TLC's "Left Eye" Begets Blaque, Another Hit Female Trio (1999)

6.30.99 12:00 EST

With its R. Kelly-produced single "808" standing firmly in the top 20 on the "Billboard" singles chart, the all-girl trio Blaque has plenty to sing about. Natina, Shamari, and Brandi have even more to offer from their debut LP, "Blaque," including a song co-written by Mariah Carey ("Don't Go Looking for Love"), a number of cuts produced by the Track Masters, and a collaboration with 'N Sync called "Bring It All to Me."

Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes created the trio which, with its one-rapper, two-singer, all-female form, bears a resemblance to Lopes' own group, TLC. She told MTV News about the act's origin during a recent limo ride.

"Natina, she's the girl in the group who raps, and she writes a lot of the songs," Lopes began. "My brother's a talent scout. He found Natina [a] couple years ago [and] brought her to me, and I decided to build a group around her."

"[Natina] needed an outlet," Lopes continued. Blaque "808" RealAudio "She writes very good material. And we put two singers with her, and they sing her songs and she writes [and] raps, and that's her position in the group." [RealVideo]

Blaque, who wrapped up a tour with 'N Sync in May, will be heading back out on the road with the blockbuster boy band once again starting July 7 in Virginia Beach, Virginia.