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Appearance, News, Television

K-Pop Girl Group BLACKPINK Reveal How TLC Inspired Their Career

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BLACKPINK are one of the biggest girl group’s out right now dominating the music scene since their inception back in 2016. Hailing from South Korea, BLACKPINK have managed to win their fans over with their infectious melodies and dance moves.

The group are a perfect combination of genres K-pop, hip-hop, R&B, trap and EDM. Although other K-pop girl groups have had success such as XG, BLACKPINK remain the biggest selling Korean girl group internationally.

Back in April, BLACKPINK members Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa and Rosé took part in the series finale of Carpool Karoke with James Corden. During the episode, whilst elaborating on their musical influences, the ladies reveal that they drew inspiration from other legendary girl groups such as the Spice Girls and of course, the iconic TLC.

BLACKPINK ‘Born Pink’ tour (2023)

Like TLC, BLACKPINK had the triple threat ability to not only sing and dance, but also rap, with members Jennie and Lisa taking on the rapping within the group, as Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes did with TLC. They have previously collaborated with Cardi B on the single, “Bet You Wanna“.

Jennie explains why BLACKPINK were so inspired by TLC. “We loved TLC’s music,” Jennie said. “They had vocals, they had raps. Then they had a bit of hip-hop.” TLC’s fun personalities and individual style can also be seen as an influence in BLACKPINK.

The group were then delighted when they were offered the opportunity to sing along to one of their favorite TLC songs, “No Scrubs“, along with Corden.

TLC on tour in 2019

During the group’s initial creation, they would spend years in a boot camp-like training school, where they would spend countless hours rehearsing, performing and studying various music and groups like TLC and Spice Girls.

BLACKPINK are also a hugely successful touring act, managing to trump TLC’s record-breaking Fanmail tour sales which grossed $72.8m in 2000, an impressive feat despite the tour ending early. However, with over 85m album sales to date, it will take a while for another girl group to outsell the diamond-certified number one sales set by TLC.

TLC on the ‘Fanmail’ tour (2000)

It would be a huge economic success if the top girl groups of the world like BLACKPINK, TLC and the Spice Girls did a joint tour one day. It would be a unique blend of nostalgia meets the present — ultimate girl power!

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Cardi B Gives Us Left Eye Vibes In Her New Music Video “Up”

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Cardi B returns to dominate the music industry in 2021! Fresh from her record-breaking, tongue-in-cheek “WAP” single featuring Megan Thee Stallion, six months ago in 2020, the ‘certified freak’ returns with another smash in the making, in the form of her new single, “Up“.

The accompanying music video doesn’t disappoint either, showing Cardi’s many creative looks and styles, and she once again pays some not-so-subtle homage to Madonna, Marilyn Monroe and the legendary TLC, most notably Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes in particular.

In this music flick, Cardi is dressed in a black studded leather bodysuit, reminiscent to the look TLC rocked in their 1999 smash music video, “No Scrubs“, complete with a hairstyle that you could only previously imagine Left Eye to be wearing.

Cardi is not shy about her TLC admiration, either. She most recently wore a Left Eye-inspired hairstyle in her “WAP” video, and has worn similar styles to tribute Left Eye at her debut Coachella performance in 2018. TLC are big fans of the “Bodak Yellow” rapper and have both praised and entertained the idea of possibly collaborating with her in the future.

“I don’t usually like to collaborate with females, and the reason why is because of Lisa,” Chilli said. “That is just a little weird for me, personally. But I think with Cardi B, she is an exception to the rule. TLC and Cardi B all day long. We’ve gotten a lot of love from Cardi. It’s really an honor.”

“Up” is lifted from Cardi B’s as-yet untitled sophomore album, the follow-up to 2018’s multi-platinum, Grammy-award winning debut album ,’Invasion Of Privacy’. Pre-order the limited edition CD single here.

What do you think of Cardi B’s “Up” and her Left Eye tribute?

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Cardi B Tributes Left Eye In Latest Music Video “WAP”

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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.”

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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.

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Watch the full video:

Do you think Cardi B paid homage or was it a coincidence?

 

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Left Eye Shout Out on Mariah Carey’s ‘A No No’ Remix with Stefflon Don

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Mariah Carey recently dropped the glossy music video to her latest single “A No No“, lifted from her latest album, the critically acclaimed ‘Caution‘, and followed up the release with a brand new remix!

After months of a rumoured remix with hip-hop rappers Cardi B & Lil’ Kim (whose 1996 hit “Crush On You” is heavily sampled on the single), Mariah decided to roll with the super talented British rapper Stefflon Don!

Stefflon Don rhymes effortlessly over the classic beat in her British-Jamaican accent, even dropping a shout out to the legendary Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes!

“I ain’t with the “he say, she say” / get the strap out / Bloodclart dem a try / Burn down your house like Lisa “Left Eye” / Ain’t no nigga left, aye / It’s plain and simple, they addicted to me”, Stefflon Don raps on the track.

Producer Jermaine Dupri claims he sent Lil’ Kim the track after she reached out to him to be included on the remix. However, the final decision lay in the hands of Epic Records.

Let us know what you think of this Stefflon Don-laced version of this Mariah hit!