Lisa Lopes Biography

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Quick Facts

NAME: Lisa Lopes
OCCUPATION: Rapper, Singer
BIRTH DATE: May 27, 1971
DEATH DATE: April 25, 2002
PLACE OF BIRTH: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
PLACE OF DEATH: Roma, Honduras
Full Name: Lisa Nicole Lopes
AKA: Left Eye

Best Known For

Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes was a singer and rapper known for her work with the 1990s group TLC.

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Lisa Lopes

APA Style

Lisa Lopes. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 05:24, May 22, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/lisa-lopes-9542471.

Harvard Style

Lisa Lopes. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/lisa-lopes-9542471 [Accessed 22 May 2013].

MLA Style

"Lisa Lopes." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 22 2013, 05:24 http://www.biography.com/people/lisa-lopes-9542471.

MHRA Style

"Lisa Lopes," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/lisa-lopes-9542471 [accessed May 22, 2013].

Chicago Style

"Lisa Lopes," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/lisa-lopes-9542471 (accessed May 22, 2013).

CBE/CSE Style

Lisa Lopes [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 22] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/lisa-lopes-9542471.

Bluebook Style

Lisa Lopes, http://www.biography.com/people/lisa-lopes-9542471 (last visited May 22, 2013).

AMA Style

Lisa Lopes. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/lisa-lopes-9542471. Accessed May 22, 2013.

Synopsis

TLC formed in 1991, with Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes lending her rapping skills to the group, and their first album produced three top-ten hits. TLC’s 1994 follow-up, Crazysexycool, sold over 11 million copies in the U.S. and featured three number-one hits. Left Eye’s personal life, though, was marred by her rocky relationship with football great Andre Rison, and in 1994 she was arrested for burning down his home. Left Eye died in a car accident on April 25, 2002 in Roma (near La Ceiba), Honduras.

Early Career

Singer and rapper Lisa "Left Eye" Nicole Lopes was born on May 27, 1971, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Left Eye was a member of the hip-hop/R&B group TLC. Known for her brash, uncompromising demeanor, Left Eye engineered the group's brand of empowered womanhood that vaulted the trio to the top of the pop charts.

The group formed in 1991, with Left Eye lending her rapping talents to fellow members Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas. Their first album, Oooooooh . . . On the TLC Tip, was released the following year and was an immediate success. The album produced three top-ten hits. The group?s 1994 follow up, Crazysexycool, sold over 11 million copies in the United States alone, and featured three number-one hits "Creep," "Red Light Special" and "Waterfalls"). The album also earned the trio two Grammy awards.

Personal Issues

Although Left Eye's professional life was booming, her personal life was troubled because of her tumultous relationship with football player Andre Rison. In 1994, Left Eye was arrested for burning down Rison's home. Left Eye escaped jail time, but debts incurred from the incident forced TLC to declare bankruptcy in 1995.

Later Projects

After the lengthy hiatus, the band returned to the studio in 1999 and emerged with the album Fanmail, which earned the trio another pair of Grammy awards in the R&B category.

In 2000, Left Eye embarked on a solo project later titled Supernova. Although the release date for the album was originally set for August, 2001, the date was repeatedly postponed. The album was broadcast over the internet later that year.

Tragic Death

On April 25, 2002, with Supernova yet to be formally released and a fourth TLC album still in production, Left Eye was killed in a car accident on a highway in Roma, Honduras, near Jutiapa, where the singer owned a condominium.