'With Love, from Kyle Young' (Part 1)

Here's a half of an exclusive interview we had with Left Eye's Uncle, fashion designer Kyle Young, for the fans called 'With Love from Uncle Kyle' back in 2017. This was an interview series we released in parts of 6. We took the whole package and put it in a whole Part 1. We hope you enjoy! He talks about designing clothes with and for Lisa, the 'Supernova' album, Honduras, TLC, the wardrobe malfunction at the 2000 Soul Train Awards, how he got his start with 'Dreamgirls', and much more!

ER = The Eye is Right KY = Kyle Young

ER: When were you born?

KY: September 1962

ER: When did you decide to become Fashion Designer? Is it something you always wanted to do?

KY: When I was a kid, I was always very much into art. So I was recognized, at an early age, that I was able to do it. My mother was a very fashionable woman. I would actually sneak and sketch her an outfit. So really she became the object of my muse back then. It’ was the 70’s! So it was bling, afro, you know, afro puff. Do it, do it ‘til you can’t do it no more!

ER: (laughs) Yeah, What gave you your first start? Who was the first celebrity you designed?

KY: So it was actually at that point. In High School, my teacher told me “You need to go to Philadelphia Art Institute or a College for Art and do Fashion Illustration. You have flair! Not only do you have flair, but you have ideas! You took a sketch, and made multiple ideas with the same muse!” From High School, I moved to New York [City], worked different jobs under different people. One of the first jobs, after taking my portfolio around, was Lily Rubensolon for Soap Operas. I made clothes for Soap Operas.

ER: Oh okay!

KY: and Lily was actually a rip off. She had a group of designers, who were very talented, for these soap operas, like Ericka Kane, so on, so forth, and she kind of hid us in the back, taking credit for everything.

ER: Oh damn!

ER: But from there, I had a roommate, who was a hairstylist, was doing the hair for ‘Dreamgirls’ on broadway (original, 1982 version), and said they were looking for an alteration person. I quit my job with Lily, and worked alterations for the ‘Dreamgirls’ . He said “They’re not paying anything. You may not want it cause you may not get paid.” I worked on ‘Dreamgirls’ at the beginning, and there I met the legendary Lena Horne (if none of you fans know who she is, I recommend you look her up). She was the first person to pay me. From there on I met Diana Ross. I did stuff for her, Lena, Cher, all from ‘Dreamgirls’ becoming a nothing show. I mean, we thought it was fabulous. People started coming, and more started coming. Jenefer Holiday started gaining weight. So we had to keep making more alterations to her pieces until they accepted me doing pieces for them. ‘Dreamgirls’ was actually my start that set me off to doing clothes for Celebrities.

ER: Oh, okay! Well that’s good! I didn’t even know all that! See, I’m glad I asked ‘cause you have a story, and I feel that the fans are missing out on your story! I wanted to asked these questions so the fans know more about you!

KY: Yeah. That’s how I got into the Entertainment Industry thing. I started doing Entertainers to selling my clothes in stores, into Boutiques, into my real Fashion Designer thing. Not just Celebrity Tours and performances. I’ve been doing this way before Lisa. Since the early 80s, after I graduated in 1980.

ER: Where did you graduate from?

KY: Frankford High School in Philadelphia, PA, where I met my wife (Lisa’s Aunt, Pamela).

ER: So that’s when you both met?

KY: I was 18 years old, graduating, and she was 15 years old, just getting in school. I wasn’t much of a bad looker either, but she was an amazing looking girl with glasses. Like wow! I got her to take off her glasses when she couldn’t see shit. She had all of this amazing curly hair! Just a pretty girl. Then she became a decent Model. She worked in Japan, she worked in the USA. She also had the same agent as Tyson Beckford.

ER: When did you both get married?

KY. We got married in 1986. We already had our first child, and we planned on getting married. Back then, everything was still kinda high eyebrowed. She came from a very strict Christian background. They didn’t want her to model, go out, and at that time, Prince and Vanity had came out, and she was a Vanity look a like! She was signing autographs and shit.

ER: (laughs)

KY: Yeah. We were an ideal couple. Designer, she’s the beautiful model, and it was a good combination.

ER: Wasn’t Lisa inspired by her? Fashion wise and modeling wise?

KY: Extremely and completely! That picture with Lisa with the Indian Headdress [1999, Honey Magazine], Pam did that. In Interview Magazine, there’s a full page of her. She had the headdress and all actually because Pamela’s mother is Native American. Pamela’s mother is from the Saponi Indian from the North Carolina Indian. Actually, the Indian Headdress is actually serious for Pamela, and she actually wasn’t allowed to do it. She did it for Interview Magazine and Interview Magazine contacted the Chief, she was going to coordinated the Princess of her Tribe, and because of the whole hoopla around it, Calvin Klein was thinking about auditioning her as the model of a new Women of Color Cosmetics. It became kind of controversial because the Chief of the Tribe didn’t want her to do it. He was against her going forward with doing this, he wasn’t asked, and it wasn’t the right light he wanted on the whole Saponi Tribe. In fact, he was very familiar with Pamela’s mother, who was in the tribe.

ER: Yeah, they have an issue with anyone wearing their attire for fashion or in a photo shoot. I remember they gave Pharrell (Williams) a hard time he wore a headdress for a photo shoot before.

KY: You gotta be understandable. The regalia is sacred to them. We don’t understand it. My family is not from this company. My family is from Trinidad. So I kinda understand that certain things are sacred, and what did we know? We were kids! The photographer asked us to do it, and he created this whole persona on How a Saponi Princess, Pamela, and it was supposed to be used for promotion, or as a marketing tool. Her Agency was going to promote her because she’s a woman of color. She’s not White, not Black, not Italian. She’s a Native American! Was no one like that out! That’s where Lisa got it from. We talked it over. She asked Pamela for her original regalia. At that time, this was back in the 90s. It’s been battered, kids have played with it (laughs), but that whole inspiration came from her Aunt.

ER: How many kids do you both have together?

KY: We have 3 biological kids and I raised my brother’s kids, which I consider mine as well. Biologically, I have 2 girls, and 1 boy which is the baby.

ER: How are they?

KY: They’re doing good. One of my daughters, my oldest daughter (Apple Young) can singe like no body’s business! I don’t understand! I don’t understand! For years, and years, and years she’s dragged her feet on it, and I guess her watching what’s going on in this industry, she learned a lot. She’s 30 now. So it’s never too late. She can go toe to toe with Fantasia. She be playing with people like“Stop playing girl! Gon head!”

ER: (laughs) If Tamar (Braxton) can do it, she can do it!

KY: She been singing at Church since 14 years old, and would out-sing the adults! We came from a Church of singers. Dee Dee Sharp, an iconic singer from the 60s, has a song called “Mashed Potato Time”, and won a Grammy at 15 years old! And we went to the church where her family actually headed, and her Grandfather founded. So it was a serious singing church. They didn’t play! I sing. Some people don’t know that, but we ain’t play with the vocals. (laughs) You go in there, and you gots to throw down! My daughter was out singing the adults, and hopefully, in the next couple of years, we’ll push something out for her cause she really needs it.

ER: Wow!

KY: My middle daughter, I call my carbon copy of me. She’s a cross between me and her mother. A very pretty girl, and she’s a fashionista! She kinda followed me around. My last articles I did, she styled them, and she has her own line of make-up coming out.

ER: What’s it called?

KY: Arielle Young is her name. The line is called Ari-Cari. She’s working on that. That should be coming out soon, and she’s in school. My son doesn’t wanna be called the pretty boy, but that’s a pretty nigga!

ER: Yes he is. (laughs)

KY: He looks like his Momma. That’s a pretty nigga, and he’s 260 lbs of steel! He’s training for the NFL. He’s got scouts are looking at him. Andre Rison (NFL Star/Lisa’s Ex-Boyfriend). He was the first to put a football in his hands and is now assisting him. He’s also impacting. There are directors having him do little spot stuff. He was the kid in the red jersey in the “The Block Party” music video. He has a little acting in his blood. His mother was an actress along with modeling as well. She was with Lisa in the “Unpretty” music video, the woman sitting in the car next to her.

ER: Wait! Who??

KY: That was Pamela.

ER: That was her Aunty??

KY: Yes.

ER: Oh wow! I wondered who she was..

KY: That was Pamela in “Unpretty”.

ER: Oh wow. Alright. Well, when was the first time Lisa wore clothes you made?

KY: Lisa assisted me before she got into TLC. I had interviews. I had Fashion Shows. She was like my Stylist. She was a very good sewer! She had serious sewing skills! I would make the patterns and she would later come back. I would have to instruct her, but she would actually sew with me at that point, in the early stages. Lisa was my help. I would pay her. She went to many proms! Oh my god!

ER: (laughs)

KY: She went to almost every nigga prom! Prom Queen!

ER: That’s probably why she has so many prom pictures out. (laughs)

KY: I remember this one prom when she just like “Uncle Kyle, I gotta do something sooo much different than everybody else!” I said “Well Lisa I have some white leather. Make a leather gown. That’s it. You come up with the idea and I’ll make the pattern for it” She was like “Yeeeahh!” (says it like Lisa)

ER: (laughs)

KY: (laughs) She came up with it. She was like “Uncle Kyke, it looks sexy, right?” I said “Yeah, it looks sexy.” She said “Yeah. Let’s puts some bling on it! Let’s out some stones on it - Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god! I can put stones on it? I can put diamonds it?” Back then, she didn’t know it was crystals.

ER: Ohhh (laughs)

KY: Today, kids are more savvy. They know the difference. Back than, they thought diamonds. So she was like “Ooooohhh.. You gon let me get diamonds?? But how much is that gonna cost?” I said “Lisa, I have a whole tray of crystals/rhyne stones. Why don’t you take what you want? I’ll show you how to do it.” And she was blinged up! Leather gown and diamond crystals!”

ER: Wow!

KY: She said “Mannn I’ll wreck the place!” talking ‘bout “I tore that shit down! And all thanks to you, Uncle Kyle!” This was when she was younger. She didn’t wanna curse around me. She was very respectful of that, but later… She said what the hell she wanted!

ER: (laughs)

KY: She was like “What the fuuuck??”

ER: (Laughs) Oh my gosh…

KY: When she first got into the group TLC, Perri (Pebbles) brought up the idea to dress the girls like Bell Biv DeVoe. The girls were already wearing whatever’s on the street. Perri brought up with that whole idea. She bought all the clothes, all the looks, but it was Lisa’s ideas to put the condoms, but the label kinda resisted. They said this was going to really raise eyebrows and Lisa was like “We do what we want!”

ER: (laughs) Now, I remember watching an interview where Ian Burke stated he came up with the whole Bell Biv DeVoe thing. Him and Rico Wade (Organized Noize). Can you tell us about that?

KY: I think they were involved in the idea. However, you have to understand, it wouldn’t be accepted if that label and management didn’t push it through. The way I remember, Lisa talking about Perri coming up with how the look was raised. I know that Ian and Rico Wade were saying TLC needs to look like a female Bell Bive DeVoe. When it comes to the initial vision, I believe they came through with it, but when it comes down to picking out the actual clothing. Someone can come up with an idea, but bringing the look to reality, she was the one! They all should be getting credit though I believe.

ER: I agree.

KY: I think a lot fans, because they have a problem with Perri, that they don’t credit her for a lot that she did.

ER: They worry more about what she did to them negatively than she did positively.

KY: Yes.

ER. From my understanding, she taught Chilli how to come out her comfort zone when she sang, and she sang!

KY: Yeah. I mean, you gotta understand, she kinda smothered them at a point. She treated them very motherly. I remember going to one of the concerts during their tour with Bobby Brown, and his dancers were fighting with the girls. Perri pulled that shit together! I remember Whitney Houston being there, my first time meeting her, and she was like “They’re gonna throw down!” Perri was like “No! This ain’t happening! You better get then skanks away from my babies!”

ER: (laughs)

KY: Very protective, and very private about it. Everyone, family had to leave. She was good at that. You fans would not love TLC if Perri didn’t pull this shit off!

ER: I’m not surprised. It’s not like she’s done nothing for the girls. I know she’s done somethings. I remember T-Boz talking about how one of the girls was mad and punched Lisa. Lisa couldn’t get her back at the moment and that Lisa had came back with Wench Mobb (TLC’s signature background dancers from back in the day) with weapons, ready to throw down!

KY: Yeah. You talkin’ about her with the dancers?

ER: Yeah!

KY: Yeah Man. Back then it was big deal for a young group coming through. You know, one of the things with the movie is I remember Lisa auditioned for Ian. I remember she was like “What should I wear? I should wear this little black tight dress.” The whole vision of Lisa’s image, and I’m not speaking for Tionne, but you gotta understand, they wore what’s on the street, and if they’re going to be a performer, they had to wear a dress and stuff. That’s how she dressed. She was never on the street corner!

ER: Exactly. She said it herself that that basically that’s not what happened. That movie was something else (laughs), but let’s come back to the interview. Can you tell us about the day you started working with TLC on the looks for the ‘CrazySexyCool’ album and the photo shoot? Also, how y’all came up with the looks?

KY: The shoot was with Dah Len. He’s an Asian photographer had long hair, very hyper, and just the bomb! The girls were all ready excited to work with him. I came up with some looks, initially. Tionne wanted some jeans with chains go through them. I’m a real designer. So my vision was completely different than what she wanted. (laughs) She said she wanted them crisscrossed and so forth through the jeans, stretch them, and have graduating sizes of chains. Small chains from the top to big chains to the bottom. So she said that’s not what she wanted. We started off kinda crazy with that. Then we started talking about the potato sacks. So I suggested that each of them have 3 separate bags for themselves. I’m sure they have photos of that, but they decided to do one with all 3 together, and that became the cover. The individual ones were fabulous also. I came up with the ideas for leather overalls from Lisa’s leather dress that she wore to prom, but I kinda Hip-Hopped it up! I went to Home Depot man. I bought locks, I bought chains, I slashed the bottom of the coveralls, cut like it was a car wash type of thing. So I split it up, and when they saw it, man they went ballistic! I don’t know if she was their PR, but Ivette Singletarry, I think she passed on, but she was very mean to me. We were like the best of friends though (laughs). I loved that woman. God bless her soul, but she was like “We don’t even know if there’ going to be a TLC! She done burned down house.” (says it in Ivette’s voice)

ER: (Laughs) I remember Lisa mentioning that in Sister 2 Sister Magazine.

KY: It’s crazy cause I didn’t get paid for it. I was like “Look, I did the work. I need to get paid.”

ER: Wait! You didn’t get paid for the ‘CrazySexyCool’ photo shoot??? You didn’t get paid for that?

KY: No I didn’t.

ER: What???? Okay.

KY: No I did not. I got paid for my expenses which were like the fabric [the material he paid for to make the outfits for the photo shoot] and everyone knows the labels are slow on pay anyways. So very last minute they sent me some dollars. I’ve been through this game long before TLC. I told you. I did [Diana] Ross, Lena Horne, many of different stars back then. They were very professional and glamorous. It was a different era. In the 80s, even though you had stars like Prince, Ross, and others around, it was still the old school royalty. They handled things in a different way. You know. In the morning you would meet with their assistant and they were always used to the very best. It was a little strange going into the 90s dressing celebrities like how I used to. So I didn’t get paid. Just only for the expenses. The initial fabric and sowing prices.

ER: So how did you like the sound and outcome ‘CrazySexyCool’ yourself?

KY: I thought it was the fucking bomb! I was excited about the album. The family had a problem when ‘Ooooooohhh… on the TLC Tip’ came out. They were a Christian family. That song with “2 inches or a yard. Rock hard or if it sags.”? I can’t remember the damn name.

ER: “Ain’t 2 Proud 2 Beg”

KY: When she said that shit… and when that thang hit… and I remember her bringing that song to us during a holiday. They had a break. So she came home with her mother, she also came to stay with us, and she let us hear it. She said “You like it?” I was like “Oh my God!”

ER: (Laughs) Yeesss!!

KY: “Oh my god! I’ve been doing this for a long time” She was like “That’s why I wanted you to hear it first Uncle Kyle. You’ve been doing this for a long time.” I was like “This is some shit nobody is doing! And that girl with the deep voice [T-Boz], where did you get her from?” She said “Well she actually has a higher voice, an alto, but they said to sing in her lower register.” Man…. And a few weeks later I heard it on the radio. Lisa was like “Y’all hear it yet? Y’all hear it yet? ‘Cause they playing it in Atlanta.” I was like “No.” but when they were playing it we called her screaming! Pam was crying like “Oh my God! That’s my niece!”, but getting back to ‘CrazySexyCool’, man I was so hyped cause you know I was apart of history! And I knew it from that very point that it was going to be history, and Tionne just did her thing! Did her thing man! She slapped the shit out of people! And she can dance her ass off! Her dancing, her look, and her sound, she was untouchable and Lisa was untouchable and Chilli with her raw sex appeal! They were all untouchable and didn’t even know!

ER: Did it surprised them that the album gained so much success?

KY: Yeah. I think it surprised them and it was going fast. They didn’t even realize what was happening. I’ve been through it with other celebrities, and I would tell Lisa “You need to listen. This what’s happening right now.” But you know, new artist, fresh out there, making cash, well in their case cars cause that’s what they wanted. People didn’t know Pebbles bought them diamonds, Cartier. She didn’t skimp! It’s one of the mishaps with the movie. Just imagine this: They were meeting other arts that were hitting it big too and was around other celebrities that were already being established. They compared themselves to what other people had opposed to looking like “We’re new artists. All these charge backs and they’re paying everything for us.“ They got mad about that. It was ordinary beginning contracts most groups or celebrities would go through or duped into signing. They wanted these particular jeeps. Wanye [Morris from BoyzIIMen/Left Eye’s ex-boyfriend] had these jeeps that lit up purple and green at the bottom. Everybody was getting that shit! The girls was like “Look at our shit! Theirs is better! This is what we get? (laughs) They actually asked for some of those cars! But you know that’s what normal young kids do. I believe that the movie kinda misconstrued what they wanted. It was a normal reaction. I tried to explain it to Lisa but she was like “Uh-uh uh-uh uh-uh, Uncle Kyle! That’s not what we should have got!” But y’all said y’all wanted that.

ER: What do you think of Lisa's relationship with 2Pac?

KY: They were in love. Lisa loved Pac. I think he loved her. I mean she was going with Wanye still. They kinda started this journey together. They were on the Hammer Tour together and another tour. Wanye would come over to my house He even had a key. He would cook for me. He would come in the house and sleep. I would be like “Who down there?” He would answer “It’s me, Uncle Kyle!” I remember Wanye telling me one night after he came over very upset cause they were at a party, some sort of industry event, and he said “There was this rapper dude that Lisa was literally crying about and he was ignoring her, blowing her off like she wasn’t the shit. Not even showing he appreciated her like that.” I remember going to an event, Pac was there, and he was putting silly puddy on cars. Riding around in cars, had silly puddy all over. It wasn’t a great impression. Even though I was 7 years older than Lisa, she looked at me as still her peer. That’s how we got along. She looked at me like I was her brother/uncle... I remember Lisa telling us that, though Pac was acting up, her heart was with Pac, and Lisa falls quick! She would put him on the phone with us and everything. She flew us out to his house. We had a picture of us at the house on the balcony before Lisa burned it down. You could see Perri and LA Reid’s house behind it.

ER: He really really influenced her! I felt that!

KY: Yeah. I remember her going to the studio with him and calling us from there too saying “I’m here Uncle Kyle. Can you come to NY?” I would be like “Naw baby. I have stuff to do.”

Me and her Aunt, the whole time he wa sin the booth, we were like “Wow! All this amazing music and we were on the phone with Lisa while this was going on.” And you know the weed was pass the dutching!

ER: (laughs)

KY: It was on! And Lisa would start giggling when she was high.

ER: Oh my God. I remember someone saying Lisa knew how to roll weed with an onion layer? How that go?

KY: She invented wrapping weed in onion paper cause it was natural. She waslike “Naw! Don’t use that paper!!” That was her thing man and she did it so neatly! She said “And if you do it smoothly like this you’re spit will turn into glue.” I was like “What the hell Lisa?” (laughs) Such good memories! On a natural tip. I don’t know if Dr. Sebi or somebody else taught her that. I don’t know but Dr. Sebi was the man. She got on that natural tip and when she went to Honduras and came back we were like “Lisa, you’re too small!”

ER: Were you surprised when things started turning and ‘The Fire’ situation happening? Can you tell us your version of that night?

KY: Okay now this is a long big story….

ER: (laughs) Okay.

KY: I was asked to come to meet with LaFace to do ‘CrazySexyCool’ and meet with Toni Braxton for the first time. Ivette Singletary was head of Artists Development for Toni and for TLC. They flew me down there to meet with both of them. I was no longer Uncle Kyle. I was actually apart of the team. I came up with ideas and they put in the Swiss Hotel the same time Princess Diana was staying there. She was floors up from me and it was such a big. Lisa, who was supposed to come to the meeting, hasn’t even come to the meeting. It was just me and Tionne! (laughs). I called Lisa and she said “I’m getting there! I’m coming!” (laughs) When she finally gets there she started telling me about Dre was very tender with her! People don’t understand it. This nigga was tender with her. He blew her mind! He was tender with her and he acted like a reckless kid! Even though she was looking for a man, and he was just a little older than her, he was getting the ass through at him. You know, you a football player, and you got money! You know a nigga life is hard when you put in that position! You know you’re young, you wanna be committed, but you know.. and that’s what Dre was going through. She was coming back and forth. After the meeting, Lisa, Reigndrop, another girl, and this light skinned dude who was trying to get into the industry that was actually feeling Reigndrop, all came to my hotel room. They were like “Fuck that! We gonna get dressed, and go to the club!”, but Lisa’s idea was basically “Let’s go to the club and find Andre.” That was their actual scheme. They already had their nails done, dumped a ton a clothes on the floor, doing their hair, all started getting dolled up and dressed up and I asked Lisa is she going to drive me all the way back to Philadelphia and she said “No! You gonna stay with us.” I was like “Oh shit.. I knew it.” Later I was like “Nah Lisa. You gotta take me back to the hotel. I want room service. I wanna sit in my room and get fat.” She was like “Uncle Kyle I’m gonna cook for you.” They had ME driving around. She was just telling me where to drive.

ER: How did Lisa’s dress look?

KY: Andre’s brother called it a “hoochie dress”. (laughs) That’s what caused the problem. She was already drunk too. She looked cute. I can’t remember the color of the dress, but it was short, flirty, and twirly.

ER: Ohhhhhh (busts out laughing)

KY: When we went from club to club, couldn’t find him. We finally ride up to the house, we went through the security gate, the guy already knew Lisa, and she said earlier that day “Uncle Kyle, man, Dre ain’t actin’ right”, talking about when she found the girl there, how he keep buying all this weed, how she’s spending her money, how niggas would roll up passed security to where security was having a problem with it, she’s like “I’m spending some of my money on the lease cause his family won’t give him any money!” Like his agent and his mom was in charge of his money and he wasn’t proud of it. He was like “I’m a man!” and they were really chastising cause they didn’t like Lisa and they’d acted like they didn’t hear his request. So Lisa would have to pay. You know TLC was on their second album so she was pissed about that, and the group Illegal. She had them in the house and they were acting up, it was a lot on her. She said “I’m so happy you’re here” and gave me a hug she gave me in a long time and I was like “Wow Lisa! This must really been getting to you.” and she asked “Can you talk to him?” I said “Yeah.” We didn’t get a chance to talk though. When we got there he pulled up right behind us. It was him, his brother, his cousin, his uncle who stayed with ther too, and his brother was like “Ooohhh Look at Lisa in a hoochie skirt!” They were looking at Lisa like “Whhaaatt?” She was like “Yeeaahh Motherfucker! And where the fuck you’ve been?!” She went up to Andre, started talking to him, and started hitting him, hitting him in the face! He was like “Lisa, stop that! This is my family, and you’re doing this shit in front of them!” They went into the house, they went into the bedroom. His brother and his Uncle like “Yeah, they just gotta hash this stuff out” cause Lisa started getting loud! They were like “Let them deal with their stuff. They do this shit all the time.” Then she started screaming “Uncle Kyle! Uncle Kyle!” Now I start going to the door. I was like “Nah man! You not bout to hit my niece!” So his brother and Uncle turn around trying to fight me like “Man! Stay out of it!”. Andre came out the door like “Uncle Kyle. Look. I’mma respect you, you cool, but this is MY house, and she hit me!” Lisa was hitting him and he got tired of it and started hitting her back. Someone from Andre’s family started swinging on me cause I was banging outside the door. Reigndrop was sitting outside the door, helpless. Both of us was cause he got his family there, Uncles, Brothers, Cousins, and other niggas in the house. I’m like “If these niggas jump me, these niggas gonna jump me!” I came here just to do a meeting with TLC and Toni Braxton and I never even got to meet Toni, got caught up with some shit with Lisa and Dre. Shit was crazy! Andre blocked her hitting him and he smacked her and shoved her. She said “Yeah. He hit me in my face! I’mma fuck him up! I’mma fuck him up!” Lisa had no perimeter. She went to 100 and was gonna fight a man! She went around the house boxing him, she was looking for knifes. Fans were like “He hit her!” No, Lisa was FUCKING HIM UP!” I was like “Lisa, calm down!” It was no Pepa either, she was mad about any woman like “Which bitch was you with?”

ER: I remember her telling the fans she was mad as hell, was gonna beat his ass, and you grabbed her to stop her and calm her down.

KY: This is what happened, Andre finally left their bedroom suite. He started apologizing saying “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I need to go for a walk! I didn’t mean to hit her, but you know how she gets!” and went for a walk. All his family went into their rooms and ignored it. Me and Reigndrop tried to calm Lisa down but she went into one of their bedrooms saying “I’mma fuck him up!”, trying to jump out the window!

ER: I remember her saying that.

KY: She was trying to jump out a 2 story window trying to fuck him up. She was like” Let me go Uncle Kyle! I can jump on that fucking car there!” (laughs) It was crazy. I asked Reigndrop for help but she said “When Lisa gets like this, I can’t do anything.” She did nothing. Just stood there. I said “Lisa, look.” Lisa said “If it was Daddy, Daddy would try to kick his ass! Chase him! Chase after him” Lisa wanted me to chase Andre and fight him. She said “Cut that mother fucker! I don’t care what you do!” Next thing I know she’s throwing cards and teddy bears in the tub. I was like “ Aw baby. Calm down.” She said “I can’t stand how he did me. We supposed to be a family and he running after bitches!” I told her “He’s a young boy! A football contract! They’re coming after HIM!” She ain’t wanna hear none of that. Andre had a contract with Reggie White (Nike), big endorsement, and had a wall of his sneakers he was gonna give everyone to the kids, Aunt Pamela, and Lisa threw them in the tub. Lisa like “Look at this shit! I’m fucking paying for the house, I’m trying to be wifey and he won’t even send me no size 4 or 5! All these sneakers are his! Look at this!” I said “Man. It’s fucked up. A nigga can be selfish.” She said “Look at this!” started crying. Next you know “Pop!” I was like “What the hell was that?” Reigndrop was like “Oh my God it’s burning! Lisa! It’s burning!”

KY: So we start throwing water and screaming to the guys for a fire extinguisher! They bought all this shit! Exotic Aquarium with a shark, an octopus, beautiful, but ain’t buy no damn fire extinguisher! No fire alarm system! I’m asking the guys where’s the fire extinguisher? They running around like “We don’t know”, they high, running around, and one came out with a cup of water! I’m like where’s a bucket?! They like “I don’t know where’s the bucket is.”

ER: No one was not prepared…

KY: LI had to find pots and pans, kept throwing water and throwing water. We’re panicking cause we didn’t know what to do, and his family started tripping. One was like “I’m out!” and ran! All this while Andre went for a walk. One of his boys, I think Gerald started busing out car windows! Talking ‘bout “You fuckin’ up my shit! You messin’ with my money! This my life! We in this shit together! That’s my boy!” and he started busting out car windows with a damn vacuum cleaner! The media was like “Yeah, she was actin’ crazy, busting out all the car windows.” She ain’t do none of that shit! Gerald did! She said “Gerald! Gerald! I help you! I give you money! I try tp take care of you! How could you do or say this to me?” and then Gerald wanted to fight me again about the keys to the cars! I’m screaming and hollering like “What car?! We can’t any of the keys to the cars!” like “You can’t even find not one mother fucking keys!? Where the key Lisa?” Lisa was like” I don’t know!” She started tripping. She was all cut up, has baggy pants on, no belt, pants kept falling down, she’s bloody cause Andre beat he rup, her feet is bloody all cut up from the glass from the car windows. I put Lisa on my back and screaming at Reigndrop “Where’s your car?!” The damn nigga who was with her took the car and drove off!” I’m screaming to Reigndrop “You let that punk motherfucker take your car?!” She’s like “ I don’t where the car is!” and started panicking. I’m cussing her out!

ER: Oh shit! Now I remember Lisa saying Raina pulled up with the car and I remember Pebbles saying she pulled up with the car….

KY: The dude came back with the car, we got in, and we drove to the hospital. Reigndrop didn’t know where the car was at! She was walking around like “I don’t know where it’s at!” We walked to the car, I finally put her down like she said, and we look back at the house, it was in flames She just breathed, exhaled said “The fucking house of horror.” I said “Baby just breathe.”

ER: It must have been like a vortex ‘cause she said when she first got to the house she never left! She said she was consumed since day one.

KY: Yeah. She went to the house and didn’t leave. We was driving to the hospital, dude driving, I’m in the front seat, Reigndrop and Lisa in the back seat. I called Deneice Howard (who worked with Pebbles and became Lisa’s business partner/assistant later for Left Eye Productions) and told her we need to get to the hospital and told her what happened. She said she “Oh my God! I see it on the news right now!” She called Perri (Pebbles) to go to the hospital with us. We driving and we pass Andre who was walking down the road, don’t know what the fuck was happening, just clearing his mind. It was sad! Someone was like “Should we stop?” and Lisa said “No, we ain’t stopping for that motherfucker!” (laughs) She was still upset. Andre ain’t know that his home was burning. We went to the Hospital, we talked to the doctor, said “This woman clearly has been abused!” Doctor was so kind. He said “We can patch her up, but the police is looking for her! We can patch her up, but she has to get out of here!” As soon as they wiped her wounds, she had to leave! Perri found an undisclosed location and went there immediately! They transferred cars, Perri gave this girl a location, and the girl drove to Walmart or some shit and get some more things to treat her wounds.. As soon as Lisa got to the location they gave her a bath, they paid a Doctor to come look at her, and that was the story,

ER: Dayumm!

KY: All of LaFace came over, Tionne and Chilli called, and that was the story of The Fire.

ER: Damn…. Well onto the next question. Now I know she was a big prankster. Were you ever in on the pranks they made or Lisa & Trena made with others?

KY: I wasn’t apart of they bullshit!

ER: (laughs)

KY: They were crazy! They were drinking and would come up to me like “Uncle Kyle, we need to do this”. They were pranksters and Tionne was right with them, but would be surprised. You know some people would talk about shit but don’t do it? She was like “Oh, I’m outta that shit! Go ahead! That’s y’all! I thought y’all was playin!”

ER: (Cries Laughs)

KY: She would be like “Oh my God, y’all was playin’ and shit, right?” They were doin’ the shit forreal!

ER: The stories I hear about her pranks…

KY: Trena knows more of the pranks. I’m older than Lisa! Lisa like “Uncle Kyle, I need you to - “ I’d be like “What the fuck? I ain’t doin’ that shit!”

ER: (Laughing)

KY: I wasn’t doing that shit! I wasn’t going out , ridin’, and throwing shit on the lawn!

ER: Oh my God, what??

KY: She was like one day “Uncle Tony had died, he got a dog. We need to get a pile of that dog’s shit, put it in a bag, and throw that shit all over their lawn, on their car, on their steps! White people do it, I heard… Let’s just do it!” and Trena was like “Yuuupp!” I’m like “Trena, how you gonna encourage this shit?!” Trena like “Lisa gonna do it anyways. So we need to just step back and let the shit roll...” I don’t even remember the person she did it to but he was like “Lisa, that’s fucked up! That’s really fucked up man! Why would you do that?!” and she was like “Fuck you nigga!” and hung up the phone!

(both of us crying on the phone laughing)

ER: Oh my God….. That is hilarious! Hilarious! Oh my God! Now, I do wanna talk about ‘The Cut’, Do you remember how it was like doing ‘The Cut’ with Lisa in 1997?

KY: Of course! I did most of the clothes. Most of the clothes that wasn’t designer was clothes she picked out and styled herself! I did some hot shit for her too. She did like a Superwoman shit, she did cowgirl stuff. I did some nice shit for her too. I made a rubber dress for her, real rubber and black, something on the line that I was selling at stores like Macy’s. Lisa was like “Damn, we gon fuck’em up with this shit Uncle Kyle!” She wore that some other stuff, stuff I can’t even remember. ‘The Cut’ was very good times.

KY: She met Lorenzo (Marshall Lorenzo Martin aka Left Eye’s ex-boyfriend Larry in the TLC Movie). We used to like him. We all went on vacation with his family and go to Disney World. Lorenzo was a real scam artist man!

ER: Man! It sounds as though.

KY: The shit he did was real! Not knowing he was married. He really did this stuff. Lisa had me on the phone with him, had us on 3way, and she could hear all the questions I asked for her and all the answers he gave, exposed himself (she didn’t wanna talk to him anymore after she found out he was married but had questions and found a way to get her answers without speaking to him still). He took so much money! She literally fell in love with him. She’d fall fast! He was in control of all of her money, and man, they were making a lot of money! She was making appearances, I hooked her up with a family company that invested in me, a VERY RICH family, their son came up with the idea and had her do appearances, and this was before appearances REALLY became popular! From events to birthday parties! They made money off of that, and Lorenzo would get percentages. The son paid them like $10,000 a pop and all she had to do was get dolled up, say “Hi! How you doin!? I’m Lisa!” and leave! (laughs) They were banking it, and that was with Lorenzo.

ER: He co-wrote all her raps on ‘FanMail’ and got all that credential that she gets from that album as well. So, to this day, I bet he gets paid for ‘FanMail’.

KY: He still gets royalties and gets paid for ‘FanMail’, “Unpretty”, all that shit. He gets money because she was falling for him, and she wanted to make sure he was straight. She always wanted to make sure everyone was straight. Always! It’s really fucked up what he did. How he treated her was messed up too, but he was really a turn coat. A con man, and we all fell for it. Tangi (Forman, Left Eye’s cousin) found out and told her and found out about his shit. Lisa was hard headed too. So she wouldn’t listen, but when the whole family told her, found out about shit, she was light a sad dog like “What?”.

ER: Do you still keep in touch with Shawn Newman? Did Lisa keep in touch with him as well? Were they planning on getting back together?

KY: They planned on getting back together. She was with Dre and she was getting tired of him. Shawn was one of my models. I was selling stuff like at Macy’s and other locations. One day Shawn just popped up at my studio at my factory. I had a factory before and he was like “Hi! I’m Shawn Newman! I heard about you!” He showed up with this dude named Joel Rangle, and they had these great looks! And I was like “Hey! I want y’all to be my models!” Shawn came one day real scruffy after doing masonry work, and was dirty! Ready to work but the nigga looked so good, he was camera ready! So we went to Las Vegas one day, I did a Trade Show, I had a booth, we went to some clubs. Lisa was like “I’m in Vegas too, Uncle Kyle! Just stop by!” We stopped by the club, I can’t remember the name, we went to VIP room, Lisa and Lorenzo was there. Lisa was saw Shawn, and her heart was pumpin! I said “Nigga, you ’bout to faint!” She said “Uncle Kyle, whatchu say?” I said “Nigga, you about to faint! I see the way lookin’ at Shawn.” She was like “Oh my god! Out of all the models, the one with the blue eyes, all thugged out, he the shit!” I remember Dre, 2Pac… 2Pac made that song about her called “Can U Get Away” (from his 1995 album ‘Me Against the World’) and she used to cry to that record. It was during the time Prince and Lisa became friends because Chilli and Prince became good friends during the tour (CrazySexyCool Tour/Budweiser Superfest Tour). Lisa played that song when Prince was around them and she was moping about. We were on our way to Taco Bell and she kept playing that song over. I was like “Why are you playing this fucking song?? Oh my God! I’m exhausted of it already!” She was like “Uncle Kyle, this is about me.” I was like “What??” I sat back and was like “Oh wow, Lisa!” and she started crying…. But back to Lorenzo, she was getting tired of that nigga, and she wanted to be back with Andre, but that wasn’t happening, and when she saw Shawn was just when she met Melanie C. to do “Never Be the Same Again” tour, and when they went to Europe they stayed for damn near a month. We met up Diana (Ross) and had a fabulous time in Europe! She asked me (before we left to Europe) “Look, can your model come with me to Europe?” I said “I don’t know! I don’t even know if the nigga got a passport.” She asked me “Can you get him a passport?” I had to run around and get him a passport. Shawn got it done. They was feeling each other in Europe. We were flying first class… Well I did. She had a first class ticket and I had coach. Lisa switched the tickets and road coach with Shawn while I road first class. I said “Lisa, you’re giving me first class ticket for a 6 hour flight to Europe? First class??” She said “Uncle Kyle, I don’t care!” She didn’t care about shit like that.

ER: Wow!

KY: She gave me her ticket and I enjoyed myself! (laughs)

ER: Good! Good!

KY: It’s crazy ‘cause every time I would fly to Europe, went about half a dozen times, I flew first class, for Lisa and other artists as well, but it started with Lisa. She was like “Here! Take my ticket.” Her and Shawn connected there and they were inseparable! They would travel and I really believe that Lisa had fun with Shawn. They were a lot a like, and Shawn was a jungle boy! He was like a boy shout and shit. They would walk around, climb around in the jungle, laugh with the monkeys.

ER: They really did all that? They were really in tuned with animals like that?

KY: Yeah! Shawn was like that shit like Lisa did. They would be like “Don’t kill it! It’s a bug!” (laughs) like “Yeah, you don’t know but that is a person”. They had fun with each other.

ER: Can you tell us why they broke up?

KY: Certain people just needed to fall away sometimes, but before she died she did plan on getting back with Shawn.

ER: Now, let’s talk a little about the ‘Supernova’ photo shoots. I remember you said that you helped with the looks for the album. Do you have any memories you like to share? Like with Lisa and that life sized dodecahedral ball?

KY: Matthew Sheldon, LaFace brought him for Lisa. He worked with Rolling Stone, Whitney Houston, Usher as a publicist. He came from Europe and they hired him to do all of the PR. He was the shit! A big deal. Lisa was excited to work with him. He was like our man! He recently gave me a photograph of some of the stuff I did and I appreciate it because faith never left me with any of the shit that I did. Nothing with the girls Like all I did was done for nothing, but I enjoy that the fans show homage to me, and the work I’ve done.

ER: Yeah. I try to give you as much credit as possible, sometimes too much. Sometimes I believe and say it’s you and it turns out to be Julieanne Mijares (laughs)

KY: Yeah. I love Julie. I remember when she was doing Janet and when I was doing Janet…

ER: Wait! Which Janet did you do??

KY: I can’t remember. It was so much shit. I can’t even remember some of the shit I did for TLC sometimes (laughs). Fans be reminding me, but Janet is a very sweet girl! Very down to earth. Jessica Harmon, Janet’s assistant or person who pulled both Julie and Janet together, but TLC felt more comfortable with Julie because she’s a woman. Lisa was like “I don’t want Uncle lookin’ at our asses!” (laugh) I got it! I understood why they felt more comfortable with Julie. It made more sense since anyways since Julie is a Stylist and I’m a Designer. Julie would come up with ideas, pick clothes and go to someone named Chris and collaborate with them when I designed all my stuff. Julie did some hot shit though!

ER: But the Supernova photo shoot though itself?

KY: Supernova photo shoot was Lisa’s transition of her on spiritual journey. We did some fabulous things that I wish I had all the photos of. Lisa did this Asian look and I was like “Oh my God!” I never got to see the shots and I can’t even remember all the photographers names…

ER: Sheryl Nields?

KY: Well, have you seen any of the shots? I haven’t seen any of them.

ER: Only the ones released. I can send you what’s out.

KY: That would be lovely because there’s a whole Asian feel I did like in the bubble, the dodecahedral ball. There were outfits I made for her that were so fucking dope! There was one where her legs were connected to the sleeves. It was like a virtual mahogany fantasy! Diana Ross mahogany but Asian inspired. Lisa was very Diana inspired! Remember that white coat Lisa wore during the 2000 Soul Train Awards? That’s a coat that I actually made and sent to Diana before. That cloud white coat she wore on a swing? A long with the leather cow styled outfit. A lot of people copied that shit right after, but I made that outfit, and gave her that cloud coat. Me, Lisa, and Pamela looked at hours and hours of footage of Ross. It was a fabulous moment in fashion! And Lisa could play it off! Who could could imagine a 5 foot little girl pulling it off like she was a 6 foot model? Ah, it was fabulous! Lisa was the shit! And when I tell you Lisa was the shit, Lisa was the shit! Lisa would walk in a fucking room, and would be quiet, every eye was on her like wow! Guys would fall for Lisa like nobody’s business, but if you research Diana Ross, you would notice some things. I brought the idea to Lisa like “Imagine if you can bring some of the iconic moves of Diana Ross to Hip-Hop!” She was like “Yeah!” I was like “Just throw your head up and than throw your arms up like ‘If you spatially expand my horizons...!’”

ER: Yaaaaaasss!!! (laughs)

KY: “‘If you spatially expand my horizons...!”

ER: Oh my God (laughs)

KY: “Then it’ll leave you in the class with scrubs”

ER: “Never risin’!” (laughs)

KY: You can’t tell me that wasn’t the shit!

ER: That was! That was everything!

KY: I said like “Lisa, throw your hands up like Ross!” She said “I got it! I got it!”…. She came down on the swing, wearing the little spot glasses, and the shit got tangled in the belt! I put this high velcro in. I should have used snaps to make it hotter and it got caught in the belt.

ER: That was just a rough night: Lisa had issues, Donnel Jones had issues, Blaque had issues with their performance.

KY: Yeah it was crazy ‘cause Shamari’s pants was sliding down because we didn’t do a good fitting. Reigndrop was helping me with the fitting. I asked her if it was tight enough and she said “Yeah, it’s tight!”, and it wasn’t ! (laughs) I should have done it but was caught up with finding Sisqo’s coat last minute. Shamari was dancing and you could see her ass-crack! People was talking, noticing what was going on.

ER: But back to the ‘Supernova’ photo shoot.

KY: Yeah. I wish a lot of that came out and I wish to God that I can get a hold of all of them one day… She had a lot of Asian inspired looks, silk, Asian leather fabrics I found.

ER: Yeah, I can’t wait for the next interview… What were your thoughts on hearing ‘Supernova’ all the way though?

KY: I wasn’t so hype about the album ‘cause Lisa was on a spiritual journey, she was fasting, and she wanted the family to be included on it because she found something that she loved and she didn’t understand “Why don’t y’all wanna do it?”. I went to Dr. Sebi and I cleansed, I loss weight, my Diabetes was cured until I started bad eating like I was again. I learned to loved the album. I love a few songs in particular like the Diana Ross mentioned song “I Believe in Me” because I influenced it, I love-love love love “Hot!”! I remember hearing the song for the first time. We were going through the Lincoln Tunnel. Usually when radio plays and you entered a tunnel it wouldn’t work anymore. We entered it, the song came on radio, and the radio stayed on! We were waiting all day for them to play it! Angie Martinez played it on radio. It was a freaking miracle! Lisa was like “Whaaat??!!” We all started hollering and we loved that song! Lisa loved it! “The Block Party” wasn’t supposed to be the first single. She was supposed to do music with Prince but the label passed on it! She planned on doing a single with Michael (Jackson) and a song with Madonna and Blondie. Prince was gonna play on it too and sing a little something. We were making arrangements when were in Europe with Melanie C. Melanie wanted to help put it together. They were all in agreement but the label shut it down.

Part 2 Coming Soon...