What was Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes’ net worth?
Lisa Left Eye Lopes, a singer-songwriter, dancer, and rap artist, had a net worth of $500 thousand at the time of her death in 2002.
She was a member of the successful singing group TLC in the 1990s and later had US top 10 singles as a solo artist. Lopes also produced the girl group Blaque.
Tragically, she died in a car crash while doing charity work in Honduras.
Lisa Lopes Early Life
Lisa Lopes was born in 1971 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her mother was a seamstress, while her father was a US Army staff sergeant and amateur musician. She had two younger siblings.
Lopes was raised by her paternal grandmother after her parents separated. She started playing music on a toy keyboard at age five and later composed her own songs. At the age of ten, she formed the musical trio The Lopes Kids, singing gospel songs at churches and local events. Later, as a teenager, she went to the Philadelphia High School for Girls.
TLC’s Formation and Success
Lisa Lopes moved to Atlanta in 1990 to audition for a girl group, which eventually became TLC. The band’s name was derived from the first initials of its original members: Tionne Watkins, Lisa Lopes, and Crystal Jones. Jones was later replaced by Rozonda Thomas, who adopted the name Chilli. The band’s debut album, “Ooooooohhh… On the TLC Tip,” sold six million copies worldwide and produced four hit singles. Their second album, “CrazySexyCool,” sold over 23 million copies globally, and “FanMail” sold over 14 million copies. TLC received four Grammy Awards and five MTV Video Music Awards.
Lopes’ Misgivings and Friction with the Band
During the release of “FanMail,” Lisa Lopes expressed her dissatisfaction with the band, feeling that she was unable to express herself and that her contributions to songs had been greatly reduced. This caused friction between Lopes and her fellow band members.
Lopes’ Solo Career and Posthumous Album
After hosting “The Cut” in 1998, Lopes pursued a solo career and created Left Eye Productions to discover new talent. She was a featured rapper on several singles in 2000 and collaborated with Toni Braxton on “Gimme Some.” Lopes released her first and only solo album, “Supernova,” in 2001.
After her death, her family worked with Surefire Music Group to create a posthumous album in her honor. “Eye Legacy” was released in 2009 and consisted mostly of reworked versions of songs from “Supernova.” The album’s first official single, “Let’s Just Do It,” was released that same year.
Lisa Lopes’ Rocky Relationship with NFL Star Andre Rison
Lisa Lopes dated NFL star Andre Rison from 1993 to 2001. Their relationship was marked by significant conflict and violence, with Lopes filing an assault charge against Rison in 1993. Lopes was also struggling with alcoholism and self-harm at the time.
In 1994, an altercation ensued after Andre and his friends returned from a night of partying at 6:30 am. A furious Lisa put several of Andre’s shoes in a bathtub and lit them on fire. Unfortunately, the fire spread and burned down Rison’s entire house, which he had bought in 1992 for $861,000. The home had seven bedrooms, six fireplaces, and a recording studio.
Lopes was arrested and indicted on charges of first-degree arson. She was sentenced to five years of probation and therapy at a halfway house, in addition to being issued a $10,000 fine. Despite the incident, Lopes and Rison reconciled and dated on and off for seven years.
While in rehab, Lopes met a struggling mother whose eight-year-old daughter she subsequently adopted.
TLC’s Bankruptcy Filing and Unfair Contract
In 1995, TLC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy despite being one of the highest-grossing music groups of their era. The group members alleged that they had signed an unfair contract with their producer/managers Perri “Pebbles” Reid and LA Reid, which led to them being charged for various expenses. After lawyer fees and other expenses, each member of the group was left with just $50,000 a year. The 1991 contract also stipulated that all three members would have to split just 56 cents per each album sold. After two years of legal battles, they were able to renegotiate for a more equitable deal. Rozonda later advised to “sign your own checks, make sure your taxes are in shape and whatever your company is, it’s always good to get it audited.”
Source: The New York Times
Lisa Lopes’ Legacy
In 2002, Lisa Lopes died in a car accident in Honduras while driving a rented car. Her funeral was attended by thousands and featured a performance by Mary Mary. Lopes was in the process of establishing two educational centers for Honduran children at the time of her passing. Her family later formed the Lisa Lopes Foundation, which hosts an annual music festival called Left Eye Music Fest. A documentary focusing on Lopes’ final days, “The Last Days of Left Eye,” was broadcast on VH1.
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