ll33. Donell Jones  featuring Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes
“U Know What’s Up”
From Where I Wanna Be
Released:  September 14, 1999

So, this came out the same year that TLC came back with FanMail and “No Scrubs” was such a huge hit.  This is Donell Jones’ biggest hit.  And I think it goes without saying that that’s due in part to the Left Eye factor.  A lot of the songs by other artists that featured her climbed to Number 1 on various charts.

I think Ms. Lopes is underrated and doesn’t get enough credit for her individual contributions to modern pop, hip hop, and R&B music.  No, she never got to establish a solo career, but if her life hadn’t been cut short she more than likely would have.  She’ll always be most known as one-third of TLC and she’ll always get props for that, but she worked with a lot of other artists and to be able to enhance another artist’s song while still allowing them their individuality and maintaining yours takes some talent.

I remember when Number 4, “No Scrubs,” came out  I was in my last year of undergrad at UT.  I lived in the Jester Center dorms.  East Side!  When the video premiered on MTV I ran back to my dorm from one of my classes just to catch it.  I was blown away by that video.

About these ads