T-Boz on The Celebrity Apprentice Season 2

Official publicity photo from the NBC Celebrity Apprentice Website.

May 4, 2009 UPDATE:  This is a little late in coming, but here it is.  T-Boz went from winning as Project Manager 1 week (Episode 5) to being fired the following week (Episode 6). 

The team was harmonious in this task and no one had anything bad to say about Melissa Rivers as Project Manager or anyone else on the team, so she asked for volunteers in case they lost and were called back into the boardroom.  T-Boz volunteered to go back into the boardroom with Millissa in support of her leadership. 

Donald Trump saw this as weakness.  Apparently, he fired someone else in another season for “volunteering for execution” as he put it, which is a no-no in his book.  Well, if you’re going to get fired this is one of the most graceful ways to  go out.

Regardless, Ms. T-Boz has a new official website and MySpace Page.  A new solo album is in the works and it should be coming soon.  Fingers crossed on that one as any TLC fan knows the girls take forever to release any project.  Go check out those sites for a preview of what things to come might sound like.

* * *

Yes, my girl Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins, from my favorite group of all-time, TLC, is going to be on The Celebrity Apprentice 2.  You know I’ve got to watch and support my TLC girl.  It premieres this Sunday, March 1, 2009, at  9PM Eastern Time (That’s 8PM for us Austin folks) on NBC with the first of a full season of 2 hour episodes.  Check it out!  I’ll be rooting for T-Boz.

 

MY TOP 10: Left Eye Videos — 1. Panther Soundtrack “Freedom”

1. Various Artists including Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes
“Freedom (Theme from Panther)”
From Panther:  The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Released:  1995

If you listened to my podcast interview with Ron Lopes, brother of the late, great Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, you know I asked him what his favorite all-time Left Eye rap was.  Well, he didn’t just give me one; he gave me a few.  This was one of them.  And his mention of “Freedom” tickled me in a way the others didn’t. 

Originally written and performed by Joi for her debut album, The Pendulum Vibe, someone had the genius idea to include it on this soundtrack and make it an ensemble piece.  It’s a great song and I think it still stands the test of time.  Really an anthemic song.  I know I called “No Scrubs” anthemic, but this is a truly anthemic song.  “No Scrubs” is fun, but “Freedom” is anthemic in a whole ‘nother way.  I think it speaks for itself.

I think this is a nice song to end the countdown with (though I’ll post my OUTRODUCTION tomorrow) especially in the wake of our new president’s inauguration last week and our continued celebration of MLK’s legacy. 

I wish everyone freedom.  Freedom of expression.  Freedom to love whom you want to love.  Freedom to love them how you want to love them.   Freedom to learn, explore, and grow.  And, mostly, freedom to be yourself  fearlessly, fiercely, and unabashedly without fear of judgement, rejection, or regret, which is how I think Lisa lived.

I remember I posted a poem I wrote on a TLC fansite message board once.  Lisa opined on it right away.  She had nice things to say.  I’ll never forget that.

By th way – you get the rap version and the original R&B version as a BONUS! (T-Boz and Chilli representin’, too!)

And, yes, she kilt it.

 

MY TOP 10: Left Eye Videos — 4. TLC “No Scrubs”

4. TLC “No Scrubs”
From FanMail
Released:  Spring 1999

Oh, yes!  It had to be “No Scrubs.”  When I first heard this song…Well, first off I was just so happy to have TLC back after 4 years.  I’ve always said that an artist has to come back strong with that first single off of a new project after they’ve been away for awhile.  And the promotional single, “Silly Ho,” just didn’t do it for me.  It sounded like a wannabe Missy song. 

So, I was weary of the first official single.  But this, just sounded like something else.  Today it just sounds like “No Scrubs.”  But, when I first heard it.  I knew it was TLC, but it was like I hadn’t heard them before.  Chilli hadn’t ever been in the front really.  And the harmonies were just bananas to me.  And the beat was so infectiously sweet that I…I don’t know…I was going to say got tooth decay, but that’s just corny.  It was just anthemic and the video was first class with all the extras.  And what made it extra extra special was Left Eye’s call-outs all over it, which is signature TLC, and her rap, of course. (I don’t understand why this wasn’t the version on the album from the gitty-up.  Why wouldn’t the record company want all 3 girls on the album version? It’s obviously better by far.)

I remember thinking that one reason TLC was so popular was because they had a nice balance of masculine and feminine (though all 3 got sexier and more womanly as they “grew up”).  Chilli was the most girly.  Left Eye was the most tomboyish.  And, T-Boz was right in the middle with a nice balance of both.  There was something for everyone; something for every taste.

 

popolio podcast: Interview about Left Eye Legacy [with Lisa Lopes' brother, Ron Lopes]

Freddie speaks with Ron Lopes, the brother of the late, great firecracker of his all-time favorite group, TLC, about Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes and her upcoming posthumous release, Eye Legacy.

They touch on past controversies,  the Lauren Lazin-directed documentary, The Last Days of Left Eye, and the Lisa Lopes Foundation.

Included in the show is the first single “Let’s Just Do It” featuring TLC and Missy Elliott.

Find out more about the January 27, 2009 release at the official site and MySpace Page.

Learn about the Lisa Lopes Foundation.

 

Single and Listening

Single and Listening

Single Reviews by Release Date

♪	♫	♫♪	♫♫	♫♫♪
all over the place	carries a tune	part of the chorus	featured soloist	conducting the choir

I’m overdue for one of these.  I decided to review David Archuleta’s latest since I reviewed David Cook last time.  Wanted to throw in some men because I’m trying to be more conscious of that and more gender-balanced in my content here on popolio.  So, Musiq Soulchild gets the single review treatment, too.  I love TLC and Left Eye’s posthumous release is due next month, so I review her first single.  Lastly, Idina Menzel got me in a Broadway way last time, so I include Shoshana Bean’s first attempt at a pop/R&B single.

Shoshana Bean “Superhero” Released:  October 3, 2008
From Latest Release:  Superhero♫♪

Nice voice.  Not the best use of it.  The song was waiting to exhale but never got it out.  Coulda’,  shoulda’ hit the spot.  Just didn’t.  Want Shoshana to get her groove and exhale.

Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes featuring Missy Elliott & TLC “Let’s Just Do It” 
Released:  November 2008 From Forthcoming Release:  Eye Legacy ♫♪

Need to say that TLC is my favorite group of all-time, so I am partial.  That said, I didn’t like it on first listen.  It’s hard to update an old track and put a new collaborator on it especially when the artist has passed.  I’ve listened to it over and over and now I do like it.  With an infectious quality, the beat’s just different sounding. There’s something to be said for the right flow over the right beat.  Missy compliments the track nicely.  

Musiq Soulchild featuring Mary J. Blige “IfULeave”
Released:  November 25, 2008 From Latest Release:  OnMyRadio ♫♪

Good collabo.  I like the song.  Seems like a collabo between these two should have been through the roof, though.  I’m still just dancing in the living room.

David Archuleta “A Little Too Not Over You” Released:  January 6, 2009
From Latest Release:  David Archuleta♫♪

Catchy.  Not bad for the American Idol pre-, tween, and teen set.  Not sure it’s adult fare, but it doesn’t need to be.  He’s not one.  Shows promise for growth into adulthood.