Lisa Lopes

(Died: 25 April 2002, Honduras)

TLC
ATLANTA (AP) – Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, the effervescent, sometimes volatile rapping member of the Grammy-winning trio TLC, was killed in a car crash in Honduras, her record company said early Friday. Lopes, who would have turned 31 next month, was in the Central American nation for a vacation, Arista Records’ senior vice president of publicity Laura Swanson told The Associated Press. Lopes was reportedly among seven people in the car Thursday night and the only fatality…The location of the car crash was not immediately determined. It was unclear whether she was wearing a seatbelt…TLC, which also includes Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins and Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas, were the group behind such hits as “Waterfall,” “No Scrubs” and “Unpretty.” Their latest album was “FanMail.” Lopes’ nickname came from her habit of replacing one lens of her glasses with a condom during performances. In 1994, the band returned with “CrazySexyCool” — Lopes was dubbed the “crazy” member of the group…In 1994, Lopes pleaded guilty to arson in a fire that destroyed the mansion of former Atlanta Falcons receiver Andre Rison, her boyfriend. Lopes was sentenced to a halfway house and five years probation, plus a $10,000 fine.  Lopes admitted she started the fire after an argument with Rison. The mansion was valued at more than $1 million. The two later broke up, only to reunite and break up again. However, last year they announced plans to marry…Swanson said that Lopes went frequently to Honduras to vacation.  “She just found it really peaceful and tranquil, and it was a very special place for her,” she said.
New Book: Lisa Lopes: The Life of a Supernova by Nancy Krulik