Lisa Lopes facts for kids

Lisa Nicole Lopes (born May 27, 1971 – died April 25, 2002), known by her stage name Left Eye, was an American rapper and singer. She was a member of the R&B girl group TLC, along with Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas. Lisa was a creative force in the group, helping with songwriting and the group's overall look. She won four Grammy Awards with TLC.

During her solo career, Lisa had two songs reach the top 10 in the US: "Not Tonight" and "U Know What's Up". She also had a number-one song in the UK with "Never Be the Same Again", which was a collaboration with Melanie C from the Spice Girls. Lisa also helped another girl group called Blaque become successful. She is the only member of TLC to have released her own solo album.

On April 25, 2002, Lisa Lopes died in a car crash while on vacation in Honduras. She was working on a documentary about her charity work there. The documentary was later released as The Last Days of Left Eye in 2007.

Early Life

Lisa Lopes was born in 1971 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her mother, Wanda Denise, was a seamstress, and her father, Ronald Lopes Sr., was a US Army staff sergeant. Lisa had a younger brother, Ronald Jr., and a younger sister, Raina Anitra. Lisa said her father was very strict and treated the family like they were in "boot camp." He was also a talented musician who played many instruments.

Lisa's parents separated when she was in school. Her grandmother raised her during her later childhood years. She started playing with a toy keyboard at age 5 and wrote her own songs. By age 10, she formed a musical group called The Lopes Kids with her siblings. They sang gospel songs at local events and churches. Lisa attended the Philadelphia High School for Girls.

Career

1990–1999: Becoming TLC

In late 1990, Lisa heard about auditions for a new girl group. She moved to Atlanta to try out. The group was first called 2nd Nature, but then changed its name to TLC. This name came from the first letters of the members' names: Tionne Watkins, Lisa Lopes, and Crystal Jones. When Crystal Jones left, Rozonda Thomas joined. To keep the name TLC, Lisa chose the name "Chilli" for Rozonda. Tionne became "T-Boz." Lisa was renamed "Left Eye" because her boyfriend once told her he liked her left eye, which was larger than her right eye.

The group became famous in 1992 with their album Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip. It had four hit songs and sold millions of copies. Soon after, Lisa started dating football player Andre Rison.

Their next album, CrazySexyCool, sold over 23 million copies worldwide. Lisa also started working with other artists. In 1994, she was featured on a song by Keith Sweat. In 1995, she rapped on "Freedom" for the Panther movie soundtrack, alongside other female hip hop artists. In 1997, Lisa was featured on a remix of Lil' Kim's "Not Tonight". This song earned a Grammy nomination for all the artists involved.

TLC's third album, FanMail, was released in 1999 and sold over 14 million copies. The album's title was a thank you to TLC's fans, and it included the names of hundreds of them. During this time, Lisa sometimes felt she couldn't fully express herself in TLC's music. She wanted to do more than just rap in some songs. Like sisters, the group had their disagreements, but they always worked through them. Lisa explained that their bond was "deeper than a working relationship."

1998–2002: Solo Music

In 1998, Lisa hosted an MTV show called The Cut. On the show, new singers and rappers competed. The winner got a record deal. Lisa was impressed by a contestant named Anastacia, who later got a record deal even though she didn't win.

Lisa also started her own company, Left Eye Productions, to find new musical talent. She helped the R&B group Blaque get a record deal. Lisa was an executive producer for their first album and appeared in their music videos. She was also helping another new band called Egypt.

In 2000, Lisa was featured on several popular songs. She worked with Melanie C on "Never Be the Same Again", which was a number one hit in many countries. She also appeared on Donell Jones's song "U Know What's Up" and with NSYNC on their album No Strings Attached. Lisa also collaborated with Toni Braxton on her album The Heat. In 2001, she was in a commercial for the fashion brand Gap. She also appeared on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and won $32,000 for her chosen charity.

In 2008, Lisa's family opened UNI Studios, a recording studio she had created. Lisa wanted new artists to be able to record music at a low cost in a high-quality studio. Her family continues to run it today.

Supernova Album

Lisa spent a lot of her free time recording her first solo album, Supernova. One song, "A New Star is Born", was dedicated to her late father. She said the song was for anyone who had lost a loved one. She believed that "energy never dies" and that we all share the same space.

The album also included songs about her relationship with Andre Rison. It even had a duet with Tupac Shakur. The album was released in August 2001 in other countries, but not in the US.

N.I.N.A. Album

In January 2002, Lisa signed a new solo record deal with Death Row Records. She planned to record a second solo album under the name "N.I.N.A.", which stood for New Identity Not Applicable. She talked about working with David Bowie and her close friend Missy Elliott on this project. After Lisa's death in April 2002, the album was planned for release but was later cancelled. Some of her unreleased songs were used by TLC for their fourth album, 3D.

2008–2012: Eye Legacy

In 2008, Lisa's family worked with producers to create a special album in her honor called Eye Legacy. This album was released in January 2009. It included new versions of songs from her Supernova album. Her sister, Raina "Reigndrop" Lopes, was featured on some tracks. The album's first single, "Let's Just Do It", featured Missy Elliott and TLC.

Personal Life

Lisa adopted two children. She adopted a 12-year-old boy first, and then later adopted an 8-year-old girl after meeting her mother in rehab.

Lisa had several tattoos. A large eagle on her left arm represented freedom. She also had the number "80" around the eagle, which was Andre Rison's football number. On her foot, she had a moon with a face, referring to Rison's nickname "Bad Moon." She later added "Love U 2" for Tupac Shakur. On her upper right arm, she had the name "Parron" for her late stepbrother, above a pierced heart. Her smallest tattoo was on her left earlobe: an arrow pointing left over an eye symbol, a nod to her nickname "Left Eye."

About two weeks before her own death, Lisa was a passenger in a car accident in Honduras. A 10-year-old Honduran boy was hit by the van she was in. Lisa and her group stopped and took the boy to the hospital, but he died the next day. Lisa paid for his medical expenses and funeral. The authorities and the boy's family agreed it was a tragic accident, and no one was blamed.

Death and Commendations

Lopes's grave at Hillandale Memorial Gardens

On April 25, 2002, Lisa Lopes was driving an SUV in La Ceiba, Honduras. She swerved to avoid a truck and then another car, causing the vehicle to roll over several times. Lisa and three others were thrown from the car. Lisa, at age 30, died instantly from head injuries. She was the only person who died in the crash. The accident was recorded on video because a documentary was being filmed inside the vehicle.

Lisa's funeral was held on May 2, 2002, in Lithonia, Georgia. Thousands of people attended. On her casket were lyrics from her part of the TLC song "Waterfalls": "Dreams are hopeless aspirations, in hopes of coming true, believe in yourself, the rest is up to me and you." Lisa was buried at Hillandale Memorial Gardens.

Producer Jermaine Dupri remembered Lisa as a "true rock star" who was "determined to be something in life." He said she was the one who was always unexpected and exciting.

Legacy

Lisa Lopes was working to set up two educational centers for children in Honduras. One was called Camp YAC, and the other was Creative Castle.

In 2003, Lisa's family started the Lisa Lopes Foundation. This charity helps young people who are neglected or abandoned by providing them with resources to improve their lives. Lisa's motto for her foundation was: "Energy never dies... it just transforms." The foundation has helped many poor children and families in underdeveloped villages. In 2012, the foundation started an annual music festival called "Left Eye Music Fest" in Decatur, Georgia.

Posthumous Documentary

A documentary showing the last 27 days of Lisa's life, called The Last Days of Left Eye, premiered in April 2007. It was later shown on VH1. Much of the footage was filmed by Lisa herself with a handheld camera. She filmed diary entries while on a spiritual retreat in Honduras with her sister and brother. In these videos, she talked about her personal life and career. The documentary showed a calmer side of her, including her interest in numerology and yoga. In 2020, a documentary series called Hopelessly In Love aired an episode about Lisa and Andre Rison's relationship.

Discography

Studio albums

• Supernova (2001)

Posthumous studio albums

• Eye Legacy (2009)

Filmography