Chart. On June 24, 2008, Watkins and Thomas made a special appearance on the BET Awards. They, along with the original members of En Vogue and SWV, performed in Alicia Keys's tribute to girl groups. On April 4, 2009, the group performed a 13-song set in Japan during the 2009 Springroove music festival. On October 17, 2009, TLC performed their set to the 10,000 audience at the ''Justin Timberlake and Friends'' benefit concert, held at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in the Las Vegas Valley, U.S. On May 25, 2011, TLC also performed for the season finale of ''American Idol''. In 2012, Watkins and Thomas appeared in British pop group Stooshe's music video for their cover version of "Waterfalls". It was later included in ''Totally T-Boz'', a docu-series chronicling Watkins's move to California, health issues, and solo endeavors. Stooshe later performed "Waterfalls" at the 17th annual
MOBO Awards The MOBO Awards (Music of Black Origin, also known as the MOBOs) are an annual British music award presentation honouring achievements in " music of black origin", including hip hop, grime, UK Drill, R&B, soul, reggae, jazz, gospel, and ...
on November 3, 2012, where TLC was honored with Outstanding Contribution to Music. On June 23, 2013, TLC received the Legend Award at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards Japan, at which they also performed a medley of their hit singles. On June 19, 2013, to celebrate their 20th anniversary in the music industry, the group released a Japan-exclusive compilation album titled ''TLC 20: 20th Anniversary Hits'', which includes remastered versions of their old songs; as a gift for their Japanese fans, they also recorded a new version of "Waterfalls", enlisting Japanese singer Namie Amuro to sing Lopes's part. The decision to record with Amuro was raised as an issue by Lopes's family, who felt "betrayed", as they were not informed about the vocal replacement. Watkins and Thomas subsequently stated that they had been unable to gain clearance to use Lopes's vocals for the new version of the song, but that Lopes would have approved of having Amuro on the track. TLC was featured on "Crooked Smile", the second single from American rapper J. Cole's 2013 album ''Born Sinner''. It peaked at number 27 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, giving TLC their first top-40 hit in over a decade. The collaboration won the "Impact Track" award at the 2013 BET Hip Hop Awards and was nominated for MTV Video Music Award for Best Video with a Social Message at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards. They also made an appearance at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, introducing Drake (rapper), Drake's performance. TLC signed a new recording contract with Epic Records and released an American version of the compilation album ''20 (TLC album), 20'' on October 15, 2013. The album included one new recording, "Meant to Be", written and produced by
Ne-Yo Shaffer Chimere Smith (born October 18, 1979), known professionally as Ne-Yo, is an American singer, songwriter, actor, dancer, and record producer. He gained fame for his songwriting abilities when he penned Mario's 2004 hit " Let Me Love You ...
. The song served as the soundtrack for ''CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story'', a TLC biographical telefilm, which premiered on VH1 on October 21, 2013. Directed by Charles Stone III, the film starred Keke Palmer as Thomas, Lil Mama as Lopes, and Drew Sidora as Watkins. The film uses the newly rearranged songs from ''TLC 20: 20th Anniversary Hits''. The premiere broadcast garnered 4.5 million viewers, a five-year ratings high for VH1. In November 2013, TLC had three albums charting on the ''Billboard'' 200, including ''20'' at number 12, ''CrazySexyCool'' at number 108 and ''Now and Forever: The Hits'' at number 169. On November 24, 2013, TLC performed a highly anticipated rendition of "Waterfalls" at the 2013 American Music Awards, with Lil Mama delivering Lopes's part, including the rap segment. Subsequently, TLC performed "No Scrubs" with Lil Mama on the ''Dancing with the Stars'' television show. In January 2014, TLC appeared at VH1's "Super Bowl Concert Series" performing at the Beacon Theater in New York City. TLC announced the first Australian tour of their career in April 2014, consisting of shows in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Perth. The group performed a set of their hits, including visual and vocal representation of Lopes for the performance. On December 12, 2014, TLC released a new Christmas song titled "Gift Wrapped Kiss".


2015–present: Comeback tours and self-titled studio album

On January 19, 2015, TLC announced their plan to release their fifth and final album with the launch of a Kickstarter campaign. They asked fans to help finance the project by donating a pledge of at least $5 to reach their goal of $150,000. In less than 48 hours, they surpassed their goal and become the "fastest most-funded pop project in Kickstarter history". Among other artists who donated were New Kids on the Block (donating $10,000), Katy Perry (donating $5,000), Soulja Boy, Bette Midler, and Justin Timberlake. The Kickstarter campaign raised a total of $400,000. In an interview published following the end of the campaign, Watkins and Thomas clarified that they would never split up following the release and promotion of the album and that they would continue to perform together as TLC. In May 2015, TLC embarked on a North American tour with New Kids on the Block and Nelly titled The Main Event (2015 concert tour), The Main Event Tour. It was their first tour in 15 years since the completion of the Fanmail Tour in 2000. Subsequently, TLC embarked on TLC 2016–17 Tour and I Love the 90s: The Party Continues Tour. During the development of their album, they petitioned Lisa Lopes's brother Ron Lopes for assistance with making Left Eye's presence on the album a possibility since she had an abundance of unreleased material. However, they ultimately passed on using any of Lopes's archive recordings as the available source material conflicted with the sound that they were recording for the album. On October 28, 2016, TLC released two new songs off of the new album called "Joyride" and "Haters" in Japan. The former hit number one on the iTunes R&B chart in Japan. For the first time ever, on December 8, 2016, TLC performed "Sleigh Ride" with surprise guest Missy Elliott along with their latest song "Sunny" on ''Taraji's White Hot Holidays'', a Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox holiday special hosted by actress Taraji P. Henson. Their fifth and most recent studio album, '' TLC'', was released on June 30, 2017. The album's first single "Way Back (TLC song), Way Back" featuring Snoop Dogg was released April 14 to all major digital music outlets and streaming services, but not to radio. The single was produced by D'Mile and released via TLC's newly formed independent label 852 Musiq, which is distributed through RED Distribution in the US. On May 9, 2017, TLC made its UK Debut at London's KOKO. Ultimately, '' TLC'' sold 12,000 copies domestically in the first week. In July 2019, TLC embarked on the ''Whole Lotta Hits Tour,'' co-headlining with Nelly and supported by Flo Rida. It was announced in October 2020, that television channel A&E Network had greenlit a brand new two-hour documentary special titled ''Biography: TLC'' chronicling the group's meteoric rise to the top. The documentary is to be executive produced by Academy Award-winning and Emmy Award-winning director Roger Ross Williams with Emmy Award-winning producer Geoff Martz. Directed by Matt Kay, the special was scheduled to premiere on A&E some time in 2021 but was later pushed back to 2022. No date has been confirmed as of yet. In June 2021, it was announced that TLC would embark on ''Celebration of CrazySexyCool,'' an 18-city concert tour of the United States to commemorate the 25th anniversary of their blockbuster sophomore album ''
CrazySexyCool ''CrazySexyCool'' is the second studio album by American girl group TLC, released on November 15, 1994, by LaFace and Arista Records. Following the group's record deal, they released their debut album '' Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip'' in 1992 ...
'' which was certified 12× platinum by the RIAA in October 2019. The tour, which included Bone Thugs-n-Harmony as an opening act and other surprise guests, began on September 3, 2021, in Albertville, Alabama. In March 2022, it was announced TLC would be playing at the Glastonbury Festival in June.


Legacy

''Vibe (magazine), Vibe'' believed that there would be no "all-black female R&B group having a chemistry, cultural and commercial impact as remotely comparable as TLC" and dubbed ''CrazySexyCool'' as "the blueprint for female ensembles to follow". The ''Philippine Daily Inquirer'' called TLC "the most influential female group the world has ever seen". Singer Beyoncé, the former lead singer of
Destiny's Child Destiny's Child was an American girl group whose final line-up comprised Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams. The group began their musical career as Girl's Tyme, formed in 1990 in Houston, Texas. After years of limited ...
, stated that "TLC has influenced just about every female group that's out there now, and they definitely influenced Destiny's Child." Craig JC from ''Clutch (women's magazine), Clutch'' wrote that TLC was "big and influential" during the 1990s and that their contemporaries such as SWV, Total (group), Total,
Blaque Blaque is an American girl group that charted from 1999 to 2004. Outside of the United States, they are known as Blaque Ivory. Their self-titled debut album ''Blaque'' sold more than 1 million copies and was certified Platinum. The group's d ...
, 3LW, Brownstone (group), Brownstone, 702, Jade (American group), Jade, Xscape (group), Xscape and En Vogue did not have TLC's crossover appeal. David A. Keeps from ''Rolling Stone (magazine), Rolling Stone'' explained the impact of TLC:
"TLC's career has been filled with both hits and headlines. The group was one of the few R&B acts to build a strong identity out of its initial success, and they exerted more control over each successive record. Their music—particularly the 11-million-selling ''CrazySexyCool'' and the 6-million-selling ''FanMail'', both of which won two Grammys each—set the standard for
contemporary R&B Contemporary R&B (or simply R&B) is a popular music genre that combines rhythm and blues with elements of pop, soul, funk, hip hop, and electronic music. The genre features a distinctive record production style, drum machine-backed rhy ...
. TLC helped to pioneer a deft blend of acoustic and computer sounds that paved the way for groups like Destiny's Child, as did their image as independent women. Whether addressing AIDS in 'Waterfalls' or the struggle for female self-esteem in 'Unpretty', they showed themselves able to take serious issues to the top of the pop charts."
TLC is the best-selling American girl group of all time, with 65 million records sold worldwide, along with being the second best selling girl group worldwide, behind the
Spice Girls The Spice Girls are a British girl group formed in 1994, consisting of Melanie Brown, also known as Mel B ("Scary Spice"); Melanie Chisholm, or Melanie C ("Sporty Spice"); Emma Bunton ("Baby Spice"); Geri Halliwell ("Ginger Spice"); and ...
. According to the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/ ...
(RIAA), TLC is the best-selling female singing group in American music history, with 23 million RIAA certification, certified albums. Along with The Chicks, TLC is one of two female ensembles to receive the RIAA certification, RIAA diamond award, which indicates sales of 10,000,000 copies. According to ''Billboard'', TLC is the second most successful girl group of all time on the Billboard charts, ''Billboard'' charts, behind only the Supremes.


Members

* Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins (1990–present) – contralto primary lead vocals, dancing, background vocals * Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas (1991–present) – mezzo-soprano secondary lead vocals, dancing, background vocals Former * Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes (1990–2002) –
soprano A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261  Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880& ...
rapping, dancing, background vocals, keyboards


Discography

;Studio albums *'' Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip'' (1992) *''
CrazySexyCool ''CrazySexyCool'' is the second studio album by American girl group TLC, released on November 15, 1994, by LaFace and Arista Records. Following the group's record deal, they released their debut album '' Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip'' in 1992 ...
'' (1994) *''
FanMail ''FanMail'' is the third studio album by American girl group TLC, released on February 23, 1999, by LaFace and Arista Records. The album title is a tribute to TLC's fans who sent them fan mail during their hiatus. ''FanMail'' debuted at numbe ...
'' (1999) *'' 3D'' (2002) *'' TLC'' (2017)


Tours

Headlining *
FanMail Tour The FanMail Tour is the debut headlining tour by American group TLC. The tour support their third studio album, ''FanMail''. The tour visited North America with dates later planned for Japan and Europe. However, the international dates after th ...
(1999–2000) * TLC 2016 Tour, 2016 Tour (2016) * I Love the 90s: The Party Continues Tour (2017) * Whole Lotta Hits Tour (2019) * CrazySexyCool#Celebration of CrazySexyCool, CeleBraTion of CrazySexyCool (2021–2022) As special guests * The Main Event (2015 concert tour), The Main Event (2015) * Glastonbury 2022 * Love Supreme Festival 2022


Awards and nominations


See also

*List of highest-certified music artists in the United States *List of best-selling girl groups


References


External links

*
TLC
at MTV, MTV.com
TLC discography
at imusic.am * * *
TLC
at Last.fm {{DEFAULTSORT:Tlc TLC (group), African-American girl groups American girl groups American hip hop groups American pop girl groups American contemporary R&B musical groups Arista Records artists LaFace Records artists Epic Records artists Brit Award winners Women hip hop groups Grammy Award winners Musical groups established in 1990 Musical groups from Georgia (U.S. state) Rappers from Atlanta Musical groups from Atlanta