RICH-G'S TLC NEWS


TLC News!

News from 1997-1998

Also, check out news from the Official TLC Page.



December 9, 1998

From MTV News -- TLC's "Left Eye" Lopes Delays Solo Album, May Collaborate With Wyclef And Pras

TLC singer Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes has changed her plans in regards to her solo album, which she had originally planned to release before TLC's new album, "Fanmail," but the delay may enable Lopes to land some help from a Fugee or two.

According to a representative from Left Eye Productions, Lopes' solo debut is now expected to be released in the spring of 1999, and the singer told the MTV Radio Network that she has already spoken with Wyclef Jean and Pras about possibly working on the record. "I was thinkin' about Wyclef and Pras [for the album]," Lopes said, "I was thinking about them and I've talked to them already and they want to do it."

Lopes has already cut a few tracks for the record with EPMD's Erick Sermon, as well as the Bandits, the production duo who handled a number of songs for the new TLC album.

Left Eye is currently wrapping up her stint on MTV's talent search show, "The Cut," while TLC's "Fanmail" is due out early next year.

September 30, 1998

From MTV News -- Kurupt Taps Lisa Lopes, Warren G For Film Kurupt.

In addition to dropping his first album in three years in October, Kurupt is also planning to go the route of Master P, Snoop Dogg, and Jay-Z in filming his own movie.

The rapper, who with Daz Dillinger formed the Dogg Pound during Death Row's heyday, has already lined up Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, Warren G, and Frank DiLeo ("GoodFellas," "Wayne's World") for the film, which he hopes to start shooting in October.

"It's about a man who lost his family in the beginning of the film," Kurupt told MTV News this week. "The movie starts with how his family got killed and it goes on to '99 and he takes over the family business. He's out to get the people that murdered his family and he finds out that the person who murdered his family is the head of the organization that he's with, from the top, because he takes over the family business and it was the boss of that family business that was over his father that murdered his father, so he's out to get him." [28.8 RealVideo]

Kurupt says that the film will become more than a revenge flick with the arrival of Lopez, who plays Sheila, a woman hired by Frank DiLeo's crime boss to sniff out Kurupt's R.J. and uncover his plans for vengeance.

"So he sicks Lisa on me, and I like Lisa form the top," Kurupt said. "I'm stuck on her. All my friends is letting me know, and all my business people, 'You in this business, you can't have no friends and no family. You already know that R.J.' They pitting it to me. I'm like, 'Man, I'm running this." The first thing they kick to me is, 'Look at your parents,' and I'm like stuck."

Those issues, and many more, will be resolved when Kurupt shoots the film this fall in Philadelphia. The film is being produced by his ANTRA Films, an extension of his ANTRA Records, and he hopes to find a distributor willing to take it to big screens across the U.S.

August 10, 1998

From MTV News -- After a year of starts and stops, T-Boz, Left Eye and Chili of TLC are finally putting the finishing touches on their first new album since 1994's "Crazy Sexy Cool."

The new album, which is slated to ship in the late fall, is entitled "Fanmail," and will feature production by Jermaine Dupri, Babyface and Dallas Austin.

Spokespeople for the group tell MTV News that "Fanmail" will be dedicated solely to TLC's fans, but didn't detail what that might mean in terms of the new record.

More details about the upcoming TLC record are expected to be announced this week, and we'll be sure to keep you posted.

See TLC's Fan Mail Site

July 15, 1998

From MTV News -- TLC's Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes is recording a solo album in addition to a new record with TLC.

The singer tells MTV News that her solo project will be out prior to the new TLC release, the trio's third, which is now not expected to drop until early 1999. The record, their first since 1994's "CrazySexyCool," was first delayed by their efforts to leave their label, LaFace, and a related bankruptcy case, and most recently a reported fee dispute with longtime collaborator writer/producer Dallas Austin.

These days TLC has a new deal with LaFace and Lopes confirms that Austin has now completed his contributions to the album, adding that Babyface, the face behind LaFace, is still expected to do his part for the record. Sessions have also reportedly been completed with Jermaine Dupri, Organized Noize and Track Masterz, plus Jay-Z has told press sources he will also be appearing on the album.

Meanwhile Lopes confirms she's recording in Orlando, Florida--the home of Transcontinental, the management team she shares with the Backstreet Boys--with the "Green Eyed Bandit," a/k/a/ EPMD's Erick Sermon. Lopes, who declined to disclose the title or guess at a release date, says the album won't be a garden variety CD but instead a CDRom.

"It's all hi-tech, interactive, DVD, the whole nine-yards," says Lopes. "It's going to take all of my fans on a journey. They'll be a part of it."

"It will be very flavorful - very left eye," she adds.

Lopes says her album may or may not come out on LaFace and alludes to current negotiations. "I can't talk about the options," says Lopes, "but either way it's definitely coming out." She says that the other members of TLC--Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas-are supportive of the project and have congratulated her and wished her luck.

Lopes also confirms that she has put up her own recording studio in her home in Atlanta, and is currently working with bands she's signed to her Left Eye Productions which has a development deal with Sony. She's signed two artists so far, a trio of male rappers called Jena-Si-Qua and a female trio called Blaque.

And it seems Lopes isn't the only TLC member taking on a side project. T-Boz is currently filming a movie called "Belly" for video-turned-film director Hype Williams.

See the Lisa Lopes Website.

March 4, 1998

From MTV News -- TLC is in the studio at work on its first album since 1994's "Crazy Sexy Cool," but who will be producing it?

We've heard that Dallas Austin (the driving force behind the last album) would head up the new one as well, and we've heard that that Jermaine Dupri (who's launching a performing career of his own) would take the reins. Then we heard both Austin and Dupri would work on the album.

Last week, Austin was in New York City for the Grammys, and he spoke to MTV News about the situation.

"The girls came to the table and pushed the buttons, like 'We really need to get into the studio with Dallas and make all this stuff happen like it should happen,'" Austin explained. "Everybody was in agreeance. Something that took over a year to negotiate, came together in probably like three or four days." [350k QuickTime]

TLC's label, LaFace Records, says that Austin will indeed produce the majority of the new album, but that Jermaine Dupri and Organized Noise would also work on some tracks.

December 4, 1997

From MTV News -- All is well with the next TLC album, at least according to the group's T-Boz, who turned up Monday night at a Puff Daddy show in New York City.

TLC

"Its going pretty good," the singer said of the group's progress on their follow-up to "Crazy Sexy Cool."

"I'm in there with Jermaine Dupri right now. We have two songs done, and it's going good. I'm happy. I feel better now."

The group had been battling rumors about their relationship with longtime producer Dallas Austin, and whether or not he would be involved in the group's next project.

"The rumors, well... I think Left Eye said enough and everybody heard that one," T-Boz said, referring to Left Eye's comments at the MTV Video Music Awards in which the singer said that TLC and Austin were arguing over Austin's fee.

"But as far as Dallas is concerned, Dallas is still my producer, and Dallas is like my brother, and whether we work or not, he's still my Dallas." [200k QuickTime]

TLC's record label, La Face, says that Dupri will produce most of the new tracks on the as-yet untitled album, but that Babyface will also lend his production expertise in some way.

October 27, 1997

From MTV News -- It seems that the great divide between TLC and producer Dallas Austin may be narrowing a bit.

Both parties recently told MTV News that they would not continue their long-standing relationship on the next TLC effort, but now the group's Chilli (a.k.a. Rozanda Williams) says that's not the case. The group is currently working on their next album, and Chilli told MTV News that TLC will indeed be working with Austin in some capacity, and will also team with producers Jermaine Dupri, Trak Masters and Babyface.

When Lisa "Left Eye" Lopez spoke with MTV News at the 1997 Video Music Awards in September, she said TLC didn't think it could afford Austin's asking price this time around. Austin then said in a phone interview that he would love to work with TLC, but they were taking too long to decide and his time was especially precious since he'd started his own label, Free World Entertainment.

Chilli says that the group hopes to have a new single out in February, with the album coming soon after.

October 16, 1997

From MTV News -- It's been nearly three years since TLC released its last album, "Crazy, Sexy, Cool," which had the unusual distinction of topping the charts while the group itself, mired in business woes, went bankrupt.

Now, work has finally begun on a follow-up to that massive hit , or at least new TLC producer Jermaine Dupri has started whipping up backing tracks for it in an Atlanta studio.

Dupri has replaced Dallas Austin, the man who produced TLC's hits, and who bowed out of the new project over a financial dispute.

Speaking via phone, Austin, who is currently busy with his Free World record label, told MTV News, "The only group I really set aside to do this year was TLC and Monica. I turned away a lot of other acts that I usually work with, or that I was supposed to work with, due to knowing I was going to have my own company set up, and unfortunately we've taken too long to come to nowhere. [200k Audio File] And it sucks between me and the girls, because we have a great relationship, even personally before TLC."

The new TLC album won't be out until next year.

September 9, 1997

From MTV News -- So what's endangering the union between TLC and the group's longtime producer Dallas Austin? Left Eye

To hear Lisa "Left Eye" Lopez tell it, it's all about the Benjamins.

While entering the Video Music Awards Thursday night, Lopez was asked if the group would be teaming once again with Austin, who produced TLC's first two albums.

"I'm just gonna be honest with everybody," Lopez said while entering the Video Music Awards Thursday night. "Dallas recorded some songs with TLC that we hadn't yet gone into record, but Dallas tried to charge us $4.2 million, so he might not be on the project. So, we been fighting with Dallas for about 10 months. We have not yet gone to the studio yet, and hey, don't get mad at me, I just have to tell it like it is... He came down but, he charged us more than Babyface!" [1MB MTV QuickTime]

TLC went bankrupt while "Crazy Sexy Cool" was topping the charts two years ago, which may help explain Left Eye's concern over dollar amounts.

On Friday, our colleagues at the MTV Radio Network spoke with Austin (who's also preparing to launch his own label, Free World Records), who had his own take on the TLC situation.

Each second of the day, I'm doing something with Free World, and everything else is becoming aggravating, you know," Austin said. "So I don't know, we still talking about it, and maybe I'll come in and do a couple of songs later or something, but as of now, it's like, something that's taking too long, you know how you can negotiate something for so long that it just burns out, and you're like okay, maybe we all need a break."[220k MTV Audio File]

TLC's camp says the group is still hoping to do some work with Austin, and they are expecting to release the album in the spring of 1998.

July 11, 1997

(From MTV's Week In Rock)

SERENA: The women of TLC have a new album of their own in the works, their first since the chart topping "Crazy Sexy Cool" two and a half years ago. Chili, Left Eye and T-Boz are in the studio right now, once again working with producer Dallas Austin. We recently ran into Austin at the opening date of Lollapalooza in West Palm Beach, Florida, where he told us why the new TLC album has taken so long, and what to expect from it.

DALLAS AUSTIN: Right now, we're actually in the process of gettin' the recording back up. You know, the girls went through a lot of stuff to get their actual business straight. And now it's straight and everybody's happy and wonderful and, actually, we start recording next week. We've already prepped a lot of the songs and stuff for them. But you can look for em' probably in the first the first quarter of '98.

Dallas Austin MTV: Are there going to be any new sounds on the album? Are they going any new directions?

AUSTIN: Totally. And I think the thing about TLC is, and what shocked people from the first record to the second record is, they have the ability to change. They have the ability to be new and reform and that's what we're all about, bringing the new sound, the new direction, new song writing, new lyrics, and topics for women to talk about, and people to talk about. And this one is going to be more exciting than any record we've done, yet.

SERENA: Dallas Austin and TLC's Chili, meanwhile, have a new production of their own: a month-old baby boy.

JOHN: Congratulations.

July 9, 1997

From MTV News -- It's been two-and-a-half years since TLC members Chili, T-Boz and Left Eye topped the charts with their album "CrazySexyCool."

But after arson charges against Left Eye, and bankruptcy claims by the entire group, TLC is back together, and in the studio at work on a new album. Once again, they're working with producer Dallas Austin, who, like TLC, is based in Atlanta.

MTV News recently ran into Austin at the opening date of Lollapalooza in West Palm Beach Florida, where he told us why the new TLC album has taken so long, and what to expect from it.

"Right now we're actually in the process of getting the recording back up," Austin said. "You know, the girls went through a lot of stuff to get their actual business straight. And now it's straight and everybody's happy and wonderful and, actually, we start recording next week. We've already prepped a lot of the songs and stuff for them. But you can look for them probably in the first quarter of '98."

MTV asked whether there were going to be any new sounds on the album, and whether the group was going in any new direction.

"Totally," Austin replied. "And I think the thing about TLC is, and what shocked people from the first record to the second record is, they have the ability to change. They have the ability to be new and reform and that's what we're all about, bringing the new sound, the new direction, new song writing, new lyrics, and topics for women to talk about, and people to talk about. And this one is going to be more exciting than any record we've done yet." [1MB MTV QuickTime]

Still no word on a release date for the album, but we'll keep you posted.

Dallas Austin and TLC'S Chili, meanwhile, have another new production: a month-old baby boy.

May 20, 1997:

Left Eye will make a guest appearance on a song by raunchy former-Junior MAFIA member Lil' Kim. The song will be called "Not Tonight (Ladies Night)" and it is featured on the "Nothing To Lose" soundtrack.

May 18, 1997:

On May 17, 1997, Left Eye made a guest appearance on a Keith Sweat tour performance in Indio, CA.

Right Eye, a dedicated TLC fan, exclaims, "Left Eye came out wearing all white! She had on a white hat and white like suit and white slacks, and like a blue bikini like thing under the suit, like from one of the award shows!" Left Eye guest-rapped and -sang on two of Sweat's hit singles, "How Do You Like It" and "Nobody". She even did a special dance and apparently freaked Mr. Sweat and his chest on-stage (freaked as in "dance really funky") during the performance.

"Well I know I'm ALL Excited and worked up cuz I got to hear a bunch of new raps from Left Eye into Keith Sweat songs and it sounded awesome! I MISS HER ALREADY!" Don't we all!
(Big thanks to Right Eye for the news)

May 4, 1997:

In the July issue of Word Up! magazine, TLC was voted as the second most popular female group in their Readers' Choice Polls, a drop from last year's #1 position, but still remarkable for a group that didn't release any new material over the past year. Total came it at #1, EnVogue at #3 (which is now, by the way, the number of members in their group), and SWV proved that they can survive the "second-album-jinx" by coming in at #4.

April 27, 1997:

TLC was nominated in the 1997 Kids' Choice Awards (Nickelodeon) for the 3rd time for Best Musical Group, but of course due to the lack of new TLC material (it's coming, though!), they lost to the Fugees, who wholeheartedly deserved it in most people's eyes. I'm sure they'll win when they release the new album though!
February 9, 1997:

According to the March issue of Word Up! magazine, TLC is busy working on another album, which is slated to be released sometime around July or the summer time. Chilli says, "Get ready for the next album. If they liked the last, they'll love the new one!" (Sisters In Style, 10/96) We can also expect the album to be more mature and geared towards adult pop/R&B listeners, according to Word Up! Hold your horses TLC fans, new jams from the CrazySexyCool trio is on it's way!




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