TLC

TLC Headshot

Band

Members: Rozonda Thomas, Tionne Watkins

With their playful blend of R&B, hip-hop and soul, headline-grabbing trio TLC overcame bankruptcy, serious illness and chaotic personal lives to become one of the biggest and most distinctive girl groups of all time.

Vocalists Tionne Watkins (T-Boz) and Rozanda Thomas (Chilli) and rapper Lisa Lopes (Left Eye) first came together in 1991, and after signing deals with manager Perri 'Pebbles' Reid and label LaFace Records, released their debut album, Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip, a year later. Peaking at No.6 on the Billboard 200 and spawning three Top 10 singles, the record showcased a quirkier take on the predominantly male New Jack Swing sound, and was matched perfectly by a colorful fashion sense which saw Lopes wear a condom over her left eye as a form of promoting safe sex.

Its accompanying tour was cut short when T-Boz revealed she suffered from sickle cell anaemia, and the band's soap opera-esque drama continued when an alcoholic Left Eye was convicted of arson after burning down the house of her footballer boyfriend, Andre Rison.

Despite all the behind-the-scenes instability, TLC returned stronger than ever in 1994 with CrazySexyCool, an instant classic which toned down the cartoonish nature of their debut in favor of a sophisticated soulful sound which brilliantly utilized T-Boz and Chilli's contrasting vocal styles.

The album produced two number one singles in the shape of "Creep" and "Waterfalls," with the socially-conscious promo for the latter also seeing TLC become the first ever black act to win the MTV VMAs Video of the Year.

But despite selling a whopping 23 million copies worldwide, the trio were then forced to file for bankruptcy, largely due to the rather unfavorable management contract they had signed early on in their career. The group eventually broke free from the deal, and after similarly fraught negotiations with producer Dallas Thomas, headed into the studio to record their third LP.

Reaching number one in 1999, FanMail once again saw TLC change the face of R&B with a slick futuristic sound which resulted in another two chart-topping hits ("No Scrubs," "Unpretty"), two Grammys and the highest-grossing tour by a girlband in US history.

However, the TLC story took a tragic turn in 2002 when just a year after releasing her solo debut, Lopes died in a car crash while filming a documentary in Honduras. T-Boz and Chilli vowed to complete the fourth LP they were in the midst of recording, and although 3D failed to match the success of its predecessors, it still proved to be a respectable swansong.

The duo intermittently revived TLC throughout the decade, including on a talent show designed to find a temporary replacement for Lopes, "R U The Girl" (UPN, 2005), the 2008 BET Awards and a joint tour with New Kids on the Block and Nelly dubbed The Main Event, while a 2013 VH1 biopic saw several of their albums return to the charts.

In 2015, T-Boz and Chilli launched a Kickstarter campaign to help fund their fifth LP.

Credits

iHeartRadio Music Awards

Music Performer
Awards
2024

iHeartRadio Music Festival

Music Performer
Special
2023

Access Daily With Mario & Kit

Guest
Show
2022

Top 10 '90s Spring Break Anthems

Music Performer
Show
2022

90S EXTREME SPECIAL

Actor
Music
Show
2021

90s Stars Of MTV

Self
Show
2021

Guest VJ: Charlotte Cardin

Music Performer
Show
2021

Retro: Rad Summer

Music Performer
Show
2021

Retro: Christmas Party

Music Performer
Show
2021

90s New Year's Eve Party

Music Performer
Show
2021

Retro: Vintage Valentine

Music Performer
Show
2021

Iconic: TLC

Music Performer
Show
2020

Mo Gilligan's All Star Happy Hour

Guest
Show
2020

Guest VJ: Mahalia

Music Performer
Show
2020

Retro: '90s #1 Hits

Music Performer
Show
2020

Retro: Top 10 Turning 25

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Show
2020

Retro: Videos That Defined the '90s

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Show
2020

Vibe: A 90's Summer

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Show
2020

Retro: Fashion Patrol

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Show
2020

Vibe: Old School Back to School

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Show
2020

Retro Halloween

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Show
2020

Home For the Holidays

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Show
2020

Retro: Christmas Classics

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Show
2020

Y2K NYE

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Show
2020

The 93rd Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Music Performer
Show
2019

Vibe: Queens of Hip-Hop

Music Performer
Show
2019

Moms Of HHRB

Music Performer
Show
2018

Jessie Reyez's Picks

Music Performer
Show
2018

90s Christmas

Music Performer
Show
2018

NYE Party: Saved by the 90s

Music Performer
Show
2018

Work Out Like it's 1999

Music Performer
Show
2018

Access Live

Guest
Show
2017

Beat ShazamStream

Music Performer
Game Show
2017

TLC Feat. Snoop Dogg: Way Back

Music Performer
Show
2017

TLC: Way Back

Music Performer
Show
2017

Taraji's White Hot Holidays

Music Performer
Special
2016

Today's Take

Guest
Show
2016

Tonight at the London Palladium

Music Performer
Show
2016

Glastonbury

Music Performer
Show
2014

2013 American Music Awards

Music Performer
Show
2013

J. Cole Feat. TLC: Crooked Smile

Music Performer
Show
2013

The Project

Guest
Show
2009

TLC - No Scrubs

Music Performer
Show
2006

etalk

Guest
Show
2006

Dancing With the StarsStream

Music Performer
Reality
2005

TLC: Damaged

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Show
2004

TLC: Dear Lie

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Show
2004

TLC: Diggin' on You

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Show
2004

TLC: Get It Up

Music Performer
Show
2004

TLC: Girl Talk (Uncensored)

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Show
2004

TLC: Girl Talk

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Show
2004

TLC: Hat 2 Da Back

Music Performer
Show
2004

TLC: No Scrubs (Live)

Music Performer
Show
2004

TLC: Red Light Special (Dirty Version)

Music Performer
Show
2004

TLC: Turntable

Music Performer
Show
2004

Goodie Mob Feat. TLC: What It Ain't

Music Performer
Show
2004

Jimmy Kimmel Live!Stream

Music Performer
Talk
2003

TLC: Hands Up

Music Performer
Show
2003

TLC: No Scrubs

Music Performer
Show
1999

TLC: Unpretty

Music Performer
Show
1999

The View

Music Performer
Talk
1997

TLC: Waterfalls

Music Performer
Show
1995

TLC: Red Light Special

Music Performer
Show
1995

Extra

Guest
News
1994

All ThatStream

Music Performer
Series
1994

TLC: Creep

Music Performer
Show
1994

Living SingleStream

Guest Star
Series
1993

TLC: Sleigh Ride

Music Performer
Show
1992

TLC: Baby-Baby-Baby

Music Performer
Show
1992

TLC: What About Your Friends

Music Performer
Show
1992

TLC: Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg

Music Performer
Show
1991

Good Morning America

Music Performer
News
1975

Saturday Night LiveStream

Music Performer
Series
1975

Today

Music Performer
News
1952