TLC
Formed in Atlanta in 1990, TLC paired T-Boz, Left Eye, and Chilli into a bold, fun-and-frank trio. The 1994 album CrazySexyCool turned them into superstars, blending R&B, hip-hop, and candid songs about sex and self-worth. Left Eye's death in a 2002 car crash ended the classic lineup, but the group endured as one of the best-selling girl groups ever.
Atlanta Origins
TLC formed in Atlanta in 1990, settling into its classic lineup of Tionne 'T-Boz' Watkins (born 1970), Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes (born 1971), and Rozonda 'Chilli' Thomas (born 1971). The name came from the members' first initials.
CrazySexyCool Era
Their 1994 album CrazySexyCool produced number-one hits 'Creep' and 'Waterfalls' and made them global stars. The group blended R&B and hip-hop with frank lyrics about relationships and self-worth.
Tragedy and Legacy
Left Eye died in a 2002 car crash in Honduras at age 30. T-Boz and Chilli continued as a duo, releasing music into the 2010s and cementing TLC among the best-selling girl groups in history.
Career Timeline
- 1990Group forms in Atlanta, Georgia
- 1991Chilli joins, completing classic trio
- 1992Debut album Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip released
- 1994CrazySexyCool becomes a blockbuster album
- 1995'Waterfalls' tops the Hot 100
- 1996Wins two Grammy Awards
- 1999FanMail and 'No Scrubs' dominate charts
- 2002Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes dies in car crash
- 2013VH1 biopic CrazySexyCool airs
- 2017Releases final self-titled album
Biggest Hits
- TLC is one of the five best-selling American girl groups of all time, with over 60 million records sold.
- After Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes died in 2002, the remaining members vowed never to replace her in the group.
Portrait: The Come Up Show from Canada · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons