Lopes contributed her own self-written raps to many of TLC's popular singles, including "Waterfalls" and "No Scrubs". Lopes was also a self-taught keyboardist and displayed those talents during her solo spot on TLC's headlining concert performances. She was also known for wearing a pair of glasses with a condom in place of the left eye lens in the beginning of her career, which was one of the ways the group promoted safe sex.
TLC began life as a female trio called Second Nature. The group evolved into TLC - the letters of the band made up of the first initials of the three members - Tionne, Lisa and Crystal. Things didn't work out with Crystal, and TLC's manager Perri "Pebbles" Reid brought in her back up dancer, Rozonda Thomas as a third member of the group. To keep the "initial" theme of the band's name, Rozonda needed a name starting with C, so she took on the nickname Chilli. Fellow bandmate Tionne Watkins became T-Boz, while Lisa renamed herself Left Eye, as she had once been told she had beautiful eyes, "particularly the left eye." Left Eye celebrated her nickname by wearing glasses with a condom over her left eye (also a promotion for safe sex), later evolving to a black stripe under the eye.
The group appeared on the scene in 1992 with the album Ooooooohhh.... On the TLC Tip. With three hit singles, it sold 6 million copies worldwide and TLC became household names. After a few years' break, TLC came back with CrazySexyCool, selling over 15 million copies worldwide and cementing TLC as one of the biggest female groups of all time.
TLC's third album Fanmail was released in 1999 and sold over 10 million copies worldwide. The album's title was a tribute to TLC's loyal fans. The album's sleeve contained the names of hundreds of fans as a thank you to everyone who supported them.
During the recording of Fanmail, a public conflict began between the three members of the group. According to Lopes, their producer Dallas Austin was demanding too much money to produce the new album. As he was dating Chilli at the time, Chilli took his side. Lopes, frustrated by the delay in the recording of the album, sent a message to Vibe magazine saying "I've graduated from this era. I cannot stand 100 percent behind this TLC project and the music that is supposed to represent me." T-Boz and Chilli were furious at Lisa for her public outburst. They went to Entertainment Weekly magazine and told them that Lopes was acting like an abusive boyfriend. Chilli even called her selfish and evil. Lisa was crushed and told Sister 2 Sister magazine that she cried over the interview when she had to see the girls at a performance and pretend everything was fine. She then retaliated by issuing a challenge for T-Boz and Chilli and herself to release solo albums and let the public decide who was the greatest member of TLC:
“ I challenge Tionne 'Player' Watkins (T-Boz) and Rozonda 'Hater' Thomas (Chilli) to an album entitled "The Challenge"... a 3-CD set that contains three solo albums. Each ... will be due to the record label by October 1, 2000... I also challenge Dallas 'The Manipulator' Austin to produce all of the material and do it at a fraction of his normal rate. As I think about it, I'm sure LaFace would not mind throwing in a $1.5 million dollar prize for the winner.”
T-Boz and Chilli declined to take up the "Challenge", though Lopes always maintained she thought it was a great idea.
After Fanmail, Lopes began to expand her solo career. She became a featured rapper on several singles, including former Spice Girl Melanie C's "Never Be the Same Again", which went to #1 in 35 countries, including the UK.[9] She was also featured on the first single from Donell Jones' second album, entitled "U Know What's Up", and she sang "Space Cowboy" with *NSYNC on their 2000 album No Strings Attached Lopes also collaborated on "Gimme Some" by Toni Braxton from her 2000 release The Heat. In 2001 she appeared in two commercials for The Gap, one solo and the other with India.Arie, Liz Phair, and Sheryl Crow, where she was featured singing, instead of rapping, for the first time alone.
Lopes was also the host of the short-lived MTV series, The Cut, a precursor to American Idol in which a handful of would-be pop stars, rappers, and rock bands competed against each other and were judged. The show's winner, which ended up being a male-female rap duo, was promised a record deal and funding to produce a music video, which would then enter MTV's heavy rotation. A then-unknown Anastacia finished in third place, but so impressed Lopes and the show's three judges, that she scored a record deal as well. About nine months before her death, Lopes appeared on the singers' edition of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire along with Joey McIntyre, Tyrese, Nick Lachey and Lee Ann Womack. She dropped from a $125,000 question and won $32,000 for charity. A year later, in 2002, the episode of her drop was shown and was dedicated to her.
Lopes created "Left Eye Productions" to discover new talent. She helped the R&B trio Blaque to secure a record deal with Columbia Records. Their self-titled debut album was executive-produced by Lopes, who also made a cameo appearance on the album and in their music video "I Do". Lopes was also developing another new band called Egypt.[10]
Lopes spent much of her free time after the conclusion of TLC's first headlining tour behind Fanmail recording her debut album, Supernova. It includes a song titled "A New Star Is Born" is dedicated to her late father. She told MTV News: “That track is dedicated to all those that have loved ones that have passed away. It's saying that there is no such thing as death. We can call it transforming for a lack of better words, but as scientists would say, 'Every atom that was once a star is now in you.' It's in your body. So in the song I pretty much go along with that idea. ... I don't care what happens or what people think about death, it doesn't matter. We all share the same space."
Other tracks covered personal issues including her relationship with Rison. Amongst the album's 12 tracks was a posthumous duet with Tupac Shakur that was assembled from the large cache of unreleased recordings done prior to his murder in 1996. The unreleased song "Left Pimpin" was sampled for the song "Quickie", which is featured on TLC's fourth album, 3D. Initially scheduled for release on a date to coincide with the 10th anniversary of her father's passing, Supernova was then delayed for two months before her American label chose to shelve the project. The album was eventually released outside of the United States, and hardcore American TLC fans caused a demand for import copies of the album from the UK and Japan.
After numerous talks with Death Row Records CEO, Suge Knight, Lopes severed her solo deal with Arista Records (she remained contracted with the label as a member of TLC) and signed with Knight's Tha Row Records, intending to record a second solo album under the pseudonym N.I.N.A. (New Identity Not Applicable). N.I.N.A. was to include several songs recorded by and with Ray J.
Lopes had already started work on both her second solo album and on songs for the fourth TLC album, 3D, when she was killed in a car accident in La Ceiba, Honduras on April 25, 2002. She was the sole fatality of eight people in the vehicle, a Mitsubishi Pajero that she was driving. The vehicle rolled several times, throwing Lisa out of the window. She died from severe head injuries. Lisa's mother Wanda later tried to sue Mitsubishi Motors, as the Pajero was prone to rollovers, according to a 2001 Consumer Reports review. She was thirty years old when she died.
Her funeral was held at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, Georgia. Over 30,000 fans came from all over the world to bid her farewell. Engraved upon her white casket was her rap from "Waterfalls": "Dreams are hopeless aspirations, in hopes of coming true, believe in yourself, the rest is up to me and you." Lopes was buried at Hillandale Memorial Gardens, in Lithonia, Georgia
True Confessions
Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like waking up in the stormy weather in your mind thinking
Oh, this could be so much better (I'm telling y'all)
I'll never forget her
Black leather down for whatever
My niggas sweat time
So we sitting in this club
Where the ladies rub-a-dub
Me and my man about as tight as you can get it
So he admitted that he wanted to hit it
I said now wait a minute, I can contest
To being bout as open-minded as it gets
When it comes to sex
Cause I believe in time and space and what a waste
If you can't really have your time and space
So what was the use?
But to swallow my pride to love and let loose of this feelin inside
Said if you want it that bad then you should have it
And then he smiled and said I want you to grab it
[Chorus]
True confessions of a broken heart
I learned my lesson now I'm torn apart
Everybody's got a story
About how they lost their one and only
True confessions of a broken heart
I learned my lesson now I'm torn apart
Everybody's got a story
About how they lost their one and only
I'm on the hunt to get my nigga what he wants
From back to front of the club
She's trying to pull a stunt
Even though they got the lights down low
I can see the whole dance floor
She must have slipped out the back door
Rather than going back empty handed
I know this ain't the way he planned it
I do as if commanded
Let's see who next be the finest
Who next be the best for sex
And messing with his Highness
So I took another look and guess who's back
I'm off the hook
It's the lady in black
Excuse me Miss, see that man sitting at the table
He wants to know
If you're ready willing and able
So she followed me and obviously
My man is gonna want a little privacy but I was wrong
He turned it up another notch
Asked if she went tongue to crotch
And said he wants to watch
[Chorus]
So now I'm thinking what have I done and gotten into?
Maybe this will be strong and maybe monumental
As I look in her eyes what is she gonna say?
Never thought I'd be in dismay when I woke up today
She said her thing ain't girls we in three different worlds
So he mentioned instead that he wanted some head
She obliged no menage then fled
We were straight for bout a month
Until pure lust were the topics we discussed
Though I didn't mind he wants it all the time
More women and all I've been in
Spreading venom and still want to be mine
So I told him one day can't do it any more
He reacts so relaxed
Said he's done with them for sure
Then I caught him one weekend
Cheating and creeping ducts leaking don't speak
I'll be leaving
[Chorus]
The song "True Confessions" by Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes is a story about a woman's experience with open-mindedness about sex and relationships. The song starts with Lopes waking up on a stormy day, wishing that things would be better, before reflecting on a night out with her friends where they meet women who are soliciting their love in a club. One of her friends expresses interest in a woman, and Lopes initially resists but eventually encourages him to pursue her - even when things don't go as planned.
The chorus, "True confessions of a broken heart, I learned my lesson now I'm torn apart, everybody's got a story about how they lost their one and only," conveys the regret and disappointment Lopes feels about the end of her relationship. The second verse of the song sees her searching for a new partner for her friend, and whilst initially successful, the situation deteriorates when her partner becomes unfaithful.
The song highlights the risks and enjoyment that comes with being open-minded with relationships and sex, but ultimately warns of its inevitable consequences - as no one wants to end up losing their one and only.
Line by Line Meaning
See it was one of them days (yeah)
It was one of those days filled with negativity and frustration.
Like waking up in the stormy weather in your mind thinking
It was like waking up to a storm inside one's head, hoping for a better day.
Oh, this could be so much better (I'm telling y'all)
The day had the potential to be better, but it was not yet there. The singer expresses this desire for better.
I'll never forget her
The singer expresses a memory of a woman who has clearly left a lasting impression on her.
Black leather down for whatever
The woman who has left a lasting impression on the singer seems to have been adventurous and daring, as signified by the black leather.
My niggas sweat time
The singer emphasizes the value of her friendship by explaining that they have shared many experiences together.
So we sitting in this club
The singer begins narrating her story and the events that took place one night while she was at a club with her friends.
Where the ladies rub-a-dub
Women were dancing suggestively around the singer and her friends.
They solicitin' their love
The women were offering their attention, affection, and possibly more to the singer and her friends.
Me and my man about as tight as you can get it
The singer and her male friend were very close and shared a deep bond.
So he admitted that he wanted to hit it
Her friend confessed that he wanted to sleep with one of the women dancing nearby.
I said now wait a minute, I can contest
The singer objects to her friend's confession and is open-minded enough to consider different points of view or possibilities.
To being bout as open-minded as it gets
The singer prides herself on her open-mindedness and ability to be accepting of other people’s perspectives and choices, especially when it comes to sex.
When it comes to sex
The singer emphasizes that the discussion is about sex and indicates that she is comfortable having conversations and making decisions about sexual matters.
Cause I believe in time and space and what a waste
The singer values her personal space and time and feels that it is wasted if they're not respected or have to be given up for someone else's gain.
If you can't really have your time and space
If a person cannot have their personal space and time, it can be problematic and lead to negative feelings.
So what was the use?
The singer questions the point of sacrificing one's personal space and time for someone else's desires or benefit.
But to swallow my pride to love and let loose of this feelin inside
The singer acknowledges that she swallowed her pride and allowed her friend to pursue the woman he was interested in, even though she had reservations.
Said if you want it that bad then you should have it
The singer gave her approval for her friend to sleep with the woman he was interested in, despite her reservations.
And then he smiled and said I want you to grab it
The singer's friend expressed his desire for her to join him in pursuing the woman he was interested in.
[Chorus]
The chorus indicates the singer revealing her feelings of regret, pain, and heartbreak after learning a difficult lesson about love and relationships.
I'm on the hunt to get my nigga what he wants
The singer takes it upon herself to help her friend pursue the woman he is interested in.
From back to front of the club
The singer actively searches for the woman her friend wants, moving throughout the entire club.
She's trying to pull a stunt
The woman the singer is searching for seems to be avoiding her and her friend's attempts to pursue her.
Even though they got the lights down low
Despite the low lighting in the club, the singer was still able to see and search for the woman her friend was interested in.
I can see the whole dance floor
The singer could see the entire dance floor and could identify the woman she was searching for.
She must have slipped out the back door
The woman the singer was searching for left the club unnoticed amidst the chaos and loudness of the club.
Rather than going back empty handed
The singer feels the need to succeed in helping her friend pursue the woman he was interested in and did not want to come back to him empty-handed.
I know this ain't the way he planned it
The situation did not happen as her friend had hoped, and he was disappointed with the outcomes.
I do as if commanded
The singer went out of her way to fulfill her friend's desires and commands.
Let's see who next be the finest
The singer and her friend decide to look for another woman who might be more suitable for what they were looking for.
Who next be the best for sex
The singer and her friend are on the lookout for the best-looking woman they could find, with whom he could have sex.
And messing with his Highness
The singer's friend feels entitled to find the best-looking woman to have sex with, as if he was entitled to such things.
So I took another look and guess who's back
The woman that the singer and her friend had been looking for came back into the club.
I'm off the hook
The singer is no longer responsible for finding women for her friend, as the woman he had been interested in had returned.
It's the lady in black
The woman the singer's friend was interested in was dressed in black attire.
Excuse me Miss, see that man sitting at the table
The singer tries to get the attention of the woman they had been looking for and points to her friend.
He wants to know if you're ready willing and able
The singer's friend wants to know if the woman is interested in having sex with him and is ready and willing to do so.
So she followed me and obviously
The woman follows the singer and goes to see her friend, the one who had been interested in her.
My man is gonna want a little privacy but I was wrong
The singer assumes that her friend would want privacy with the woman he was interested in, but he had other plans in mind.
He turned it up another notch
Her friend took things to a different level and heightened the sexual tension in their interaction.
Asked if she went tongue to crotch
The singer's friend asked the woman if she would perform oral sex on him.
And said he wants to watch
The singer's friend asked the woman to perform the sexual act in front of him so he could watch, indicating his involvement in the interaction as well.
[Chorus]
The chorus repeats, emphasizing the lesson learned by the singer, the regrets she now has, and the pain of the experience.
So now I'm thinking what have I done and gotten into?
The singer thinks about the situation that has arisen and how her involvement may have led to unwanted consequences.
Maybe this will be strong and maybe monumental
The singer hopes that the consequences of the situation will be strong or monumental, as if they would have repercussions beyond what is currently happening.
As I look in her eyes what is she gonna say?
The singer is uncertain about what the woman who had been pursued by her friend will reveal about their interaction.
Never thought I'd be in dismay when I woke up today
The singer is taken aback by the situation she found herself in that day and had not expected to feel that way.
She said her thing ain't girls we in three different worlds
The woman the singer's friend had been pursuing made it clear that she was not interested in women, and she and the singer and her friend were from three different worlds.
So he mentioned instead that he wanted some head
The singer's friend expresses his sexual desires to the woman in the absence of the possibility for sex with her.
She obliged no menage then fled
The woman practiced oral sex on the singer's friend but did not engage in sex or participate in a threesome and left soon after.
We were straight for bout a month
The singer and her friend were doing fine and had a normal friendship for about a month after the previous events.
Until pure lust were the topics we discussed
The singer and her friend began to discuss matters of pure lust and sexual desires during their conversations, which could lead to more trouble.
Though I didn't mind he wants it all the time
The singer was okay with her friend's desire for sex all the time and did not object to it.
More women and all I've been in
The singer's friend desired more women, and the singer felt pressured to meet these desires and kept getting involved in similar situations.
Spreading venom and still want to be mine
The singer's friend continued to harm their friendship and act irresponsibly, despite his desire to still be friends with the singer.
So I told him one day can't do it any more
The singer finally takes a stand and confronts her friend, telling him that she cannot involve herself in such situations any longer.
He reacts so relaxed
Her friend takes the news surprisingly well and seems to be relaxed about it.
Said he's done with them for sure
The singer's friend claims that he is done with these situations for good, indicating a change in behavior and attitudes.
Then I caught him one weekend
The singer discovers her friend cheating on her.
Cheating and creeping ducts leaking don't speak
The singer discovers her friend cheating on her in a painful and emotional manner.
I'll be leaving
The singer is hurt by her friend's actions and leaves the situation or ends the friendship altogether.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: ANGELA HUNTE, LISA LOPEZ, MARK PITTS, SALAAM REMI, KEMANI THOMAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind