Groove Interview (2001)

Groove interviews Lisa. She talks about working with Carl Thomas on "Life is Like a Park", that "U Know What's Up" maybe her most favored feature, why she let Marshall Lorenzo Martin co-write all her raps on 'FanMail', and more.

"Eye of the Tiger (Groove – November 2001)

An attitude. Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes may be not a revolutionary artist, anyway, she has advantages that many would dream of : strong charisma and an envy to conquer the world. Her body and her original singing style should be enough to launch the solo career that the lady just started with “Supernova”.Lisa Lopes aka Left Eye believes in her talent. even if her contribution to Supernova is not really effective, she knows she will fulfill her goal. This is what she has done since the beginning of the TLC journey. Three albums (Ooooooohhh… On the TLC Tip, Crazysexycool and the well-acclaimed Fanmail) in ten years put the trio on the contemporary R&B’s Pantheon. Today the group’s rapper is coming up as a solo artist with a first fresh and innovative album. We, by the way, are wondering if the French public (known for being open-minded) will be able to catch the Miss’s crazyness, at her image : bombastic, introspective, colored (especially the cover), with few accessible songs, even if we don’t see “Supernova” being played in the hexagon’s ghettoblasters.

When did you start working on Supernova?

About a year ago, on last October. But, I finished it more than six month ago, then, by the time it’s getting released, it took 6 more month.

What is different than working in TLC?

First of all, having the opportunity to express myself, to say what I felt deep inside of me. Then, having the chance to be the only captain on board, and deciding of the album’s artistic directions. I contributed more on this project than on the TLC’s albums, whereas I only rapped after all. I’ve learned a lot, I think that will brings a lot on the next TLC (album).

Which role did you played on your album?

I wrote most of the tracks. I’ve wrote a lot before, on the two first albums, I wrote all my parts by myself. On the last album (FanMail), I wasn’t really inspired, so I worked with a guy named Marshall Martin.

You have collaborated with Donell Jones on his hit “U Know What’s Up”. What do you remember from this experience?

Donell wanted to do the track with a girl, he wanted a female answer to his lyrics. To be honest with you, I think this is one of the best song I ever done. The beat is crazy, there’s a real groove in the melody. It’s the kind of track that you can put on repeat all day long without being tired of it. It’s an amazing track and I love our own performances, As much his (performance) than mine.

What are the topics you talk about in “Supernova”?

There are twelve tracks, and inside of each tracks I tackle a different topic. There will be a puzzle sold with the CD, Eyenetics. If you piece together each part of this puzzle, it will be a 12 side-ball. Each side represents a track from the album. Numerology is very important for me, I think every figures have specific meaning. This game will be given with the CD, if you can’t get it, you can order it at http://www.eyenetics.com

Tell me some about the album’s opening track “Life Is Like A Park”, with Carl Thomas.

I really like Carl Thomas, he has an amazing voice. In fact, someone else should have done his part, my A&R suggested me to do this track with Carl Thomas, and I immediately agreed. His contribution gives a jazzy touch to the song. This song is important to me because I talk the way I see life. For me, life is like a park, a huge playground…

Why did you chose “The Block Party” as first single?

It’s a great track to dance on. I talk about big party all night without questioning, being with friends and just enjoy… It happens to every teenager, those magical moments that you remember you whole life. It happened to me, even if I was not really not allowed to go out when I was younger, my father was really strict. One day, there was a block party near home, everybody was on the street we did party until dawn.

Why did you call you album “Supernova”?

At the beginning, it was meant to be called “A New Star Is Born”. I’ve chosen this title because I wanted everybody to know that I’m back and it’s going to be huge. One day I heard this word : Supernova, and I saw its meaning and it fitted more to the message I wanted to give. Supernova means : a star that increase its power more than a million time. This title follows me well, because I’d love to grow, increase my popularity, my network. That’s the message I wanna give : Left Eye is coming ! This what I sing about on the song “Hot”. Rockwilder produced this song, because he’s the hottest producer right now. But I gotta tell you, at the beginning it was hard to rap on this track, it was so special.

Have you recorded more songs than the twelve present on the album?

I’ve wrote more than 25 songs, I’ve almost recorded all of them. Some will be released as B-sides, some will not be released because I’m not totally satisfied with them.

You’re one of the only girls in the game who can sing and rap at the same time. How can you explain it?

There’s also Lauryn Hill who can do both. As for me, I’ve always rapped, it was TLC who initiated me to singing, before it was not my thing. I also do not really consider myself as a singer, my talents are limited on the subject.

Do you consider yourself more as a rapper?

Clearly. But I don’t like to be labeled. I know hip-hop fans are serious about that, they don’t see me as one of them. I am not Hip Hop in the strict sens of the word, I don’t do battles, I’ll not freestyle during concerts. I consider myself more as a Pop artist, even if I rap. I know there will always be someone to tell it’s too Rap, too R&B, too Pop… At the end of the day, you don’t know what to think. There’s a little bit of everything in this disc : Spoken Word, Rap, R&B, and all this mix of styles, it’s my identity. I have different styles, I can rap off-beat, even if some really think that I’m involuntarily off-beat.

What type of music are you listening to and what are your influences?

Nothing special, I don’t really have the time to listen to a lot of music. But I have a lot of respect for every styles, especially for Hip-Hop. I love the east- coast, even if there are artists from the west or the south that I like. My favorite rapper is Tupac, a real legend. I loved KRS One at his beginnings, Run DMC, LL Cool J… Everything that I was listening ten/fifteen years ago, when I was in high-school. Today, there’s too much releases, you don’t know where to look at. It’s funny because my role has always been bringing the Hip-Hop flavor, while I have so much to learn from this culture after all. I always wanted to have the respect of this scene, to not be seen as as female Will Smith or something like that. There was a time I didn’t like what I was doing in TLC, today I’m enough sure of what I’m doing (laugh).

In some years, Atlanta has become the US’s third biggest Hip-Hop scene. You’re coming from there, how do you see this evolution?

10 years ago, everything was way more underground. There was like fifty Hip-Hop artists, everybody knew each other. When LA Reid and Babyface arrived to break the scene, everybody passed the message and find some benefit there.

Your album has this south flavor, a “swing” feeling that we also find in Nelly’s music, as an example…

I don’t know… If you say so (laugh). Most of the songs remind me of nothing at all, for me it’s all brand new. Almost everybody who has listened to this album told me the same thing, they don’t know how to define this half-rapped half-sang style, on strange beats (laugh)

You have collaborated with 2Pac. I think you may have known him, is that correct?

I always wanted to do a track with him. I contacted his mother who own all his recordings. I listened to a part of it, it’s crazy, there are so many unreleased tracks. This dude probably wrote songs everyday when he was in jail, and when he was released, he didn’t stop recording. But it’s true, I knew him, ten years ago, just before the release of the first TLC’s album. Pac was living in LA and he came to visit Atlanta. I met him, and I even had his number… On my album I used a song he produced himself and I added my verse on it. I’m happy that it’s a song that he produced, because he’s not known for that while he had a real talent. We didn’t change anything, we kept his feeling, his rage… Listen to the track, it’s really hot !

What are your projects? A new TLC album ?

We are currently working on a fourth album. The work with T-Boz & Chilli is fine, there are really no problem between us, contrary to what everybody is saying. It should be released in the early 2002 followed by a greatest hits album that will follow our 10 year career.

*ARTICLE COURTESY OF MIRROR BOI*"