Back in the 1990s, TLC became the top-selling girl group of all time, so they had some power. So much power, in fact, that once when the group didn't get money owed them by their record label, they held storied record executive Clive Davis at gunpoint. Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins recently hit up comedian Monique's late night show to spill the beans behind this moment in TLC's colorful history.
"TLC had generated, on 'Crazy Sexy Cool,' $75 million and they gave us $50,000 a piece," Watkins said. "I was like, what the hell? So, of course, Lisa ['Left Eye' Lopes] was the ringleader, like, 'We need to go get our money. I need to know where my money is at!'"
"We had the limo driver, he was the getaway car," Watkins continued. "So we went up there, and Puffy was the one that snitched us out because we kicked him out of the meeting. It was rude -- we interrupted Puffy's meeting. We were getting sick and sweating, and we were really working hard for [the] money and we wanted to know who the hell had our check. [LaFace Records head] L.A. [Reid] said [then-Arista chief] Clive had it, [so] that's where we went."
In the end, the girls prevailed and, lucky for them, weren't arrested for their stickup. "They did give us some money, but they still took it back and recouped it, but it's all good," she explained. "You live and learn in the business."
Since the 2002 death of Lopes, the group famous for hits like 'Waterfalls' and 'No Scrubs' has maintained a low profile. Last weekend, T-Boz and fellow surviving member Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas performed their first concert in seven years at the Justin Timberlake and Friends charity event in Las Vegas.
T-Boz and Chilli are currently prepping an upcoming tour.





Reader Comments(1 of 8)
smexieat 10-24-2009
aww..
Princess Tat 10-24-2009
puffy is a snitch well im not surprised to here that but to hold clive davis at gun point is one of the dumbest thing ive ever heard how u gonna hold somebody up at gun point and your not wearing a disguise and this person knows who you are and where you live thats why those dumb ass girls got jerked because the made stupid ass decisions nobody told them to sign a contract that will only give you 2 cents for every dollar you make
VeXXedat 10-24-2009
can it be proven they had em held up at gun point? if not its heresay. 50k for over 75mil in sales? lol.... i would turn into biggie... someone has got to do die. lol. naw, but people are still screwing over other people and expecting the ones who get screwed to just take it..... imho, thats ALOT of hopeful thinking
musicmasterno1at 10-24-2009
Ummm...veXXed?? I don't think you quite understand the concept of "hearsay". Hearsay is when a third party claims to have heard the first party say something and tells it to the second party.
When the "defendant" admits outright to holding up Clive Davis at gunpoint, that is not "hearsay", it is CONFESSION.
With that being said, I guess you can take the girls out of the ghetto, but you can't take the ghetto out of the girls.
lilrdvet2at 10-25-2009
Typical thugs...you can take the girl outta the hood, but you can't take the hood outta the girl...any normal person would have gotten a lawyer and got their money PLUS some for the rip-off...as it was, they lost the money they garnered at gunpoint and never got paid what was due them...all in all, I've lost total respect for Clive...makes me wonder who else he ripped off...as for Puffy snitchin'?...I thought that snitches get stitches...why not in his case?...hummm
jimrtnhse2at 10-24-2009
Tnb at its best.
haroldlynnat 10-24-2009
In the ghetto!!!!!!!!!
rip300rogat 10-24-2009
testing
jaguar6cyat 10-24-2009
Very interesting story illustrating our many cultural differences.
hahahahahaat 10-24-2009
They where young and they didn't know how the game of contract life plays out. Look at them now they know the ropes and how the game plays out. LIVE & LEARN to overcome the game of life. People will screw you when they can when you don't know better.
robertat 10-24-2009
Yeah... I used to love to play the game of "RISK", but it put my "LIFE" in "JEOPARDY!". That's when I got a "CLUE" and decided to take a "CHANCE" on getting my "LIFE" back on track by trying to build a "MONOPOLY" of contacts and friends for support. It "BOGGLES" the mind to see how quickly people are willing to help. If you're involved in a "FAMILY FEUD", take a "CHANCE" and spin the "WHEEL OF FORTUNE" in "LIFE", at least you would have tried. But hurry, you need to "BEAT THE CLOCK" before it's too late. Effort costs you nothing, so when someting is free, you know the "PRICE IS RIGHT". Well, my kids are trying to get my attention,they've really got "ANTS IN THE PANTS" today, so "CONCENTRATION" on anything else is futile. I'm going to go and play some "CHECKERS" with them and then enjoy a piece of "CHESS" pie. This was merely an attempt to "BREAK THE ICE" for everyone and to remind you to not take "LIFE" so seriously. I just came here to "TELL THE TRUTH" as I see it. "SORRY", I've got to go. Enjoy "LIFE"!
Karen Anneat 10-24-2009
Robert, THANK YOU for a wonderful laugh - boy I needed it and you supplied it!
I'm surprised Davis didn't press charges just for the publicity...it would have been inline with what is often done in the various branches of the so-called entertainment industry. I HAVE missed their music!
Gregat 10-24-2009
At least report the truth here...TLC is not the top-selling girl group of all time. That also makes me wonder just how truthful the account of them holding Clive Davis at gunpoint is. But then lying is pretty much the norm for todays writers posing as journalists.....they must work for CNBC.
stankoniaat 10-24-2009
I can see you didn't do too well on the reading and comprehesion part on the SAT's. It said..."Back in the 90's TLC became the top selling female group...". Do us all a favor and please Johnny leared how to read. Then again you can practice this..."Welcome to McDonalds how may I help you?"
Larone Hardenat 10-24-2009
I would have to get Clive Davis' version before I could believe it. But I do know that TLC didn't get paid right on that album. LaFace still owes them money for that album to this day.