A Visionary: Remembering "Left Eye"

It’s unbelievable that 7 years ago yesterday, April 25, 2002, TLC member Lisa “Left-Eye” Lopes died in a tragic car crash while on a spiritual retreat in Honduras. I was devastated by the news of Left Eye’s death like so many fans around the world. TLC was one of the biggest, most successful R&B girl groups of all time. Their original look and sound inspired an entire generation of female empowerment. Ranked by Billboard as one of the greatest trios of all time and the most successful girl group of all time selling over 22 million albums world-wide. I will never forget when TLC burst on the scene in 1992 with their playful anthem “Ain’t 2 Proud 2 Beg.” I was in middle school and all my friends wanted to be a member of TLC. We listened to their music, did all their choreographed moves at the school dances and knew the lyrics to their songs better than any of the answers to our math tests.

Members T-Boz, Chili, and Left-Eye each represented and symbolized the ultra-feminine personality. T-Boz was the Cool One, Chili was the Sexy One and Left Eye was the Crazy One. She was the rapper of the group and her raps were always poetic and energized with her spunky-edged flavor. There were many significant R&B girl groups of the 1990’s such as SWV, Xscape, and Brownstone. But TLC were trailblazers because of their uniqueness. Their songs weren’t just about love. They dealt with phony friends “What About Your Friends?,” social issues, “Waterfalls” which captivated all of radio and MTV for an entire year, and emotional insecurity “Unpretty.”

As the music industry continues to decline for a variety of reasons, one main reason is the lack of great music out there. So as I remember the beautiful and talented Lisa “Left Eye” Lopez and listen to TLC songs tonight, I will pray some young musician/s somewhere will carry on the tradition of making timeless music that’s not only fun and danceable but has some real heart.

Excerpt from the song “WaterFalls”:

Left-Eye: “I seen a rainbow yesterday
But too many storms have come and gone
Leavin a trace of not one God given ray
You say because my life is ten shades of grey
I prey all ten fade away
Seldom praise him for the sunny day
And like his promise is true
Only my faith can undo
The many chances I blew
To bring my life to anew
Clear blue and unconditional skies
Have dried the tears from my eyes
No more lonely cries
My only bleedin hope
Is for the folk who cant cope
Wit such an endurin pain
That it keeps em in the pourin rain
Whos to blame
For tootin caine in your own vein
What a shame
You shoot and aim for someone elses brain
You claim the insane
And name this day and time
For fallin prey to crime
I say the system got you victim to your own mind
Dreams are hopeless aspirations
In hopes of comin true
Believe in yourself
The rest is up to me and you”