That she was. In TLC, she was not only central to their name (as in, the L in T-L-C), but central to their creative process and, in the press, their most prominent attention-getter. As much as they have tried, T-Boz and Chilli have failed to continue their career as a 2 woman show successfully. Without Left Eye’s presence and creative influence, TLC has indeed dulled its shine.

Still, from 1992 until 2002, Left Eye’s star shined brightest. The majority of TLC’s best and most successful songs feature Left Eye, despite the fact that more than half of their music is absent of a rap from Lisa. People often debate who is or was the best or most successful and important female hip-hop artist. Some argue, of course, for Lil’ Kim. Others, for Lauryn Hill or Missy Elliott. Some might learn toward Queen Latifah. Some youngins might even think it’s Nicki Minaj. However, Left Eye is often overlooked in these conversations, unjustly so. She was, in fact, a key figure in female hip-hop.

Think about it. In 1992, TLC debuted and scored 3 Top 10 hits in a row off of their debut album: “Ain’t 2 Proud 2 Beg,” “What About Your Friends,” and “Baby Baby Baby” (the latter of which was the first of many more occasions when Left Eye was… #LeftOut). They went on to have huge hits with 1994’s “Waterfalls,” and 1999’s “No Scrubs,” as well, which have become pop music classics. While it is certainly debatable as to who is the best female rapper of all time… Left Eye was one of the most mainstream female rappers, thanks to her hits with TLC, paving the way for the pop-crossover success of females to follow like Lauryn Hill, Missy Elliott and, yes, Nicki Minaj. While Left Eye did not sing, her raps were woven into R&B songs with pop sensibilities, ala mid-90s songs by Mariah Carey and Mary J. Blige. However, TLC, Missy, and Lauryn would show that women could handle both the singing and the rapping without needing the help of any man on their tracks.

Back in April, on the anniversary of her death, I created a playlist containing 15 of my favorite Left Eye flows, compiled from her verses on TLC songs and guest features. This time, though, I aim to focus on her underrated, obscure and often overlooked solo album, Supernova. If only it had been the first of many in a long, successful solo career.

Released in 2001 (albeit, barely) by TLC’s parent label Arista, Supernova, like TLC’s earlier career, was plagued by label drama. After its lead single “The Block Party” did not perform well, Arista cancelled further singles, and its release, without a second thought or chance. The album eventually was released overseas but never officially in the United States. It is for this reason that the album is so elusive.

Overall, it is quite clear that the label was not supportive of the project. Not only did they fail to give her a second chance, but it is also quite apparent that Left Eye was not given much of a budget for the album. Perhaps Arista was merely trying to appease Lisa by allowing her to record and “release” a solo album, only to sabotage it in favor of furthering TLC as a group. It is likely they felt that Lisa going solo would not have been as profitable for them, so they sabotaged her solo project to coax her back into making the next TLC album. While this is just my own opinion, who would really be surprised by this? The music industry is a notoriously shady business.

Anyway, Supernova’s lack of budget on the production side yielded a great album that had potential to, however, be so much more. Conceptually, and lyrically, Lisa brought her game and delivered a solid body of work where it counts most: within her words. In a rare interview, Lisa spoke of the album, explaining how she wanted it first and foremost to have a positive message, on a spiritual level. She wanted to uplift and inspire people. So, it was only appropriate that the set begins with “Life is Like a Park,” a breezy track that suits its title perfectly. The motivational track perfectly combines Lisa’s thought-provoking words with soulful vocals from Carl Thomas that add a church-vibe to the song. It is for sure a standout on the album.

From there, Lisa ups the ante and delivers “Hot!,” a ferocious firestorm filled with unfettered fierceness – fittingly so, considering the track’s title. If “Park” is the calm before the storm, “Hot!” is the explosion of the Supernova. As egotistical as it may sound, the song is still empowering for the listener. Lead single “The Block Party” follows, which, actually, captures the essence of one quite well. I never understood the decision to release it as the lead single, though. The chorus is a bit grating and nothing about the song is all that catchy. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a fun track, but nowhere near as statement-making as something like “Hot!” or the next song would have been.

That song is “Let Me Live,” which bears a title eerily significant while listening posthumously. The song is a no-holds-barred confessional in which Lisa speaks of rebirth and her past misdeeds. Her in-your-face, raw honesty on this track will hit you immediately, making it another standout on the album. “Jenny,” meanwhile, showcases her storytelling abilities as she recounts a hilarious encounter with a friend named – you guessed it: Jenny.

Ironically, the next song “I Believe In Me” was not even written by Left Eye. Nevertheless, it’s a nice, inspiring song. The inspirational moments continue on “Rags to Riches,” which features boyfriend Andre Rison (yes, that boyfriend) detailing their own stories of coming up from the bottom. While it may be a bit clichéd, it is effective nonetheless.

Lisa goes back into the confessional to showcase her storytelling skills once more for “True Confessions,” my personal favorite on the album. “True Confessions” is rather scandalous, telling the story of Lisa obliging to her man’s request to fuck another woman he sees in the club. It gets even more graphic, though – I’d advise you to just listen to it. I don’t want to spoil it for you.

From here, Supernova takes a much more serious turn and, like “Let Me Live,” is quite heavy to listen to now, after her death. First, there is “Untouchable,” which features a posthumous verse from 2Pac. On the song, Lisa gets deep, talking about what it’s like “on the other side.” 2Pac ends the song saying he will comeback after his death like Jesus. While it is indeed an iconic pairing exemplifying their immense talents, it can sometimes be a bit too much to listen to.

A complete 360 from that is “Head to the Sky,” which features girl-group Blaque, Left Eye’s protégées. On it, Left Eye addresses the youth of our nation with an encouraging message to persevere through adversity, both she and Blaque’s rapper Natina making particular mention to gun violence. Left Eye’s final verse on the song speaks to adults and her follow music-makers, encouraging them to be positive role models for our youth. Adding to the heaviness of the latter third of the album, though, is this fact: Natina too passed away at the age of 31 in a car accident. Back to back, Left Eye is rapping alongside rap stars who also passed away far too soon.

On “The Universal Quest,” Left Eye questions existing in yet another thought-provoking track. Musically, it is sparse and has a tribal sound to it. Featured artist Esthero’s fluid, floating vocals add to the songs other-worldly atmosphere, only complimenting Lisa’s captivating spoken word. Finally, Lisa literally takes us to outer space on the pensive album closer, “A New Star is Born.” She states her belief that when a person dies, a new star is born. In the song, dedicated and spoken to her father, she says, “I’m trying to cleanse my soul and get into that place you’ve been… No, I’m not trying to rush anything, I just want to visit you, because I miss you.” It is a tough song to listen to, yet heartbreakingly beautiful.

Sort of like her last musical breath, literally and figuratively, “Breathe,” appears as a hidden track following “A New Star is Born.” It is like the conclusion to the album, Lisa stating her case and reflecting upon her life and experiences. She raps the entire song with the quickness and sounds as though she’s nearly out of breath during some of it, no doubt on purpose. “Breathe” showcases Left Eye’s complex side, similar to that of her verse on “No Scrubs.” She recites, “just breathe, and let it go…” and the album ends with piano and birds chirping.

Let the album restart, and you will be greeted once again with the happy chirping of birds, guitar, and Lisa’s loving laughter. Supernova was the first, last, and only complete body of work that Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes truly left her fans. It showcased so much potential; it showcased the woman and artist we were only beginning to become acquainted with. If only she had more time, her genius truly would’ve exploded into supernova-level brightness, making her the solo star that she, my favorite female rapper, deserved to be. Instead, all we have is one album, Supernova. But, if Left Eye’s theory is correct, then on April 25, 2002, a new star was born; and she’s just waiting to become a literal supernova in a few million years…

Listen to Supernova via the YouTube playlist below, or purchase it here.

The post Hip-Hop’s Queen Supernova: Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes appeared first on THE 97.

As the L in TLC, Left-Eye was the group’s driving creative force. Despite not being featured on a fraction of the group’s songs, her creative presence was essential in defining TLC’s sound, look, concepts and lyrical themes. It’s no surprise, then, that the group’s best songs are those which prominently feature Lisa’s genius rap skills. Not only that, but she is still the only TLC member to release a solo album, 2001’s Supernova, and did a number of features with other artists, as well.

Left Eye was always my favorite member of TLC, and it broke my heart the day she died. I remember coming home from school, turning on MTV, and sitting on the floor watching the news scroll across the television. I immediately began to cry. She was such a creative inspiration to me; I had started writing songs and poetry around that time and Left Eye was one of my main inspirations. In fact, I even wrote a song dedicated to her that sampled lyrics from TLC’s “I Miss You So Much.”

I’ve compiled a playlist of my favorite Left Eye musical moments. While it was hard to narrow it down, I wish she was still with us making music so that I had even more of a lengthy catalogue to struggle with (I’ve left out her solo work, because it isn’t on any streaming service, and it deserves a in-depth dive of its own). I hope you enjoy and celebrate the life and talents of TLC’s self-proclaimed Crazy one.

TLC debuted in 1992 with the release of their debut set, Ooooooohhh… on the TLC Tip. It was their most evenly distributed work, and Left Eye makes more appearances on this album than any of their others. The songs are very organic and Left Eye’s flows are very old school Hip-Hop, showcasing her raw lyrical skill, and signature silliness.

1. “Ain’t 2 Proud 2 Beg” – TLC’s debut single found Left Eye helming the infectious hook, rapping about penis, condoms and sex; a favorite pastime of hers.
Favorite lyric: “Left Eye don’t mean the rest of my body is irrelevant”

2. “What About Your Friends” – Left Eye’s impact is felt on this groove that strays away from the topic of sex or love to touch on something more serious, as TLC often did: loyalty in friendships. Left Eye delivers a signature flow that’s instantly memorable.
Favorite lyric: “They dog me out then be next to me/ Just cause I am what some choose to envy”

3. “This is How It Should Be Done” – This song is one of the rare occasions where Left Eye is at the lead of a TLC song and she delivers, riding the Marley Marl produced beat effortlessly to showcase her lyrical prowess. Indeed, “This is How It Should Be Done.”
Favorite lyric: “We three alike all small in height but I’m Left Eye/ Cause the eye is right”

For most of the recording of CrazySexyCool, Left Eye was, well, a little busy – but I won’t go there. Perhaps for that reason, perhaps out of a lack of fucks to give, Left Eye is largely absent from the album. However, she still managed to deliver some shining and even iconic moments:

4. “Kick Your Game” – This is one of my favorite TLC tracks for its creative inclusion of Left Eye into the song. She turns the song into what would’ve been the perfect music video, as she voices a playa in the club who’s trying to kick some game. As she raps, she switches back and forth between herself and her suitor.
Favorite lyric: “I’m just a nigga that followed you to the coat rack”

5. “Waterfalls” – If anyone knows ONE Left Eye rap by heart, it’s going to be her lengthy deliverance on TLC’s signature song, “Waterfalls.” Her hyper-speed, literally-breath-taking flow is iconic for it’s difficulty, message and, simply, being fun to rap-a-long to.
Favorite lyric: “My only bleeding hope is for the folk who can’t cope with such an enduring pain that it keeps them in the pouring rain.”

6. “Switch” – Lisa’s flow on this track is one of my favorites, because it’s fucking hilarious and fun. It exemplifies exactly why she was called the Crazy one and just MAKES the song, stealing the show.
Favorite lyric: “Erase, replace, embrace, new face!” 

7. “Sumthin’ Wicked This Way Comes” – By featuring Outkast’s André 3000, CrazySexyCool’s album closer is an iconic moment in 90’s hip-hop, combining one of it’s best male lyricists with one of the best females. Left Eye’s verse on this track showcases her evolution into an intricate and thought provoking lyricist that would become more apparent later in her career, especially on her solo work.
Favorite lyric: “My mishap is the fact that I’m destined to snap”

8. “Not Tonight (Ladies Night Remix)” – In, you guessed it, 1997, Left Eye appeared alongside Lil’ Kim, Da Brat, Missy Elliott and Angie Martinez for an all-star remix of Lil’ Kim’s “Not Tonight.” Perhaps the most epic moment in female hip-hop history, it was a beautiful and rare celebration of sisterhood in the hip-hop community. Surely, there would be no “Lady Marmalade” without this one. Left Eye, of course, holds her own among these other hip-hop heavyweights (and Angie Martinez).
Favorite lyric: “Lay another finger on this big bad wolf miss lady rap singer/ I be the one to blame as the flames keep risin/ To the top and it don’t stop”

TLC returned after a five year hiatus with 1999’s FanMail. Once again plagued with some sisterly drama, FanMail found Lisa on about half of the album’s tracks. My favorites, of course, feature her:

9. “No Scrubs” – A close second as far as TLC’s signature songs go, “No Scrubs” was ubiquitous in 1999. Left Eye wasted no time in elevating what would’ve been your otherwise typical R&B crossover hit to include some futuristic vibes and equally advanced vocabulary on her verse.
Favorite lyric: “Let me give you something to think about/ Inundate your mind with intentions to turn you out.”

10. “I’m Good at Being Bad” – No doubt inspired by the structure of Janet Jackson’s “What About,” this unsuspectingly vicious, hard-hitting track would be sorely lacking without Left Eye’s contribution. Unquestionably the group’s baddest song, it also sports one of Left Eye’s most mind-fucking flows. The way she slices up syllables is ingenious.
Favorite lyric: “The epitome of your every dream, it seems to ‘fein/ For intangible fantasy, you know what I mean?”

Following FanMail, Left Eye set her eyes on a solo career and began doing more features. The quality and success of some of these features showed promise for her solo career. Unfortunately, label drama and ultimately her death hindered her solo rise.

11. “U Know What’s Up” – Featured on Donell Jones’ breakout single, Left Eye scored her first big hit outside of TLC and for good reason. Released in 1999, the track became an anthem and Left Eye’s verse was crucial to making the song as good as it is.
Favorite lyric: “Expound by leaps, and soul to reap, our souls to keep/ The passion’s deep, and filled with heat”

12. “Gimme Some” – Labelmate Toni Braxton enlisted Left Eye on a should’ve been single from her 2000 album, The Heat. Left Eye doesn’t disappoint, delivering a fierce rap to go along with one of Toni’s more sassy songs.
Favorite lyric: “See, I’ve been waiting for the planets to realign/ Total eclipse on my lips until the end of time”

13. “Takin’ Me Over” – Who knew Left Eye and Mya were besties? From this song, it sure sounds like they were pretty good friends. Or, at least, that’s what the song’s lyrics leads one to believe. Lisa begins the song by coercing Mya to come out for the night, eventually finishing off the song with a hilarious verse. On Mya’s 2003 album Moodring, she recorded a touching ode to both Lisa and Aaliyah entitled “After the Rain,” reinforcing their friendship.

TLC’s final album to feature newly recorded input from Lisa, 3D, was released several months after her death. Only two of the songs included were recorded by Lisa with the intention of being included on the set. The other songs to feature her actually take their verses from her solo recordings.

14. “Girl Talk” – The group’s last lead single, “Girl Talk” was classic TLC fare that recalled their debut single “Ain’t 2 Proud 2 Beg,” though, at 30, the subject matter seemed a little immature considering their age. Regardless, Left Eye’s rap is infectious and the best part of the song. As one of the last verses she recorded before her death, it is certainly notable.
Favorite lyric: “You’ll remember me, Left Eye, TLC/ You got to lick it before you stick it and that’s just me”

15. “Over Me” – Recycled from “I Believe In Me,” a song from Lisa’s solo album Supernova, it’s TLC’s best use of a reused Left Eye verse. It actually makes logical sense within the context of the song, more or less. I’ve included it because the song is a bop and Left Eye’s flow is equally hard hitting. However, if you can find the original track from which her verse is taken, please do take a listen. It’s way better in its actual context.
Favorite lyric: “I don’t need the stress/ I don’t need the pain/ I do need the checks/ But don’t need the games”

Listen to the playlist below:

The post 15 flows: Remembering Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes appeared first on THE 97.

FanMail forever marks a turning point in my life. In early 1999, my 13-year-old self (that tells you plenty already!) discovered that:

• the so-called “R&B/urban” section of the record store was the best section
• none of my peers had made the above discovery, and didn’t seem to agree with me about it either
• VIBE magazine (which was imported to the UK, but I had to go into the centre of town to find it) was the shit

The first issue of VIBE magazine that I bought was the one with TLC on the cover, lying on a wooden floor.

Although the magazine certainly was not aimed at white boys in their early teens from the provinces of England, the content meshed better with my interests than anything else I could lay my hands on at the time. It didn’t talk down to me, and it informed me about US R&B and hip-hop at a time when my internet access was restricted to half an hour of dial-up a day.

That issue of VIBE saw Left-Eye threatening to leave the group, and proposing “The Challenge”, which involved Arista wholly funding a solo album for each member, and letting the albums loose to compete on the charts. An interesting idea that never came to pass, this tension and Left-Eye’s “busy schedule” (I don’t doubt she was busy, but come on!) account for the prolific presence of Vic-E – an early text-to-speech converter – on the album in lieu of Left-Eye on some of the tracks, such as promo cut “Silly Ho”. Abandoned first single “It’s Alright” featured all three members and a call to all to forget the myriad troubles of the world, but in retrospect its deep bass and underdeveloped melody were better left off the album. As seemed to be a constant issue throughout TLC’s career, label drama prevented the appearance of a “Shout” remix featuring Enrique Iglesias and Sheila E.! Despite the recent crossover success of Ricky Martin, and the burgeoning career of Jennifer Lopez crystallising with the forthcoming release of “If You Had My Love” that summer, this song never made it to the radio – a clear indication of trouble percolating behind the scenes, as it would surely have been a hit with Latin influences riding high in the charts.

I can’t remember accurately if I bought the magazine and TLC’s album, with the exciting lenticular cover that added to the picture’s futuristic feel, on the same day. I just know that I was really excited, and as I got the bus back to my grandmother’s house with the album in my hands and the sun shining down on me, I had an inkling that my life might change. I had only heard “No Scrubs” up to that point, so I didn’t really know what the album had in store for me (remember the days when the first time you heard an album was when you brought it home and put it in the stereo?).

I got home, ran up to my bedroom and put the CD in my CD player, and my world pretty much exploded. The cover’s black background and faint binary numbers, with T-Boz, Left-Eye and Chilli’s blue-tinted faces looming out of what cyberspace looked like in 1999, had given me an idea of what to expect, but the edgy futuristic R&B that began with the title track and did not let up for the first seven tracks exceeded those expectations. Although “Fanmail” the song is ostensibly about thanking their fans for sticking by them (the fans’ names listed all over the CD inlay remains a lovely tribute) as their star exploded due to the blockbuster success of CrazySexyCool, and the varying controversies that accompanied it (Left-Eye burns down her abusive boyfriend’s house! The group is bankrupt at the height of their success! These young black women keep acting as if they are sexually liberated!), the hook “Just like you, I get lonely too” carries echoes of the fibrillating masterpiece that is Janet Jackson’s ode to online dating, “Empty”. Towards the end of the album, the interlude “Communication” and the bleepy instrumentation of the following track “Lovesick” also explored quite explicitly what the future might sound like, and what it might feel like to live in it and be surrounded by and isolated by machinery. “The Vic-E Interpretation” is literally Vic-E comparing the materialism of Western nightclubbers to the simpler motives of the Japanese (who apparently just want to dance) – the disembodied “otherness” of the delivery manages to eclipse the randomness of the statement itself.

The song that this leads into, “Silly Ho”, is a masterpiece that conjures the future in another, superior way – beats that are chopped within an inch of their life à la Timbaland’s early, groundbreaking production, and Vic-E showing up again to intone how a failed suitor has “missed out.” The silent pause that bisects the robot rap feels daring, especially for a buzz single designed to delight and ignite the clubs. Can you dance to silence? How about stabbing pentatonic synths and icy lasers (way before dubstep was ever a thing)? It’s deliriously challenging, and the first time I heard it, I didn’t know what I was hearing. It took subsequent listens to absorb and appreciate the assertive lyrics, thematically similar to what is explored on “No Scrubs” (in a nutshell: Mama don’t take no mess). I love this song.

“No Scrubs” itself has been appreciated and loved plenty; my only regret is that the album version doesn’t include Left-Eye’s rap. I remember this song, together with Destiny’s Child’s “Bills, Bills, Bills”, causing a lot of commotion for being feminist, materialistic, hating on men, and a hundred other takes on the messages in the songs that basically say “why should I take care of you if you can’t take care of yourself?” I can’t disagree with that sentiment at all – and I hope that in 2016, it’s not a big deal for anybody to stand their ground and say that. But the controversy of that message being delivered by young black women in 1999 pushed the well-crafted songs to high heights, and also made producer She’kspere’s career. The video was another example of how effectively futuristic imagery was used prominently throughout the album campaign – the group wearing cyberspacesuits studded with oversize bicycle lights (!), romping around the deserted videoscape from Janet & Michael’s “Scream”, and Left-Eye conjuring white squares out of thin air. My final comment about the song is how lovely it was, and still is, to hear Chilli take the reins as lead vocalist for the whole song.

And then came “I’m Good At Being Bad”, the apex of the rollercoaster ride that FanMail had been up to this point. Lulled into a false sense of security by gentle strings and a melodic verse, the dirtiest bassline bounds out of the speakers as TLC sing about being cockhungry and loving it. A fun memory I have of this song is that my mother and I used to enjoy playing the album in the car. (My mum is pretty cool.) It was the summer, so we used to ride around with the windows down – but if we were stuck in traffic and “I’m Good At Being Bad” came on, she would roll the windows up so that people walking by wouldn’t hear the lyrics!

A point of note is that on the original pressing of the album (which I have, so I didn’t know any differently until very recently), “I’m Good At Being Bad” interpolates the hook from Donna Summer’s “Love to Love You Baby”. These parts of the song have been chopped out if you try and buy more recent versions of the album, or try to buy it on iTunes. The length of the track is about a minute shorter, because apparently TLC didn’t get the appropriate permission to use the song. Likewise, with the “Whispering Playa” interlude, the original version had Rick James’ “Cold Blooded” in the background of the ‘club’. This was subsequently replaced with one of TLC’s own tracks, the Japanese FanMail bonus track “U In Me”. The more you know.

Other FanMail ‘bonus’ content includes the track that was used to promote the FanMail Tour, “I Need That”, which was recorded exclusively for a website called MP3.com (ah, these were simpler times indeed!) and sounds very similar to “If They Knew”, which did make FanMail and transitions from the beat-heavy onslaught of the first few tracks into the smoother one-two of “I Miss You So Much” and “Unpretty”. The ballads of FanMail put aside futuristic soundscapes for more organic instrumentation, which matches the vulnerability of the vocals and subject matter. They also allowed TLC to explore other genres; “Come On Down” has a country feel, while “Unpretty” is mainstream pop with sweet acoustic guitars and shuffling snares. The most explicit example of the cold space sonics receding to the authenticity of real (or at least realistic) instrumentals comes at the end of the album, when Vic-E’s voice begins to falter at the end of “Automatic” (which includes portions of Neil Armstrong’s Moon Landing broadcast – is cyberspace perhaps as isolating as outer space?), giving way to the organic warmth of closing song “Don’t Pull Out On Me Yet”, very much anchoring the album back to Earth.

“Unpretty” and “Dear Lie”, as well as being the album’s other singles, are the most emotionally vulnerable songs on the album. The former, adapted from a poem written by T-Boz (that was included in her Thoughts spoken word project), talked about the pressures placed on her (and by extension, on women) by society to maintain a certain standard of beauty at all times – in the public eye and out of it – and how what’s on the outside doesn’t and cannot summarise the whole of the person within. Meanwhile, “Dear Lie” lyrically explores the very simple concept of being held hostage by a lie, and daring to reveal the truth and free oneself in the process. These songs, while not sonically risky in the way that the uptempos are, dare to reveal what’s behind the ground that the women stand in support of feminism.

As the FanMail album campaign continued, the prominent futuristic imagery slowly receded. The “Unpretty” video sees the girls walking into a control centre (that, by the by, includes a font that is suspiciously similar to the font used for the Unown in Pokémon’s Ruins of Alph?!) studded with video screens, before they sit and meditate on hovering platforms – perhaps this is to mean that even inside of the futurism resides human spirituality and human experience that is the soul of the whole enterprise. We watch Chilli realise she doesn’t need a boob job nor the man who wants her to get one, and a young woman tentatively takes a step towards recovering from an eating disorder. As with the song itself, the video is uplifting and restorative. By the time we get to “Dear Lie”, we’re firmly anchored in the real world as the girls inhabit a hotel corridor and conquer their demons.

FanMail was apparently created under significant professional and personal pressure (as well as Left-Eye’s precarious membership of TLC, let’s not forget that Chilli had a son with executive producer Dallas Austin before the two of them split up – but still worked together closely). But in this case, pressure truly did create a diamond. Against all the odds, FanMail pretty much equalled the success of CrazySexyCool – 2 US number ones on the Hot 100 apiece; 21 million sold worldwide (CrazySexyCool is only slightly ahead with 23 million); it even managed to hit #1 on the Billboard 200 album chart (CrazySexyCool peaked at #3). What’s more, TLC expanded their sound to include stuttering, futuristic beats, while still holding onto the sassy attitude and sincere slower material that CrazySexyCool did so well. Maintaining and pushing forward with feminist values, proclaiming their independence (“My Life”), and ultimately savouring a loving, sexual relationship without apology (“Don’t Pull Out On Me Yet”), nearly every song had something to say that was worth listening to. FanMail is the gift that keeps on giving – my 13 year old self didn’t take it off repeat for a week, and 17 years later it still sounds catchy and fresh.

The post Flashback Friday: Fan mail for TLC’s ‘FanMail’ appeared first on THE 97.

November 15, 1994.

Twenty years ago female R&B trio TLC released CrazySexyCool. It was the first album by a female group to go Diamond in the U.S., and with over 20 million copies sold worldwide it is the best-selling album of all-time by a female R&B group. The album is also a major reason TLC is one of the most important female groups since The Supremes.  TLC made independent women a trend, and each member of the group offered something vital; that’s why TLC couldn’t find success after the death of one of its members. To some degree, R&B groups in general couldn’t sustain that success as there are currently no notable R&B groups. The music TLC made in the ’90s has stood the test of time, however, and CrazySexyCool is their crowning achievement.

TLC debuted in 1992 with Ooh…on the TLC Tip, which managed to be both free-spirited and headstrong. It also relied heavily on the new jack swing sound that was big in the early ’90s. The follow-up CrazySexyCool was a mature step up from that debut, with a focus on groove more than beat. TLC led off the era with the laid-back, seductive groove that is “Creep.” It’s a sexy, horn-fueled song that addresses infidelity from the woman’s side; she cheats because she isn’t getting affection from her cheating partner. One of the most important aspects of TLC’s legacy is how they consistently toyed with the idea of acceptable female behavior. The title of the album refers to a specific personality in each member of the group, but more than that refers to the myriad of qualities found in females in general.

The next single was the genuinely sexy (and grown) “Red Light Special,” on which the girls tell lovers how to communicate and please them sexually. Producer Babyface throws a guitar into the sensual R&B sound. As usual, T-Boz sings the husky verses, and Chili comes in to kill the bridge with her soulful vocal style.

Group member Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes doesn’t make an appearance on the first two singles. She was in a substance abuse program during much of the recording of the album, but her contribution to the group was always more behind-the-scenes than on record. Lopes provided a framework for the group’s image and a thematic heft to their sound.

Lopes does have a rap verse, and a fairly iconic one at that, on the album’s third single. TLC’s crowning achievement commercially, and perhaps artistically, is “Waterfalls.” The lyric addresses social issues like the drug game and HIV, and the funky production seamlessly mixes in horns and guitars to provide a backdrop for the descending pop melody. It’s the type of song Sly & The Family Stone recorded in the ’70s and that Prince recorded in the ’80s. “Waterfalls” spent 7 weeks at #1 on the Hot 100, and the video won the MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year.

The final single off CrazySexyCool was “Diggin’ On You.” It’s a smooth, summer love song that cracked the top 5 of the Hot 100. The album also held quality tracks like the sultry “Take Our Time,” the bouncy and instructional “Kick Your Game,” and dark album closer “Sumthin’ Wicked This Way Comes.” That last track throws elements of rock into the funk/hip-hop mix and also served as an introduction to Andre 3000.

With its mix of smooth grooves and hip-hop beats, and its mixture of songs about the dynamics of relationships as well as social consciousness, CrazySexyCool is the best Prince album he never made. It’s no coincidence, then, that one of the songs on the album is a cover of Prince’s “If I Was Your Girlfriend.” If the cover lacks the gender-bending complexity of the original, it still maintains a fascinating funk edge.

The influence of TLC, and CrazySexyCool in particular, was felt for the next 10 years and earned enough credibility to be named by Rolling Stone as one of the greatest 500 albums of all-time.

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Week two’s word in Michelle William’s Journey to Freedom journal contest is “honesty.”  Once again, when prompted with the word “honesty” the first thought that came to my head was again in the form of lyrics: “honesty, is such a lonely word, every one is so untrue, honesty is hardly ever heard, but mostly what I need from you” from Billy Joel’s “Honesty.”  And, well, honestly, that about sums it up.

Thinking about my own “journey to freedom,” this holds true for my most defining life experiences.  As Michelle says in her video, being honest with yourself and with others is crucial.  I know Michelle and I are not alone, because everyone experiences this, and some of music’s biggest stars have all released songs that deal with this issue quite poignantly.

On the songs I’ve selected, the artists delve into their personal life experiences and very vulnerably share these private emotions with their listeners.  These cathartic expressions are no doubt therapeutic for the artists, but also for the listeners.

1.  “Honesty,” by Billy Joel is the quintessential song dealing with the theme of honesty.  Joel does a wonderful job of encapsulating this theme in the lyrics to this piano ballad.  The quote I included above does a wonderful job of summarizing the song’s message: “honesty, is such a lonely word, every one is so untrue, honesty is hardly ever heard, but mostly what I need from you.”  The song was released in 1978, but no one’s said it better since.  (However, Beyoncé did cover it.)

2.  “Honestly” by Kelly Clarkson is an emotional ballad from her 2011 album, Stronger.  On this track, though not written by Kelly, she deals with the frustrating feeling of wanting someone to be honest with you about their feelings.  She sings pleadingly, “if you’re hating me, do it honestly.”  We probably all know the feeling of being in a relationship where you can tell your significant other is unhappy but won’t admit it.  On this song, Kelly is expressing those feelings, demandingly singing, “Face me, make me listen to the truth even if it breaks me… you can tell me.”  

3.  “Losing You” by Solange is from her 2012 EP entitled True.   Like Clarkson on “Honestly,” Solange is seeking honesty:  “Tell me the truth, boy am I losing you for good?  We used to kiss all night but now there’s just no use.  I don’t know why I fight it, clearly we are through.”   She too shows her vulnerable side on this track, grappling with the same frustrating uncertainty as Clarkson on “Honestly.”  While the vibe of the production harkens back to 80’s R&B, the vocal arrangements and vulnerable nature of the lyrics are both a bit more in line with one of Solange’s inspirations, Mariah Carey, who appears later on this list.

4.  “Can’t Handle the Truth” by JoJo is brutally honest, but not in the way you’d expect.  On this track lifted from her 2012 mix tape, Agápē, JoJo tells her man, “I hate lying to you, but you can’t handle the truth.”  This song explores the reason why people opt to lie instead of being honest: because the truth hurts.  Here, JoJo is confessing to infidelity, but blames it on his mistakes.  It is not the kind of track typically heard from a woman (though, Destiny’s Child did something very similar, more on that here), but her honesty is commendable, despite her actions being a bit questionable.

5.  “Confessions Part II” by Usher is very similar to JoJo’s “Can’t Handle the Truth,” and also preceded it.  This song was huge in 2004, and is the title track of the diamond selling album.  While it actually is not a true story (for Usher; apparently it’s cowriter Jermaine Dupri’s story) the messy honesty of “Confessions” turned the catchy song into a huge hit for Usher, and made Confessions his most successful album to date.  The public loves a good, dramatic confession, it seems…

6.  “Truth” by Janet Jackson is a mid tempo from her 2001 album, All For You.  The song, a kiss off to her ex-husband Rene Elizondo, finds Janet reflecting on her career and defunct marriage.  She urges him to accept the truth in this very honest, diary-like track.  The song seems sweet but there are several rather shady lines laced within, such as, “It’s sad to think we couldn’t work it out, but how much is enough to pay for this mistake?”  The song ends with the repetition of a question: “Do you know the truth?”  as Janet commands him to: “Feel it.  Live it.  Trust it.  Believe it.  Embrace it.  You want it.  And need it. Find it. Embrace it and never let it go.  The truth will set you free.”  Here, Janet flat out says that on a journey to freedom, honesty and truth are essential elements.

7.  “Resentment” by Beyoncé has been a controversial track as of late with her performing it on tour as divorce rumors swirl around her marriage to Jay-Z.  The song, recorded for 2006’s B’Day album, was actually first recorded by the Spice Girls’ Victoria Beckham, and perhaps written about an affair by David Beckham.  Beyoncé did however change some of the lyrics, perhaps to suit her own life experiences.  Her rendition of the song drips with soul and intricate harmonies.  Her vocal performance is gritty and raw, filled with intense emotion.  Victoria’s is… well… quite understated.  One of the most hard hitting lyrics to the song strikes at the very end, when Beyoncé quite vulnerably sings, “I can’t stop crying… You could’ve told me, you weren’t happy.  I know you didn’t wanna hurt me, but look what you’ve done done to me now.  I’ve gotta look at her in her eyes, and see she’s had half of me… how could you lie?”  This bit also illustrates why this song is a perfect addition to this list.

8.  “Languishing” by Mariah Carey falls in line with a number of her other introspective ballads (such as “Petals,” “Looking In,” and “Sunflowers”) however, it’s theme is a bit different.  On “Languishing,” Carey is seemingly speaking to the public.  She is essentially asking the listener whether or not they’d care if she was in pain.  She opens the song by stating, “I was not put here for you to judge me and dispute my innermost truths.”  The song is from her 2009 album Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, which was released only months after the passing of Michael Jackson, and Mariah dedicates the album to him in its booklet.  It is curious that Carey chooses to dedicate the album to him, and also this song about fame, questioning the public’s response if perhaps she too were suffering like Michael.  The media and public love to ridicule celebrities for their struggles and hardships while they’re alive, but the tune changes with their death as evidenced by the reaction to Michael Jackson’s death compared to his public perception when he was alive.  Even now, with recent rumors and seeming confirmation of a separation and looming divorce between Mariah and Nick (as well as Beyoncé and Jay-z), the media and the public already are saying negative and defamatory things, blaming Mariah, when no one knows the true story.  It’s truly a shame, and Mariah poignantly handles the issue on “Languishing.”

9.  “Dope” by Lady Gaga is a heartbreaking piano ballad from her latest album, ARTPOP.  Here, Gaga sings about her struggles with substance abuse, which includes alcohol and other drugs.  She asserts her desire to be clean and pleads for the love of someone – perhaps a significant other, or her fans.  The audience is unclear, however, Gaga is being gut-wrenchingly honest with herself on this track and it is a truly moving listen.  Her vocals are emotive and imperfect, yet beautiful, as she sings lines like, “Each day I feel so low from living high.”  “Dope” is one of the highlights from ARTPOP.  

10.  “Don’t Speak” by No Doubt was a colossal hit in 1996, written by Gwen Stefani about fellow No Doubt member, Tony Kanal.  The pair dated for seven years, but it ended, causing Stefani to write this emotional ballad of heartbreak.  Again, we find the public gravitated towards a song with a confessional style lyric, dripping with honesty.  “Don’t Speak” is filled with fear, as Gwen begs, “don’t speak, don’t tell me cause it hurts.”  She knows the truth, but doesn’t want to know it.  It would pain her to hear him say it because it would make it true.  Honesty has an intense power and the truth really can be painful at times.  Her emotional, pleading vocal is impassioned and moving which makes the song irresistible and moving.

11.  “Dear Lie” by TLC is a song with an interesting concept.  It’s essentially a letter from lead singer T-Boz, to a “lie.”  She explores the problems with lying and ultimately realizes that the truth will set you free.  The lyrics acknowledge how lies can have power over people, and that it takes a certain amount of strength to be honest and truthful: “Won’t let you control me, the truth will only free me and your lies won’t hurt no more.”

12.  “No More Drama” by Mary J. Blige marked a pivotal moment in her career.  The album, of the same title, brought Mary crossover success like never before thanks to its lead single, “Family Affair,” but “No More Drama” became her signature song.  With this album’s release, Mary was honest with herself and admitted to dealing with substance abuse and, with this song, found a way to break free from those demons.  The song is liberating, as Mary declares her freedom from the pain that suppressed her for so many years.

13.  “My Vietnam” by P!nk is a metaphorical song comparing her childhood, to the Vietnam.  This has a particular significance for P!nk, since her father actually served in the war.  The song lives on P!nk’s breakthrough album, M!ssundaztood, on which P!nk opened up with several confessional like songs, under the guidance of Linda Perry.  This is a lesser known song, hence why I chose it for this list.  A companion to the better known “Family Portrait,” “My Vietnam” talks more specifically about her parents and life’s challenges with unrestrained honesty.  On “Vietnam,” P!nk creates an honest dialogue with the listener and the people in her life.

14.  “Beyond Imagination” by Kelly Rowland is one of several very personal songs in Rowland’s catalogue.  Of course, the more obvious choice for this list might have been “Dirty Laundry,” but I think most are quite familiar with that song (and I plan to do a more in-depth article on it at a later date).  However, “Beyond Imagination” was Kelly’s first introspective song, from her solo debut, Simply Deep, and was written by Solange Knowles.  The song is a metaphorical pop/rock ballad that discusses Kelly’s childhood, more specifically, how her father abandoned her.  It is written in a more relatable fashion (similar to the way Mariah Carey often writers her introspective tracks) so that the listener can apply it to their own situation.  Kelly uses the pronoun “you” as if she’s saying that she knows what you’re feeling, and even sings “I hear your tone, and you’re so not alone.”  However, the most telling line of the song is “father’s vacation tonight, is somewhat permanent…”

15.  “Childhood” by Michael Jackson is one of his most moving songs, and perhaps even more so following his passing.  Throughout the later years of his life, Michael was ridiculed for his “immature,” childlike personality.  On 1995’s “Childhood,” the theme song to the film Free Willy,  Michael is open and honest about this – he knows he is different.  Asking the listener, “before you judge me, try hard to love me, look within your heart, then ask… have you seen my childhood?”  He attributes his “strange eccentricities” to his lack of a childhood growing up as child star in the Jackson 5.  While this song is well-known and was undoubtedly heard by many in 1995… I am not sure anyone really listened until it was too late.

16.  “15 Minutes” by Michelle Williams is an epic, almost theatrical ballad from her 2004 solo album, Do You Know.  In “15 Minutes,” Michelle vulnerably sings about the gratitude she feels for finding success as a musician.  She attributes this good fortune to God, and thanks Him for the blessing.  On the most telling lyric of the song, she sings, “I should’ve been a one hit wonder, 15 minutes of fame, with nothing gained and nothing left to lose… my only chance was you, and here you come again, I just don’t understand.”  She struggles to understand God’s blessings, reveling in the miraculous nature of it all, in this very honest and humbling ballad.

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