If there is a group of girls and women that are so special to me and whose lives I want you to be enlightened about,

It is “TLC”!!!

Where do I even begin writing and sharing, about these legends?

 

Photo credit: Harper’s BAZAAR

 

If I am not mistaken, these girls came together in 1990 to form this group.

Each letter of their stage name is represented by an individual member.

It is so sad that we lost our girl “L” in 2002!

 

Photo credit: The Hollywood Reporter

 

“T” is our girl Tionne Watkins “T-Boz”

“L” is our girl Lisa Lopes “Left Eye”

“C” is our girl Rozonda Thomas “Chilli”.

 

Photo credit: Genius

 

“Ain’t 2 Proud 2 Beg” is their first group single.

They released in 1992 on CrazySexyCool (their 2nd album), just as I was being born.

It was their first track that I fell in love with, though!

 

Photo credit: YouTube

 

It was “Waterfalls” for me.

For some reason, I always felt a certain type of way when I listened to this song.

I guess I just hadn’t listened in to the story behind it!

 

Photo credit: IMDb

 

This monster hit of theirs spoke about promiscuity, illegal drug trade and HIV/AIDS!

It was also in this song that I noticed Left Eye wore a unique dress code; she wore a condom over her eye!

To quote Wikipedia:

 

Photo credit: Peoples’ Magazine

 

“Lopes emphasized her nickname by wearing a pair of glasses with the right lens covered by a condom in keeping with the group’s support of safe sex, wearing a black stripe under her left eye, and eventually getting her left eyebrow pierced”.

 

Can we talk about how in that time, it was unheard of to rap or sing about the HIV/AIDS scourge?

My queen Left Eye penned this track with Marqueze Etheridge and Organised Noise.

On Left Eye’s coffin and tombstone, her part and lyrics in Waterfalls were engraved!

What a way to send off our baby!

 

Photo credit: TLC-Army.com

 

I have a simple assignment for you;

Listen to their third album named “FanMail”.

Listen to their second album named “CrazySexyCool”.

Listen to their debut album named “Oooohhhh…On the TLC Tip”.

 

Photo credit: Albumism

 

Then, I want you to listen in to other albums “T” and “C” put out.

One is named “3D”.

The other is “TLC”.

 

Photo credit: Amazon

 

T-Boz, you have done a great job keeping TLC where it is.

I love you for that and I see you!

 

Screenshot credit: The Source Magazine

 

Chilli, you have done a great job keeping TLC where it is.

I love you for that and I see you!

 

Photo credit: Getty Images

 

To you Left Eye,

I always think about you, girl.

 

Photo credit: POPSUGAR

 

I wonder what would have become of you if you were still here today.

Wherever you are, I love you and I see you!