To celebrate Record Store Day this year, TLC have released a limited edition picture disc vinyl of their iconic single, 1995’s “Waterfalls“, to celebrate 25 years of the success of their diamond-selling album, ‘CrazySexyCool‘.
Traditionally on Record Store Day, local independent record stores are given exclusive and often limited releases to be sold only in stores, as a bid to help with the survival of the record stores, which have taken a huge blow in sales due to the growing popularity of digital downloads and streaming platforms such as Spotify, Tidal and Apple Music.
Thankfully, vinyls have seen a resurgence in recent years, with music fans wanting their favourite music to be made available on the classic vinyl formats, leading to an increase in vinyl sales.
Record Store Day 2020 was initially set to go ahead back in June, but due to the unfortunate coronavirus outbreak it was postponed and some of the releases appeared to have been cancelled or heavily limited by some of the record labels, including the TLC release.
Other upcoming releases include Coolio‘s ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’, Destiny’s Child “Say My Name” picture disc and Britney Spears‘ sophomore album, ‘Oops… I Did It Again’ on picture disc.
This year’s Record Store Day will be taking place a little differently with products being split across 3 new dates: 29th August, 26th September and 24th October in the UK.
TLC’s “Waterfalls” release takes place from September 26th with limited availability in selected stores. To avoid disappointment, please check with your local record stores to find out if they will be stocking the record at that particular store before attending.
You can check for participating stores in the UK here. To check for participating stores in the US check here. For the rest of the world, go here and select your country to find participating stores.
UPDATE (26/9) — The Record Store Day team have sadly informed us that the TLC release will no longer be released on the scheduled date. They will inform fans via social media when they obtain a new release date from the label.
This title has been bumped and is not being released for RSD or @recordstoredayuk today. When it is rescheduled we’ll let everyone know via socials
However, some record stores in Mexico have already been stocking the record in their stores, so if you’re in luck, contact some stores using the store locater in other countries to directly speak to the stores to get your copies if you cannot wait for a domestic release in your country!
TLC are the epitome of girl power! So much so, that they never see other female groups as competition and always give props to their peers. Instead, they would rather go head-to-head with male groups like Boyz II Men, who were just as successful as TLC at the peak of their careers in the 90’s.
TLC would playfully rival Boyz II Men with their succeses, trying to outdo each others’ record sales. To this date, they both have the same amount of top ten Billboard hits and number one singles. When it came to the groups like SWV, En Vogue and Xscape, TLC had nothing but support and respect for them.
Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins and Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas were special guests on T.I‘s hit podcast ‘ExpediTIously‘ (recorded back in April shortly after Tionne’s 50th Birthday when the COVID-19 lockdown began) airing on August 13, 2020 to set the record straight on a number of things — one thing specifically being to clear up a misconception that his previous guest Jermaine Dupri put out, stating that he was the reason T-Boz got her iconic low register singing style.
“The reason why it’s important for me to say something, as a black woman in this industry — for both of us to not sleep our way up, suck our way up, and for me to do this off of my talent”, Tionne states regarding her statement. “Certain accolades that you’ve worked hard for, you can’t let people take that from you”.
“The other day when JD was on your show — some things were very inaccurate. It was like a revision of history — that’s when somebody changes what happened in the past and makes it different. I have proof, facts are facts.” Tionne goes on to state that she appreciates what Jermaine did for her, but she wants to set the record straight on how she started her deep singing style, auditioning for Ian Burke and Rico Wade before Jermaine had ever heard her sing.
“When I first met Lisa in Second Nature, Rico and Ian came to my house because a girl named Crystal wanted to start a group”, Tionne says. “Lisa stayed out in the car, so I hadn’t met her yet (she was QT at the time). When they came in I did my dance, my ATL thing.” She sang the 1987 hit song “Still A Thrill” by Jody Watley, which also helped her know she can sing deep, and 1990’s “Wanna Get With U” by Guy. “I was rocking the low notes since I was 17 years old”.
T-Boz in 2nd Nature with Lisa and Crystal in 1990
Jermaine hearing T-Boz singing deep led him to place her on demo’s for his upcoming group at the time, Kris Kross. Tionne praised JD for helping her feel comfortable singing low after producing her first demo, “I Got It Goin’ On“, and not fearing being called gay for singing deep.
“I came out [with TLC] and they thought I was gay anyway because of the way I was dressed, but back then I didn’t wanna fight a fight that wasn’t mine, but my mom said it doesn’t matter what people think, as long as you and God know”, Tionne says. “So JD did have a good idea to just keep it as my thing. He made me feel confident doing something that I was already doing and it turned out to be great for us”.
After this week’s highly anticipated Verzuz episode with Brandy vs Monica, is the world any closer to receiving a TLC Verzuz episode? Musicians like SWV and Xscape have offered to go up against TLC in a Verzuz battle, but TLC have other plans for the suggestions. “People compare us to other girl groups just because we’re girls, but I think we’re all different”, Tionne states. “In my opinion, we never like to be compared to females — there’s no competition, we support each other”, Chilli adds. “We felt our competition was more with boy bands, so I’d say maybe TLC against Boyz II Men or something”.
Previous Verzuz ideas with SWV and Xscape
T-Boz reminds us that they have always shared love with the females, by adding Christina Aguilera, Destiny’s Child and Blaque as openers to the FanMail tour in 2000. “We were never in competition with them”, she insists. As for the Boyz II Men Verzuz, T-Boz had this to say to them, “We’re calling you out, come get some! Let’s go, Verzuz!”
Dealing with coronavirus
Chilli: We have a lot of TV stuff we’re working on behind the scenes. Sadly, we’re supposed to be on the road right now. The tours are all cancelled until next year. Hopefully they find a vaccine soon or something.
T-Boz: I’m scared to take it, I’m not taking it!
Chilli: I get the flu shot every year, I don’t play! I’m not opposed to a vaccine, I just don’t want to be the first to take it! I’ll wait a while. Get oregano oil and cod liver oil [to boost your immune system]. Regardless of the news, they do not understand this stuff. When I go to the grocery store, masked up and keeping my distance —
T-Boz: Respecting the rules!
Chilli: A couple of people I’ve had to tell to get back. But even kids with nothing on, it doesn’t have to be a professional mask. We need to take this seriously. Boost your immune system and stay safe.
T-Boz: On a serious note, there’s people like me with sickle cell disease with no cure; my mom has cancer right now and my daughter has Lupus. It suppresses our immune system. So there’s people like us who can’t fight off stuff like that who can die. So, when you’re not respecting the rules you affect people’s lives tremendously, people like me who can’t afford to catch anything.
Spitting bars and group roles
T-Boz: Lisa was always the rapper. But we did a [rap] song on the first album.
Chilli: Marley Marl! Do you remember him, the producer? We did a song with him, and said you should all rap. I was shaking in my boots!
T-Boz: I sounded like a man! I sound manly as hell! I know why they thought I was gay now, they were coming for me!
Chilli: I was very proud of my rap, I was so excited, it came out good. Lisa told me that she was proud of me. That’s the only time that happened. Everybody came in the group already doing their thing. Lisa was a rapper, she doesn’t sing. That’s the special thing about this group, we were like three solo artists put together, and it just works. That’s our formula. We respect each others lanes.
Beating SWV to be called TLC
T-Boz: What’s funny is SWV were TLC at first [Taj, Lelee, Coko]. But they didn’t legally lock it in, so Pebbles got it. So they became Sisters With Voices.
Chilli: That was the name of their group, yes. It was like whoever came out first. We just happened to beat them to the punch with that one.
What are your thoughts on TLC Verzuz with Boyz II Men or BBD?
After months of speculation it seems that our TLC girls may finally get their own set of Funko Pop! vinyl figures, according to the Funko fan page Funko POP News!
Rumors began back in June when a list of upcoming Funko Pops! circulated online in the fan community including ‘Chase‘ figures of T-Boz, Left Eye and Chilli. ‘Chase‘ releases are known to be limited edition.
New releases posted on June 27 / Pop o’clock/fb
Fans have hung onto hope of the rumors becoming a reality, so the news of the TLC figures coming soon is very much welcomed (as soon as September, possibly).
Funko have a very male-dominated roster of Pop! vinyls already, so with last years addition of the hip-hop girl group Salt-N-Pepa being graced with their own figures in the Pop! Rocks line, it was just a matter of time for the legendary TLC to be honored in the same way.
The phenomenal hip-hop rapper Cardi B is making a big return in 2020 with a helping hand from Megan Thee Stallion on her latest single, “WAP“, and she once again pays homage to a very special person, Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes.
Cardi B decided to rock a hairstyle in the music video based on the style Left Eye wore at the Soul Train Awards 2000, created by TLC’s long-time hairstylist, Marie Brown (formerly Davis), who is now the owner of Atlanta’s Glamorazzi Salon.
Referencing the afro-futuristic braids, Marie explains how she came up with the creation. “The circles are the little round pieces of styrofoam. Styrofoam from Michael’s. You wrap them around, and they’re just braided on and connected onto her hair. I was just always trying to do something different. I was trying to always reach a different level with her and she was just free to do it.”
Cardi B is no stranger to paying homage to TLC. She previously wore another style like Lisa’s at her Coachella debut in 2018, and also has name dropped Left Eye and TLC in numerous tracks on her debut album, ‘Invasion Of Privacy‘.
Some fans on the Left Eye fanpage The Eye Is Right also noted other similarities in the music video. The scene with Megan and Cardi looking thorough the other rooms is reminiscent of TLC’s “Hands Up” video. And the end scene of the girls running away is very similar to TLC’s “Dear Lie” video, where Lisa knocks on a door and quickly runs away.
Watch the full video:
Do you think Cardi B paid homage or was it a coincidence?
Leon@TLCArmy
