Now & Forever:: The Hits
TLC
Lil Jon, Sean Paul
Producer: Dallas Austin, Antonio "LA" Reid, Babyface, Neptunes, Eddie Hustle, Antonio "LA" Reid
LaFace (USA), 2005
1 CD
Catalogue #: 50208
EAN: 0828765020824
UPC: 828765020824
You save: 20%
TLC: Lisa "Left-Eye" Lopez, Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, Rozonda "Chili" Thomas (vocals).
Additional personnel: Lil Jon, Sean Paul (rap vocals).
One could have been forgiven for pegging TLC as a flash in the pan when their debut single, the deliriously silly, decidedly raunchy "Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg" ruled MTV's airwaves, with the threesome frolicking in a cartoonish graffiti world. While the song bordered on novelty, it showcased the other elements that placed TLC among the more appealing hitmakers of the 1990s, with Chilli's soulful vocals playing off Left Eye's distinct, somewhat coquettish raps, and the sex-drenched growl of T-Boz bringing it all together. TLC would later prove diverse as they skulked sinisterly on "Creep," delivered a message song smoothly with "Waterfalls," and riffed hilariously on "No Scrubs," all of which deservedly topped both the R&B and pop charts. NOW & FOREVER: THE HITS compiles all the hits from the talented trio, and many lesser-known tracks spanning their too-brief career. The collection also features two new tracks; TLC brings a welcome new flavor to crunk (with Lil' Jon's aid) on "Come Get Some," and delivers some trademark hip-hop-drenched, harmonized soul on "Whoop De Woo."
Tracklist
TLC
This Atlanta-bred R&B trio was a hit straight out of the gate with its 1992 debut album. Role models for a generation of girls, TLC presented (and comported) themselves as strong, independent women, both sensual and powerful. Their followup album was a multi-platinum affair, but subsequent legal/financial battles nearly finished the group, delaying their third album significantly. TLC bounced back again with renewed confidence, but member Lisa "Left-Eye" Lopes was tragically killed in a car accident in 2002.
Sean Paul
A Jamaican-born rapper of mixed heritage, dancehall singer Sean Paul is part of a proud lineage in Jamaican music that includes, among others, Buju Banton, Super Cat, and Shabba Ranks. Sean Paul began toasting and releasing albums in the late 1990s, and by the early 2000s, thanks to the release of his 2002 album DUTTY ROCK, he had become the most popular dancehall star in the world. He has since collaborated with a diverse host of pop stars such as Rihanna, Jay-Z, and Daddy Yankee, and in 2004 Sean Paul won a Grammy for Best Reggae artist in 2004 and was Billboard's top-selling reggae artist in 2005.
