Left Eye & Bad Moon - Sister 2 Sister Magazine (1996)

Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes & Andre Rison Sister 2 Sister Magazine, September 1996

Neither Lisa "LeftEye" Lopes nor Andre Rison has done an interview since their house burned down a while back. They started dating nearly four years ago and ever since then, they feel that people have been constantly trying to keep them apart.

Lisa recently called Sister 2 Sister Publisher Jamie Brown and said that she and Andre have gone through a lot. There have been people trying to keep them apart, especially getting in Andre's ear, setting him off. But through her going into a halfway house, being convicted of burning down his $800,000 house (which we at Sister 2 Sister truly believe was an accident that she had no intention of doing), career pressures, alleged physical abuse of one another and a recent two month separation, they're back together and re-planning their marriage!

Lisa asked Jamie not to write about any rumors or negativity because she and Andre need a chance to rebuild their relationship. These young people want a chance, and theirs is shaping up as one of the strong love stories of the entertainment world We hope they make it.

Andre Rison talks about LeftEye *Professional football player, Atlanta Falcons (free agent) *Age 29

You and Lisa met at a club? Yep

What attracted you to Lisa? I had seen her in the club several times, but I didn't think she was my type.

What do you mean? I used to wear suits and ties all the time and she was walking around in those baggy-ass pants and big-ass clothes. At the time, I was looking for a more sophisticated woman. I was wearing minks and furs, suits and ties and 'gators. That was 4 years ago.

So, you were looking for a dress and pumps....things like that? Right.

Didn't think she was your type? That was the type I dated back in high school.

What made you go after her? When I came in the club, I had a birthday party. When the rapper Jamal from that group, Illegal, saw me, he said, "Let me introduce you to my mom." Lisa had adopted him and brought him to Atlanta from Philly. But I didn't have no thought that it would be her. Because Lisa and Jamal are the same height. So we started walking over to her and she was standing up on stage. And here's this little boy talking about Lisa. So I walked up and said to myself, "That's her damn son!" It threw me off for a minute because usually I start bragging about what I had.

You started telling her about all the stuff you had? Yeah. But she wasn't impressed. Actually tried to get away. She said she was going to the coat rack. I followed her to the coat rack, but she disappeared. After she disappeared, I said, "The hell with it." I went to the other side of the club. I was talking to a lot of people because it was my birthday. I was sitting talking with M.C. Breed and the D.O.C. Then she came back in the club. There were a lot of live performances.

What club was this? It used to be called "Diamonds." Now it's called "112." Anyway, I went up to the other side. I didn't know she had popped back in there. At the time, I had one of my groups performing.

You're a manager? I'm a producer. I have my own record company. It's called Bullpen Productions. And it's called BM records....Bad Moon Records. I have like 4 producers. We do hard-core rap, R&B, commercial rap and country and western. We try to do it all. Anyway I was about to talk to her. But I had to go over to talk to the group. I didn't see her again until after the music awards.

How much time had passed? 3 months. So after the awards, I went to the Hard Rock Cafe. I saw Chilli. Chilli said, "There goes Left Eye's man," or something like that. Now, when I came in, I had a date. And when I saw them, I started to move away from my date.

You dissed the woman you were with? Uh-huh. I was trying to diss her but she didn't know, though. Anyway, Chilli brought Lisa to me. That was it.

You didn't exchange numbers? No the next time I saw her was at 112. Then we exchanged numbers. When I saw her she was supposed to be going out of town. So I said, "If you don't go out of town, come by the house." I was sitting at home and she called. She said she wasn't going out of town. I said for her to come by. She said, "All right." When she came by, she never left.

She told me that she just moved in. Is that right? Yeah.

How does that happen? She just never left? She said she didn't want to leave. And I didn't want her to leave.

The next day, did she start moving her clothes over? She started wearing mine. Two days later, she went to perform at a concert with Michael Jackson. She asked me if I wanted to go. I wanted to, but I didn't because I was barbecuing. I told her to come back by. She called and said she and her girlfriends were on their way. But when she got to my house, it was just her; no girlfriends. She had a plan. She had a trap set.

That was the day she moved her clothes in? I don't think she ever moved her clothes in. She just gave her clothes to her little cousin and we went out and bought her some new clothes.

If you learned she had been unfaithful what would you do? That's not a question you can just throw out there. I know it's hard, all that time away. At the same time, if that occurs and it really wasn't working, I'm at the age where I know what I want and she should know what she wants. Plus there's too much shit out there.

You're right about that. What's the most romantic thing you've ever done for her? I don't know what she considers romantic.

But she said you're always doing things. We made love in the rain. In the middle of the street.

Are you serious? Yeah.

You don't have any neighbors do you? Yeah. Busy neighbors, too.

This was at night? Yeah.

I've heard a lot of stuff... You ain't never heard anything like that?

No. Are you gonna print that?

Darn skippy we're gonna print it. What role does she play in your life? Best friend.

How well does she know you? She knows me extra well.

How well do you know her? The same.

This is the era of AIDS: Has it slowed down your sex life? I haven't slowed down my sex life. As a matter of fact it's intensified. I'm only having sex with one woman.

You're in a monogamous relationship? Yeah. I know it's out there. Thats another reason why I'm not in the streets.

You and Lisa have had an up and down relationship. Did you get help with that? Some counseling? I don't believe in all that counseling stuff. You just have to dig deep inside yourself as couple and as if you want it. It's hard for two high-profile people in the entertainment industry to be together. I think 2 young Black people fought through hard times and made it. A lot of people can't see it. We still have a long way to go. But we're gonna have fun while we're on that long way to go. We've had a long road and hard feelings I know it's in the past and over with.

People like to bring it up 'cuz it's their job. Everytime you hear something or read something, that shit might have happened five years ago. Right now I'm happy.

Well, we just want you two to love each other. You have to be strong. She has to respect me and I have to respect her. That takes care of the rest.

Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes talks about her man, Andre Rison *Singer and rapper with mega-hit group, TLC *Age 25

When did you meet Andre? On his birthday, 3 years ago in a club.

What attracted you to him? It was the other way around.

He was attracted to you? He wouldn't leave me alone.

What did he do? He just kept following me, buying me roses, buying me drinks....

All night? Yep.

Did you find him attractive right off? Yeah, I found him attractive but...

You didn't go after him? He was following me. It was a turn-off. I never expected this to be the person I was gonna be with.

What's the most romantic thing you've done for Andre? He does the romantic stuff for me. He'll line roses from the front door and they'll lead to a surprise. A big teddy bear or bubble bath.

What makes Andre a good lover? He can't find any faults in me. I can be doing something regular...

And it's like it's wonderful to him? Yeah. He has a way of making me feel good.

That's beautiful. What's special about him? For instance, does he have a sense of humor? I know plenty of funny guys. That's not unique. What's unique about him is that a lot of guys are not proud to say that this is my girl.

What do you mean? It's like, if you've just won a trophy for MVP, that's how he would talk about me.

Whoa. Those are some serious props. I like that analogy, too. Is there anything else you want to say about him? The first day I went over to his house, I never left.

What? He wouldn't let me leave and I didn't want to leave. We've been together for 3 and a half years; known each other for 3 and a half years, and we've been in love for 3 and half years."