Throwback: TLC-Creep

TLC’s “Creep” lead the way for their sophomore album CrazySexyCool to become one of the most commercially successful and influential albums of all time. Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins gave songwriter and producer Dallas Austin the idea for the song about a woman who cheats on her boyfriend to get his attention because he’s doing the same thing. TLC worked against convention by singing about participating in infidelity and Austin was unusual for writing from a woman’s perspective. The subject fit the group’s image of being candid about sex which was first expressed on their first album when they sang about their sexual desire on “Ain’t 2 Proud 2 Beg.” Austin used funk, R&B, hip-hop samples and jazz to create the musical bed that was perfect for T-Boz’s distinctive rasp as the featured vocalist. The video progressed TLC into a more grown-up sexiness looks-wise thanks to the famous flowing silk pajamas they wore. They picked director Matthew Rolston after seeing his work on Salt N Pepa’s video for “None Of Your Business.” The video for “Creep” was just as celebrated as the song itself which was TLC’s first Billboard Hot 100 number one. “Creep” earned the group a Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with vocals and became a beacon of pop culture. CrazySexyCool was the first album by a woman’s group to reach diamond status and sold more than any other American girl band. The group is second to The Supremes in regards to Billboard’s charts TLC became a duo after the death of Left Eye in 2002. They released their fifth self-titled album in 2017. 

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Atlanta-based Entertainment Mogul Devyne Stephens and T-Boz of TLC visit Camp Twin Lakes

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Devyne Stephens, camper Eriq Scott, T-Boz and counselor Jessica Smith

Atlanta, GA- August 7, 2009- Yesterday, Atlanta-based entertainment mogul and CEO of Upfront Megatainment, Devyne Stephens , visited Camp Twin Lakes, with T-Boz of TLC fame. Camp Twin Lakes Camp is a not-for-profit organization that offers year-round recreational, therapeutic, and educational programs for children facing serious illnesses and other physical, emotional and life challenges. Each week the camp focuses on a particular illness and offers a haven for young people from 6-16 giving them nutritious meals, lots of activities and medical staff to insure the youngsters’ safety.

This week Camp Twin Lakes focused on children with sickle cell anemia. T-Boz is a sickle cell sufferer. Devyne and T-Boz spent time with the children and met one young woman, in particular, with an interesting story.

Jessica Smith, now 21, came to Twin Lakes when she was 7. Growing up in South Carolina in a community where she was the only person she knew with sickle cell, Jessica felt isolated and ostracized. When she arrived at Twin Lakes, imagine her surprise and relief to meet someone else, an entire bunk full in fact, of other children with the same illness. At Twin Lakes, she had found a family. Many of these children don’t want anyone to know they have sickle cell outside of camp. Jessica grew up at Twin Lakes, eventually becoming a CIT (counselor in training) and is now a full fledged counselor. Last year, she gave birth to her own daughter who also has sickle cell anemia. Jessica is now thinking about what she wants for her daughter and that includes a place like Twin Lakes.

Sickle cell anemia is the most common inherited blood disorder in the United States, affecting about 72,000 Americans or 1 in 500 African Americans, with 1 in 12 African Americans carrying the sickle cell trait. In the United States alone, those diagnosed with sickle cell anemia total approximately 8,000 per year, 666 per month, 153 per week and 21 per day.