1999
Fan Mail

But after arson charges against Left Eye, and bankruptcy claims by the entire group, TLC is back together, and in the studio at work on a new album. Once again, they're working with producer Dallas Austin, who, like TLC, is based in Atlanta.

"Right now we're actually in the process of getting the recording back up," Austin said. "You know, the girls went through a lot of stuff to get their actual business straight. And now it's straight and everybody's happy and wonderful and, actually, we start recording next week. We've already prepped a lot of the songs and stuff for them. But you can look for them probably in the first quarter of '98."

So Dallas says, but it won't be till Feburary 23rd of 1999 that the new release of TLC's album, Fan Mail would be released. The process of getting the album out was very tedious and long. Many were anxious to get out there, like Left Eye. She was so anxious that she started her own album to be released before TLC's Fan Mail.

Left Eye got into many fee disputes with longtime collaborator writer/producer Dallas Austin. But the group ironed out the differences, and nowTLC has a new deal with LaFace and Lopes confirms that Austin has now completed his contributions to the album, adding that Babyface, the face behind LaFace, is still expected to do his part for the record. Sessions have also reportedly been completed with Jermaine Dupri, Organized Noize and Track Masterz, plus Jay-Z has told press sources he will also be appearing on the album.

Lopes still doing her part for Fan Mail, records her own album in Orlando, Florida--the home of Transcontinental, the management team she shares with the Backstreet Boys--with the "Green Eyed Bandit," a/k/a/ EPMD's Erick Sermon. Lopes, who declined to disclose the title or guess at a release date, says the album won't be a garden variety CD but instead a CDRom.

"It's all hi-tech, interactive, DVD, the whole nine-yards," says Lopes. "It's going to take all of my fans on a journey. They'll be a part of it."

"It will be very flavorful - very left eye," she adds.

Lopes says her album may or may not come out on LaFace and alludes to current negotiations. "I can't talk about the options," says Lopes, "but either way it's definitely coming out." She says that the other members of TLC--Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas-are supportive of the project and have congratulated her and wished her luck.

Lopes also confirms that she has put up her own recording studio in her home in Atlanta, and is currently working with bands she's signed to her Left Eye Productions which has a development deal with Sony. She's signed two artists so far, a trio of male rappers called Jena-Si-Qua and a female trio called Blaque.

And it seems Lopes isn't the only TLC member taking on a side project. T-Boz is currently filmed a movie called "Belly" for video-turned-film director Hype Williams, and Chilli had a baby with producer Dallas Austin. Her son's name is Tron.

Even through all the indivdual things that TLC have done, they still come together to create Fan Mail. After a year of starts and stops, T-Boz, Left Eye and Chili of TLC are finally putting the finishing touches on their first new album since 1994's "Crazy Sexy Cool." The new album, which is slated to ship in the late fall, is entitled "Fanmail," and will feature production by Jermaine Dupri, Babyface and Dallas Austin. Spokespeople for the group tell MTV News that "Fanmail" will be dedicated solely to TLC's fans, but didn't detail what that might mean in terms of the new record.

The album was first slated for a November 1998 release, but TLC pushes back the album because there a few things that just wasn't finished. TLC fans can now call a telephone number or go to the website (www.tlcfanmail.com) to leave there name and number so that they can be incorporated into the artwork of the new album. TLC Fans are diasapointed, but are glad that they are putting there all into the album solely dedicated to them.

--To give a little taste of the upcoming album, TLC releases a song for promotional purposes only. The song, "Silly Ho" is an upbeat song lead by T-Boz talking about how males don't give TLC the respect they deserve. "If you really want to find, someone to give some behind, I ain't the one for you." is just one of the Off the hook lines from the song. Many of the words on the song like "Ho" and "Bitch" are edited out of the song for some radio stations don't agree with it's explicit language. Never the less, edited or unedited, the song tops the charts slowely but surely, and in some states straight to #1.

Added to the hype, the song features a new member, "Virtual Vic-e" (prounced Vicky). She is a computer generated voice who raps on the song "Silly Ho" and known to have other ad-libs on "Fan Mail." She is perfect for the song, as her voice bounces to the futuristic beat of the song. Even though there is not much activity of Chilli and Left Eye but singing background, "Silly Ho" calms the nerves of fans until Fan Mail is realesed on Feb. 23, 1999.

FAN MAIL BEGINS:

February 3rd Set as Release Date of New TLC Single 'NO SCRUBS'

NEW YORK, Jan. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- LaFace Records' President, Antonio "L.A.
Reid" has just announced that TLC's single "NO SCRUBS," will be released on
February 3rd. The single is the debut from their much anticipated new album
FAN MAIL, to be released on February 23, 1999. The first 2 million copies of
the album will be "Collector's Editions" which will contain a limited edition
3-D insert. FAN MAIL is executive produced by TLC, L.A. Reid, LaFace Co-
president Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds and super producer Dallas Austin (Madonna,
Monica) who is also responsible for past TLC hits such as the #1 hit single
"Creep." Babyface also lent his creative talents to FAN MAIL and hit
producers Darryl Simmons (Dru Hill), Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Jermaine Dupri
(Usher and Monica) along with Shekspere who is new to the TLC production team.

Many people rushed out to get it 12:00 on the dot, while others waited to get it before they went to work. Then others got it as soon as they got out of school. No matter what time it was, "FanMail" was leaving the stores and entering the homes of many TLC fans. TLC called TRL (Total Request Live) on MTV to speak to Carson about there new album. It was a lovely phone conversation with the girls, and the first time we heard there voices in years. They reported that the "No Scrubs" video would be out in Mid-March and it would be a remix with a rap on it. they also reported that this weekend in Atlanta they are filming for MTV's "TLC's favorite videos" a 2 hour special on some of the girls favorites. They will also talk about the new album. SOme videos will include Micheal Jackson, Janet Jackson, Duran Duran, and other great 80's hits. I am sure all the TLC fans will be tuning in.

The girls also payed a visit to the fans online at AOLive Chat. They fans asked questions about the album, there new style in music, and what to expect from the girls in the future. (Chat is posted on the site.) This will be a day to remember.

They stand alone, a trio of female pioneers who have demonstrated an uncanny ability to bridge the gap between rap, hip-hop, pop and soul. No followers of fashion, but leaders of their generation who push the envelope in music, image and style. Out front, no strangers to controversy, the three young women who compose the best-selling female group in music history are always looking ahead, creating a new level of growth and accomplishment. With the release of their third album FanMail, T-Boz, Left Eye and Chilli use the cutting edge approach that has taken TLC to international recognition.

Filled with tough grooves and melodic jams, FanMail is the most personal album the trio has made, reflecting experiences and emotions T-Boz, Left Eye and Chilli have faced in the last few years since TLC became a household name on the music scene worldwide. Cut by cut, TLC delivers on this power-packed, hit-filled album, which was executive produced by co-founders Antonio "L.A." Reid and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, and super hitmaker Dallas Austin.

Fearlessly, they lay it on the line with "Come On Down" which is a provocative ballad penned by award-winning songwriter Diane Warren especially for the group. The slammin' smash single, "Silly Ho," is about a certain type of female who hasn't gotten her game together. Their first single, "No Scrubs," which was produced by newcomer Shekspere and written by Columbia recording artists Tiny and Candy from Xscape is set to put men with no cars, no jobs, no lives and no love in their proper places. While the no-nonsense rap, "My Life" deals with challenges of being a public personality, and the hard-edged "If They Knew" centers around keeping an illicit love affair under wraps.

"We're taking it to the next place in terms of production, artwork, concept and image," says Left Eye referring to the group's 1999 release. "We want to be universal with this record. It's for our fans - which is why we called it "FanMail," but we also want to get it to the people who have never even heard of us," says Chilli. With production by Dallas Austin (who worked with TLC on their two previous best-selling albums), Babyface, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Jermaine Dupri and Shekspere - FanMail has all the makings of becoming TLC's most successful project to date. "We all had a lot of input for this album," says T-Boz. "We sat down with Dallas (Austin) and worked on some of the concepts behind the material. For example, "UnPretty" was based on a poem I wrote that he converted into a song. It's a girl's anthem because I know a lot of women who feel insecure. Society can make them feel unpretty and I know it all starts within."

The groove-flavored title track addresses some of the trials and tribulations as well as the group's way of saying 'thank you' for the support that has kept them at the top of their game for the past seven years. The melodic slow jam "Don't You Pull Out On Me Yet" has a distinctive '70s old school flavor and feel; while the hypnotic "Shout" is all about self-expression, "about letting it all out," as Left Eye explains. Track for track, FanMail is an ambitious musical set that closes the five-year gap since the 1994 release of the 10 million-selling, Grammy-award album CrazySexyCool. "You'll never see us copy anyone else," says T-Boz. "We're always a little scared when we put out a new record, but we stand firm in what we believe in and we have our own thoughts which come through our music."

Production for FanMail began in early 1998, and in the years since the release of CrazySexyCool, all three women have been busy working on different projects. "Since the last record I've become a mother," says Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas. "And since I don't believe in the 'nanny' thing, I've been spending all my time with my new son. I did some acting on the side. I was in the film "Hav Plenty" and I've been working with an acting coach. I turned down quite a few major movie roles, because I want it to be right." Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins has also had an opportunity to hit the silver screen through the 1998 film "Belly" and she's also been spending time developing business interests. "I started my own companies, Shee Entertainment, Shee Inc. and Grung Girl Music. I've been doing some writing and I plan on doing some production on new and established artists. I've written an inspirational book of poetry and I have a cartoon in development, Oh, and I started a clothes line with Dallas Austin called Grungy Glamorous. So, I've been pretty busy!" Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes has also been maintaining her visibility as the host for MTV's daily show, "The Cut" while developing her Left Eye production company, working on projects for Sony Music.

The release of FanMail has been much-anticipated by the group's countless admirers the world over.

Known for their unique 'look,' TLC has earned a reputation for a down-to-earth attitude and straight ahead approach to a career that has given the group global recognition. "Some groups have tried to take off from where we left off in 1994," says Left Eye. "We've heard about record companies who have tried to put together groups like us, but no one can do it. It's the combination of our personalities and the chemistry between us that makes TLC what it is." Adds T-Boz, "We know that some people think we're the big 'cahunas' because of the success of our records. Sure, there's room for everyone and we're not worried about competition, because we've tried to be trendsetters. But, honestly, with this new album, I would worry if I was one of those other groups out there! We're back to reclaim what's ours!"

United, according to Chilli, in their goal "to be the biggest female group of all time, to sell so many albums that it will be a few years before any other group can catch up!" The members of TLC are ready to hit the road in '99 and make FanMail another milestone in a career already filled with accomplishment. As Left Eye states with characteristic frankness, "Look, our best challenges are ahead of us. Whatever we've been through personally and professionally has made us stronger, and has prepared us for what we're doing now." And what TLC is doing now is reaching new heights with FanMail, an album that reinforces their status as unquestionably the world's top female trio.