CrazySexyCool: The TLC Interview

According to EM, The ladies of TLC do not mince words. Never have. Never will. And truthfully?
There’s no need to. It’s refreshing—and they know it. Plus, most of the time, even when they’re coming across as being serious, they’are having fun… sometimes at your expense.
Take today for example. Chili, who’s just as sweet as can be, is strong-arming the editor about coverage. She’s mocking EM about not putting the group on the cover of the magazine and playfully suggesting that we need to do something about it.

“I’m good…” Chili drawls in a Southern girl sing-songy voice, “but I’ll be happier when y’all put us on the cover. I’m saying, we’ve done a little something in our career. Just a little bit. Where is the love?”
The love is all around. And come Monday, TLC fans will likely be busting up the Internet with plenty of it. Finally, after years of teasing and behind-the-scenes work, VH1’s TLC biopic, CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story, will hit the small screen. KeKe Palmer, Drew Sidora and Lil Mama take on one of the world’s most successful girl groups of all time. The remaining members of TLC (Left Eye tragically died in a car crash in 2002) consulted the actresses on how best to pull their story off, and the team at VH1 shot filmed in hometown of Atlanta.


Late LeftEye, T-boz & Chilli

It’s about time this story was brought to life. Many of us remember the TLC Behind the Music episode, where the trio revealed how they went bankrupt despite being a household name and selling millions of albums. Just how well did they do? Their debut Oooooohhh… On the TLC Tip sold six million copies worldwide; 1994’s CrazySexyCool sold over 15 million, and their third album FanMail (released in 1999) moved more than 10 million.

And through all of that success came plenty of heartache. Nothing will be off-limits in this story which airs on Monday, October 2: T-Boz’s health scares, Chili’s pregnancy and Left Eye’s untimely death. EM talks with T-Boz and Chili about bringing CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story—and their beloved friend and bandmate Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes—to life.

EBONY: Why was it the right time for you guys to push the green light on this?
T-Boz: I think timing is everything. We had talked about it previously, and when Chili had her situation at VH1 [the reality show What Chili Wants] and bought it up to them, they loved the idea. We joined forces with L.A. Reid again. Why not? It just seemed like the perfect time, and everything is falling into place together at the right time.