1 00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:17,000 Speaker 1: Disgraceland as a production of Double Elvis. There is a 2 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:21,600 Speaker 1: well known story about Lisa Lefti Lopez from TLC, and 3 00:00:21,640 --> 00:00:26,160 Speaker 1: it's crazy. She burned her NFL playing boyfriend's mansion down, 4 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:30,960 Speaker 1: apparently over an argument about sneakers. But there are other 5 00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:34,760 Speaker 1: stories about Lisa that are just as crazy. She was 6 00:00:34,760 --> 00:00:38,720 Speaker 1: on the run from demons. Demons she dealt with daily. 7 00:00:39,520 --> 00:00:42,479 Speaker 1: One would push her toward the edge, one would try 8 00:00:42,479 --> 00:00:45,960 Speaker 1: to hold her back, and Lisa feared that, though only 9 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:51,360 Speaker 1: thirty years old, death was chasing her down. These stories 10 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:54,360 Speaker 1: were well known to her colleagues, and the perception was 11 00:00:54,440 --> 00:00:58,000 Speaker 1: that Lisa left I Lopez was well the crazy one. 12 00:00:58,920 --> 00:01:03,560 Speaker 1: Maybe I prefer to believe that she was just badass. 13 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:07,280 Speaker 1: She may have been possessed, but it wasn't by demons, 14 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:11,440 Speaker 1: It was by creativity, and Lisa left I Lopez and 15 00:01:11,480 --> 00:01:16,600 Speaker 1: her group TLC made great music. That music you heard 16 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:19,279 Speaker 1: at the top of the show that wasn't great music. 17 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:23,560 Speaker 1: That was a preset loop from my mellotron called Afro 18 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:29,480 Speaker 1: Cuban Organ Low MK one. I played you that loop 19 00:01:29,800 --> 00:01:32,880 Speaker 1: because I can't afford the license for I swear by 20 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:35,720 Speaker 1: all for one and why would I play you that 21 00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:40,639 Speaker 1: specific slice of adult contemporary cheese could afford it because 22 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:44,399 Speaker 1: that was the number one song in America on June ninth, 23 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:47,639 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety four, and that was the day that Lisa 24 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:52,120 Speaker 1: left I Lopez burned down her boyfriend's mansion, kicking off 25 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:55,400 Speaker 1: a spiritual journey that would take her to the windy 26 00:01:55,480 --> 00:02:00,480 Speaker 1: back roads of Honduras and ultimately to her grave. On 27 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:04,880 Speaker 1: this episode, Afro Cuban Organs, a case of the Crazies, 28 00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:10,440 Speaker 1: sixty one inches of Badassory, a match in Lisa Lefti Lopez, 29 00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:36,239 Speaker 1: I'm Jake Brennan and this is Disgrace Loved Lisa Lefty 30 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:39,920 Speaker 1: Lopez came from a long line of artists and musicians. 31 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:46,840 Speaker 1: From a young age, her natural talent was evident. She sang, wrote, drew, danced. 32 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:52,480 Speaker 1: Her dad played piano, clarinet, and harmonica. Basically he could 33 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:55,600 Speaker 1: play anything he got his hands on. But his hands 34 00:02:55,840 --> 00:03:00,440 Speaker 1: were also part of the problem. Lisa loved her, but 35 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:04,520 Speaker 1: domestic abuse was always in the mix. Maybe it had 36 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:08,480 Speaker 1: something to do with his fiery creative nature. Maybe it 37 00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:11,840 Speaker 1: was due to his stint in the military. Maybe, but 38 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:16,960 Speaker 1: most likely it was his drinking. Lisa's dad was super 39 00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:20,799 Speaker 1: strict about everything except drinking. In fact, from the time 40 00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:24,560 Speaker 1: Lisa was a preteen, they bonded over booze. Daddy daughter 41 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:26,480 Speaker 1: days would just as well be a trip to the 42 00:03:26,520 --> 00:03:29,919 Speaker 1: movies as they would be a drinking competition in the backyard. 43 00:03:30,680 --> 00:03:35,640 Speaker 1: Look at little Lisa get after that beer. For some musicians, 44 00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:40,600 Speaker 1: drinking and creativity go hand in hand, often the one 45 00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:44,640 Speaker 1: begets the other. For Lisa, her creativity and her drinking 46 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:48,600 Speaker 1: were at odds. From the jub Lisa would joke that 47 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:51,400 Speaker 1: when she got too drunk, all of her behavior could 48 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 1: be blamed on her alter ego, Nicki. But despite Nicky's 49 00:03:55,880 --> 00:04:00,000 Speaker 1: presence causing plenty of trouble during Lisa's school days, Lisa 50 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:04,720 Speaker 1: this is creativity won the day. She acted in school productions, 51 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:08,640 Speaker 1: sometimes as a star, sometimes as a backup dancer. She 52 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:11,640 Speaker 1: modeled and used her gifts as an illustrator to design 53 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:15,080 Speaker 1: her own outfits. Her brain was filled with a million 54 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 1: different creative endeavors, each as compelling to her as the next. 55 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:24,359 Speaker 1: She wrote poetry, and of course rhymes. Rhymes were the 56 00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:28,400 Speaker 1: ticket to the future. It was nineteen ninety hip hop 57 00:04:28,520 --> 00:04:33,000 Speaker 1: was exploding, and for a young Lisa Lopez, potentially transformative. 58 00:04:34,360 --> 00:04:37,279 Speaker 1: Just up the road in Atlanta, the South spurgeoning hip 59 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:42,520 Speaker 1: hop scene was making waves. Two ambitious local movers and shakers, 60 00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:47,719 Speaker 1: Antonio La Reid and Kenneth's Babyface Edmunds, were busy promoting 61 00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:51,960 Speaker 1: and producing a well spring of homegrown talent. Artists like 62 00:04:52,040 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 1: outcasts Tony Braxton and Usher were about to bring the 63 00:04:55,839 --> 00:05:00,960 Speaker 1: Dirty South to Middle America. So in nineteen nine, nineteen 64 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:03,920 Speaker 1: year old Lisa Lopez hit Atlanta with seven hundred and 65 00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:08,159 Speaker 1: fifty dollars in her pocket. When you're nineteen years old 66 00:05:08,560 --> 00:05:12,480 Speaker 1: and possessed by creativity, the universe has a way of 67 00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:16,679 Speaker 1: making it all just kind of happen. It delicately pushes 68 00:05:16,720 --> 00:05:20,480 Speaker 1: and pulls and presents you with opportunities. If you're smart, 69 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:23,880 Speaker 1: you listen to what the universe has to say. Lisa 70 00:05:23,880 --> 00:05:27,400 Speaker 1: Lopez was no dummy, so when she finally connected with 71 00:05:27,480 --> 00:05:32,240 Speaker 1: Tioni Watkins aka t Bas and Rosonda Jones aka Chili, 72 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:36,480 Speaker 1: she knew that as a musical trifecta, they'd be unstoppable. 73 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:41,680 Speaker 1: So TLC was born and there was no time to waste. Yeah. 74 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:44,000 Speaker 1: T Bos took her stage name to show she was 75 00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:46,920 Speaker 1: a boss, but it was left eye with a nickname 76 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:49,880 Speaker 1: co opted from an offhand pickup line fed to her 77 00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:53,640 Speaker 1: by some dude who was calling the creative shots. T 78 00:05:53,800 --> 00:05:59,240 Speaker 1: BOS had the voice, sultry, smooth, instantly recognizable. Chili was 79 00:05:59,279 --> 00:06:03,320 Speaker 1: the dancer with it seemed new moves every damn day 80 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:06,400 Speaker 1: of the week. So that left Lisa. She was the 81 00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:10,800 Speaker 1: wild card. She'd play the crazy one if the shoe fit. 82 00:06:11,520 --> 00:06:14,200 Speaker 1: It didn't matter. She knew she'd stand out in a 83 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:18,000 Speaker 1: trio of outstanding talent and style, regardless of whatever role 84 00:06:18,080 --> 00:06:21,960 Speaker 1: she had to play to sell an image and ultimately records, 85 00:06:22,800 --> 00:06:27,120 Speaker 1: and the shoe did fit. With Nikki's presence, Crazy was 86 00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:31,960 Speaker 1: something Lisa was well acquainted with, but TLC was much 87 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:35,719 Speaker 1: more than just talent attitude in style. It was the 88 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:39,760 Speaker 1: nineties and TLC was very much of the moment. They 89 00:06:39,839 --> 00:06:44,000 Speaker 1: immediately tapped into the social consciousness of the decade, promoting 90 00:06:44,080 --> 00:06:48,120 Speaker 1: safe sex with the style of the MTV generation. Equal 91 00:06:48,160 --> 00:06:51,560 Speaker 1: parts en Vogue, Salt and Pepper, and some sugar high 92 00:06:51,560 --> 00:06:54,320 Speaker 1: cartoon that jumped off the back of your little sister's 93 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:59,880 Speaker 1: cereal box, TLC were something completely new. Their first out, 94 00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:04,200 Speaker 1: Ooh on the TLC Tip, was released in nineteen ninety two. 95 00:07:04,839 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 1: The video, Ain't too proud to bey Left Eye with 96 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:16,640 Speaker 1: those massive sunglasses, the enormous green neon hat, undeniable energy, Jesus, 97 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:20,040 Speaker 1: who the hell was TLC? You'd never seen anything like 98 00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:22,440 Speaker 1: them before. You just knew the song was going to 99 00:07:22,480 --> 00:07:24,840 Speaker 1: be a hit. And a little rapper with the dirty 100 00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:27,760 Speaker 1: mouth and the condom over her eye, she was fucking 101 00:07:27,840 --> 00:07:48,320 Speaker 1: crazy ooh on. The TLC tip would eventually sell six 102 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:51,800 Speaker 1: million records, not a bad opening statement for the group 103 00:07:51,840 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 1: of three young female artists from Atlanta's burgeoning hip hop scene. 104 00:07:56,280 --> 00:07:59,440 Speaker 1: Left Eye wrapped and sang and had her hands all 105 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:03,120 Speaker 1: over the album, art and video concepts. She designed the 106 00:08:03,160 --> 00:08:06,400 Speaker 1: stage sets, dressed the band, and it was in large 107 00:08:06,440 --> 00:08:10,040 Speaker 1: part responsible for the group's image, an image that would 108 00:08:10,040 --> 00:08:13,200 Speaker 1: help push the group over the top and into American 109 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:18,480 Speaker 1: living rooms via MTV and late night television appearances. At 110 00:08:18,480 --> 00:08:22,000 Speaker 1: a time when mainstream hip hop fashion was becoming predictable, 111 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:26,800 Speaker 1: gold chains, red, black, and green African flag color schemes 112 00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:33,400 Speaker 1: matching stage outfits, Lisa Lopez added bombastic colors, originality, and 113 00:08:33,480 --> 00:08:38,520 Speaker 1: social consciousness to her look. One day, while getting ready, 114 00:08:38,920 --> 00:08:41,040 Speaker 1: she took note of the condom in the safety pin 115 00:08:41,120 --> 00:08:45,160 Speaker 1: on her dresser. HIV was on the rise, a scary 116 00:08:45,240 --> 00:08:48,920 Speaker 1: time to be a sexually active young adult. Not talking 117 00:08:48,960 --> 00:08:52,240 Speaker 1: about it wasn't doing anyone any goods. So why accept 118 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:54,800 Speaker 1: the fact that carrying a condom for a young woman 119 00:08:54,960 --> 00:08:58,800 Speaker 1: was anything but responsible? Why rely on a guide to 120 00:08:58,880 --> 00:09:01,520 Speaker 1: protect you when you could do it yourself? And why 121 00:09:01,640 --> 00:09:04,600 Speaker 1: hide the fact? Rather than throwing the condom and the 122 00:09:04,640 --> 00:09:07,680 Speaker 1: safety pin in her purse before heading out, she pinned 123 00:09:07,720 --> 00:09:11,040 Speaker 1: them to her pants, and that simple couldn't give a shit. 124 00:09:11,200 --> 00:09:15,760 Speaker 1: Subversive fashion statement by one of America's rising young stars 125 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:18,600 Speaker 1: went a long way and making it okay to talk 126 00:09:18,640 --> 00:09:22,160 Speaker 1: about safe sex publicly. It was an answer to Salt 127 00:09:22,160 --> 00:09:25,680 Speaker 1: and Peppa's Let's talk about Sex single from two years earlier. 128 00:09:26,360 --> 00:09:30,480 Speaker 1: A chorus of young, empowered female musical voices was helping 129 00:09:30,559 --> 00:09:36,000 Speaker 1: shape the national conversation around HIV and Lisa Lefti. Lopez 130 00:09:36,080 --> 00:09:40,840 Speaker 1: was adding her voice and making the conversation fun. At 131 00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:43,240 Speaker 1: least that's how some took it. Others just saw it 132 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:46,960 Speaker 1: as some crazy famous chick with condoms pin to her clothes, which, 133 00:09:47,320 --> 00:09:50,720 Speaker 1: given Lisa's behavior at the time, wasn't so hard to believe. 134 00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:55,880 Speaker 1: As her success increased, so did her drinking, Nikki was 135 00:09:55,920 --> 00:09:58,679 Speaker 1: bum rushing the show, and Lisa wasn't afraid to cast 136 00:09:58,720 --> 00:10:02,560 Speaker 1: blame after whatever crazy behavior would land her in trouble. 137 00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:06,280 Speaker 1: Lisa would claim that ain't me, that's Nicky, my evil 138 00:10:06,320 --> 00:10:09,600 Speaker 1: twin who came from within, whom I blame for all 139 00:10:09,640 --> 00:10:13,760 Speaker 1: of my sins. Getting up on the bar at the club, dancing, 140 00:10:14,400 --> 00:10:16,920 Speaker 1: mugging for the camera with a condom over her eye, 141 00:10:17,440 --> 00:10:21,679 Speaker 1: being a relentless flirt when it suited her. Sure, to some, 142 00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:26,320 Speaker 1: I guess that behavior can be categorized as crazy. To me, 143 00:10:26,880 --> 00:10:29,800 Speaker 1: it's just a pop star being a pop star. I 144 00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:32,720 Speaker 1: bet Lisa's crazy rep had less to do with condoms 145 00:10:32,760 --> 00:10:35,160 Speaker 1: as a fashion statement and more to do with her 146 00:10:35,200 --> 00:10:40,000 Speaker 1: outspoken criticism of her music industry starmakers. She called out 147 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:45,000 Speaker 1: her producer Dallas Austen for overcharging TLC on production, and 148 00:10:45,080 --> 00:10:49,280 Speaker 1: on the night TLC took home six Grammys. Six Grammys 149 00:10:49,520 --> 00:10:52,920 Speaker 1: from the press podium. After the show, Lisa claimed that 150 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:55,960 Speaker 1: the group was broke and insinuated that it was due 151 00:10:55,960 --> 00:11:00,280 Speaker 1: to her greedy record label in producers. Not exactly the 152 00:11:00,280 --> 00:11:03,640 Speaker 1: message the music industry wants to hear. After it, coroinates 153 00:11:03,640 --> 00:11:09,360 Speaker 1: a young group of stars Lisa's outspokenness an occasional drunken 154 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:12,800 Speaker 1: visit from Nicki were only part of the problem. Lisa's 155 00:11:12,840 --> 00:11:17,640 Speaker 1: new boyfriend, Atlanta Falcon's wide receiver, Andrea Risen, wasn't doing 156 00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:21,960 Speaker 1: her any favors. Lisa was crazy for Andrea, and Andrea 157 00:11:22,040 --> 00:11:24,880 Speaker 1: was crazy for Lisa. He liked the idea of having 158 00:11:24,880 --> 00:11:27,960 Speaker 1: a famous girlfriend, so the two quickly moved in together. 159 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:33,720 Speaker 1: But despite her desire for a stable, monogamous relationship, Andrea 160 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:39,400 Speaker 1: could not be tied down to one woman. He was unfaithful, jealous, possessive, 161 00:11:39,679 --> 00:11:43,240 Speaker 1: short tempered, violent, and went not on the football field, 162 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:49,040 Speaker 1: almost always drunk and belligerent. One night outside in Atlanta nightclub, 163 00:11:49,360 --> 00:11:53,040 Speaker 1: Lisa refused to pick up whatever bullshit Andrea was putting down, 164 00:11:53,160 --> 00:11:56,720 Speaker 1: and the argument became physical, escalating to the point of 165 00:11:56,760 --> 00:11:59,720 Speaker 1: shots being fired off by Andrea in an effort to 166 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:05,319 Speaker 1: gain control of the situation and his girlfriend. Cops were 167 00:12:05,320 --> 00:12:10,960 Speaker 1: on the scene quickly. Intentions diffused, but Lisa unwisely refused 168 00:12:10,960 --> 00:12:14,600 Speaker 1: to press charges. She loved the big thug. Number eighty 169 00:12:14,679 --> 00:12:17,280 Speaker 1: was a handful, but she'd break him. She had so 170 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:20,120 Speaker 1: much faith in Andrea that she had his digits tattooed 171 00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:26,040 Speaker 1: on her left bicep. The lyrics for TLC's smash single 172 00:12:26,320 --> 00:12:30,160 Speaker 1: Creep seemed to have spun out of Lisa and Andrea's tumultuous, 173 00:12:30,360 --> 00:12:34,800 Speaker 1: unfaithful relationship. The message was clear, cheat on me and 174 00:12:34,840 --> 00:12:38,920 Speaker 1: I'll give it right back. But Lisa hated the song Mainly, 175 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:42,440 Speaker 1: she hated the sentiment. She believed in fidelity to her core. 176 00:12:43,400 --> 00:12:47,920 Speaker 1: Despite the outrageous clothes, fiery attitude, and over the top behavior, 177 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:52,280 Speaker 1: Lisa left Di Lopez from TLC was a one man 178 00:12:52,320 --> 00:12:59,040 Speaker 1: woman crazy. We'll be right back after this word word word. 179 00:13:01,360 --> 00:13:04,920 Speaker 1: Everybody thought they knew Lisa Lopez, but most people didn't. 180 00:13:05,320 --> 00:13:08,559 Speaker 1: They knew Nicki. Nicki was who'd come around after the 181 00:13:08,640 --> 00:13:11,960 Speaker 1: drinks started flowing. Nicki was who'd bring the party to 182 00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:15,600 Speaker 1: the next level. Hell, Nicki was a party under herself 183 00:13:15,960 --> 00:13:19,480 Speaker 1: and she took zero shit from anyone, kind of like 184 00:13:19,520 --> 00:13:22,880 Speaker 1: a scrappy little pitbull. She was cute but had a 185 00:13:22,880 --> 00:13:25,480 Speaker 1: lot of biting her. You'd be wise to watch what 186 00:13:25,480 --> 00:13:28,960 Speaker 1: you said to her. Lisa, on the other hand, hung 187 00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:32,760 Speaker 1: back quiet for the most part, head in the clouds, 188 00:13:33,040 --> 00:13:36,000 Speaker 1: wondering about this, ready to get into that. She had 189 00:13:36,080 --> 00:13:40,280 Speaker 1: poems dance moves outfits, she was designing beats on the 190 00:13:40,320 --> 00:13:43,160 Speaker 1: brain movies. She was going to star in one day 191 00:13:43,480 --> 00:13:47,240 Speaker 1: TV show, as she planned on hosting a documentary in Hondura, 192 00:13:47,280 --> 00:13:52,439 Speaker 1: as she wanted to shoot together. Nicki and Lisa were unstoppable. 193 00:13:53,280 --> 00:13:57,200 Speaker 1: One was filled with careless electric feel and magnetism and 194 00:13:57,240 --> 00:14:01,440 Speaker 1: the other with boundless creativity. But they hated each other. 195 00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:04,840 Speaker 1: So that's where Nina came in. Nina would come around 196 00:14:04,880 --> 00:14:08,160 Speaker 1: when Nicki was so drunk she'd be fucking up Lisa's plans. 197 00:14:08,520 --> 00:14:11,720 Speaker 1: Nina had the thankless job of being the referee. She 198 00:14:11,800 --> 00:14:14,320 Speaker 1: even had one of those black and white striped referee 199 00:14:14,400 --> 00:14:16,800 Speaker 1: Jersey said the Zebras who ran around the field with 200 00:14:16,880 --> 00:14:21,080 Speaker 1: Andrea war Nicki hated Nina and Lisa could take her 201 00:14:21,080 --> 00:14:25,120 Speaker 1: a leaver. Lisa knew her creativity would overpower Nicki's drunken 202 00:14:25,160 --> 00:14:29,080 Speaker 1: bullshit one day or another. Then Nicki wouldn't be showing 203 00:14:29,160 --> 00:14:32,680 Speaker 1: up at any more parties. It was Nicki gone, It'd 204 00:14:32,720 --> 00:14:38,400 Speaker 1: just be Lisa and Andrea alone at last, and that's 205 00:14:38,440 --> 00:14:41,720 Speaker 1: what happened. Lisa got it together, put all of her 206 00:14:41,720 --> 00:14:44,040 Speaker 1: shit in one bag, so to speak, and moved into 207 00:14:44,040 --> 00:14:47,320 Speaker 1: Andrea's big ass house over in Alpharetta. Cut back on 208 00:14:47,360 --> 00:14:50,760 Speaker 1: the drinking, not entirely, but just enough to keep Nikki 209 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:53,840 Speaker 1: at bay. She thought that mellowing out and moving in 210 00:14:53,880 --> 00:14:56,520 Speaker 1: with Andrea would bring calm to the hectic life that 211 00:14:56,600 --> 00:14:59,000 Speaker 1: comes with being a major pop artist dating in an 212 00:14:59,120 --> 00:15:04,080 Speaker 1: NFL star. But Andrea Risin's demons ran deep and best 213 00:15:04,160 --> 00:15:09,080 Speaker 1: she tried, Lisa was no match for Andrea's jealous, narcissistic ways. 214 00:15:09,880 --> 00:15:14,479 Speaker 1: The man could not keep his dick in his pants 215 00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:20,400 Speaker 1: out all night, every night, full of shit all the time. 216 00:15:22,120 --> 00:15:24,120 Speaker 1: After catching him in bed in the guest room with 217 00:15:24,160 --> 00:15:27,000 Speaker 1: that slut from Velvet or the Cheetah or wherever Andrea 218 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:29,960 Speaker 1: happened to be partying that night, Lisa knew she'd taken 219 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:32,600 Speaker 1: this as far as she could on her own. There 220 00:15:32,680 --> 00:15:35,480 Speaker 1: was no way to break this dude, and she loved him, 221 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:39,040 Speaker 1: so breaking him was the only option. But Lisa didn't 222 00:15:39,080 --> 00:15:43,040 Speaker 1: give up easy, So the decision was made. She needed Nicki. 223 00:15:43,880 --> 00:15:46,160 Speaker 1: Nicki was a crazy, drunk fool, but that type of 224 00:15:46,160 --> 00:15:52,000 Speaker 1: crazy issued respect for men like Andrea. So on the 225 00:15:52,120 --> 00:15:55,680 Speaker 1: night of June ninth, nineteen ninety four, Lisa decided that 226 00:15:55,720 --> 00:15:59,880 Speaker 1: the party was on. She got dressed up and headed downtown. 227 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:03,320 Speaker 1: If Andrea was going to go out all night every 228 00:16:03,440 --> 00:16:06,560 Speaker 1: night and openly cheat on her, then Lisa left Eye 229 00:16:06,600 --> 00:16:10,040 Speaker 1: Lopez of TLC was going to go out and get hers. 230 00:16:10,440 --> 00:16:13,360 Speaker 1: Show Andrea what exactly it was that he was missing. 231 00:16:13,680 --> 00:16:16,080 Speaker 1: Let him experience what it's like to wait up all 232 00:16:16,200 --> 00:16:20,160 Speaker 1: night for someone to come home, wondering where they're at, 233 00:16:20,720 --> 00:16:24,800 Speaker 1: who they're with, what they're doing with your mind. Darting 234 00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:28,160 Speaker 1: down a dozen dirty roads, each dirtier than the last, 235 00:16:28,640 --> 00:16:31,320 Speaker 1: each presenting potholes to make the pit and your stomach 236 00:16:31,440 --> 00:16:38,680 Speaker 1: grow wider, each driving Nikki a little closer to the edge. Yeah, fuck, Andrea, 237 00:16:38,880 --> 00:16:41,520 Speaker 1: stay out all night, come home wearing that dress that 238 00:16:41,640 --> 00:16:44,080 Speaker 1: drives him wild, the short one with the slit that 239 00:16:44,160 --> 00:16:46,880 Speaker 1: runs high up the side, and show him exactly what 240 00:16:46,960 --> 00:16:51,320 Speaker 1: he's been missing. Five am. She figured that was late enough. 241 00:16:51,800 --> 00:16:54,000 Speaker 1: Even if Andrea went on himself, he'd be home by 242 00:16:54,040 --> 00:16:56,280 Speaker 1: then and with the ample time to stew over where 243 00:16:56,320 --> 00:17:00,240 Speaker 1: she was. So when Lisa pulled in Andre's driveway just 244 00:17:00,280 --> 00:17:03,240 Speaker 1: after five in the morning and realized Andre wasn't even 245 00:17:03,280 --> 00:17:07,760 Speaker 1: home yet himself, Nicki went through the fucking roof. Uh 246 00:17:07,800 --> 00:17:12,879 Speaker 1: oh that prick and just as I thought, hit her lips, 247 00:17:13,000 --> 00:17:16,600 Speaker 1: Andrea's bends pulled in the driveway behind her. Oh boy, 248 00:17:17,240 --> 00:17:19,240 Speaker 1: Andre get out of the car, saw what Lisa was 249 00:17:19,280 --> 00:17:22,200 Speaker 1: wearing and that she herself was just getting home and 250 00:17:22,240 --> 00:17:25,040 Speaker 1: freaked the fuck out. Who did this woman think she 251 00:17:25,280 --> 00:17:28,919 Speaker 1: was dressing like that and staying out all night? Uh? Huh? 252 00:17:29,880 --> 00:17:32,920 Speaker 1: Lisa smacked Andrea in the face. Fuck this guy, who 253 00:17:32,960 --> 00:17:35,600 Speaker 1: do you think he was? From there, the fight moved 254 00:17:35,600 --> 00:17:38,600 Speaker 1: into the house, both of them drunk and screaming nonsense 255 00:17:38,640 --> 00:17:40,800 Speaker 1: at each other at the top of their lungs, taking 256 00:17:40,840 --> 00:17:43,440 Speaker 1: turns throwing random shit at each other until it came 257 00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:47,800 Speaker 1: to blows. Andrea wasn't a small man either. Lisa was 258 00:17:47,840 --> 00:17:50,720 Speaker 1: a very small woman. The blow to the face came 259 00:17:50,760 --> 00:17:54,000 Speaker 1: and went. Lisa didn't know when or how Nicki was 260 00:17:54,040 --> 00:17:58,320 Speaker 1: in control now. Nina was nowhere to be found, typical. 261 00:17:59,320 --> 00:18:02,120 Speaker 1: Once the fight died down, Lisa went into the bathroom 262 00:18:02,119 --> 00:18:04,600 Speaker 1: to clean up. She looked in the mirror and didn't 263 00:18:04,640 --> 00:18:08,520 Speaker 1: recognize the face looking back at her badly bruised, and 264 00:18:08,680 --> 00:18:12,080 Speaker 1: she became enraged. You know what you gotta do, right, 265 00:18:13,080 --> 00:18:19,080 Speaker 1: Nicky pushed the issue, killed the prick. Lisa stormed out, 266 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:22,520 Speaker 1: of the bathroom intent and didn't just that, but Nina 267 00:18:22,600 --> 00:18:26,480 Speaker 1: intervened to get control of the situation. Lisa took a beat, 268 00:18:26,720 --> 00:18:29,280 Speaker 1: retreated to the walk in closet off in her bedroom 269 00:18:29,320 --> 00:18:33,119 Speaker 1: to get some headspace and calm down. That's when she 270 00:18:33,160 --> 00:18:37,320 Speaker 1: saw the shoes, hundreds of them, brand new, sparkling white 271 00:18:37,440 --> 00:18:41,199 Speaker 1: tennis shoes, all of them sized twelve in men's. That 272 00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:46,119 Speaker 1: selfish prick all men's, NICKI wanted to know where Lisa's 273 00:18:46,119 --> 00:18:49,120 Speaker 1: shoes were. Oh yeah, that asshole didn't buy you any 274 00:18:49,280 --> 00:18:52,520 Speaker 1: He bought himself a new identical pair for every goddamn 275 00:18:52,600 --> 00:18:55,200 Speaker 1: day of the year. But he didn't buy you jack shit. 276 00:18:55,520 --> 00:18:59,679 Speaker 1: Shut up, Nicky, fuck you, Nna. Lisa grabbed the shoes 277 00:18:59,680 --> 00:19:02,159 Speaker 1: and had back into the bathroom. She threw them in 278 00:19:02,160 --> 00:19:04,719 Speaker 1: the tub, hit the closet and grabbed a lighter fluid 279 00:19:04,720 --> 00:19:07,920 Speaker 1: and some matches. Back to the bathroom, past the stranger 280 00:19:07,960 --> 00:19:10,399 Speaker 1: in the mirror, douse the shoes of the lighter fluid, 281 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:15,080 Speaker 1: and then lit a match. The fire went up quick, 282 00:19:15,520 --> 00:19:20,040 Speaker 1: like real quick, it immediately started spreading. How Lisa had 283 00:19:20,080 --> 00:19:23,360 Speaker 1: no idea. At first, she was frozen in fear. Then 284 00:19:23,760 --> 00:19:26,840 Speaker 1: she moved fast and the next thing she knew she 285 00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:29,480 Speaker 1: was watching her boyfriend's house burn down on the six 286 00:19:29,480 --> 00:19:35,639 Speaker 1: o'clock morning news, just like that. She didn't mean to 287 00:19:35,680 --> 00:19:40,480 Speaker 1: do it, really, but fuck them, he deserved it. Crazy. 288 00:19:57,680 --> 00:20:01,240 Speaker 1: The news covers the next day was ridiculous, almost entirely 289 00:20:01,280 --> 00:20:06,560 Speaker 1: one sided against Lisa. Sure, she burned her boyfriend's mansion down, 290 00:20:06,880 --> 00:20:08,720 Speaker 1: but it was because he beat the piss out of her. 291 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:12,439 Speaker 1: And let's not forget the dude was a professional football player. 292 00:20:13,280 --> 00:20:17,160 Speaker 1: The guy who openly cheated on her, controlled her, abused her. 293 00:20:17,640 --> 00:20:20,400 Speaker 1: The guy whose fist imprint could practically still be seen 294 00:20:20,440 --> 00:20:23,320 Speaker 1: on the massive bruise on Lisa's face and her mugshot 295 00:20:23,359 --> 00:20:28,639 Speaker 1: from that day. That guy was the victim, Yes, a mugshot. 296 00:20:29,640 --> 00:20:32,600 Speaker 1: Lisa had turned herself in and eventually pleaded guilty and 297 00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:35,439 Speaker 1: was sentenced to five months probation and locked up in 298 00:20:35,480 --> 00:20:39,760 Speaker 1: a halfway house for a month. Andre Risen played football, 299 00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:42,680 Speaker 1: and I guess kept banging strippers on his nights off. 300 00:20:43,560 --> 00:20:46,920 Speaker 1: Lisa voluntarily went to rehab and with a clear head, 301 00:20:46,960 --> 00:20:51,119 Speaker 1: wrote the smash TLC hit Waterfalls, which was included on 302 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:55,080 Speaker 1: the album Crazy Sexy Cool, released later in the fall 303 00:20:55,160 --> 00:20:59,639 Speaker 1: of nineteen ninety four. The song helped propel the album 304 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:04,199 Speaker 1: to twenty three million in record sales. My God, what 305 00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:09,520 Speaker 1: a hit. But the success wouldn't last. Lisa eventually fell 306 00:21:09,560 --> 00:21:13,760 Speaker 1: out with Tea Baws and Chili. The fire, the rehab, 307 00:21:14,040 --> 00:21:17,719 Speaker 1: and the elevated success achieved largely through Lisa's writing of 308 00:21:17,760 --> 00:21:22,359 Speaker 1: Waterfalls changed things for the young star. She now knew 309 00:21:22,400 --> 00:21:25,400 Speaker 1: what she alone was capable of with a clear head 310 00:21:25,440 --> 00:21:31,800 Speaker 1: anyway creatively, Waterfalls made her, in her mind, at least 311 00:21:32,160 --> 00:21:36,119 Speaker 1: a proven commodity, so betting on herself was a safe bet. 312 00:21:36,680 --> 00:21:39,960 Speaker 1: The only bet relying on the influence of others was 313 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:43,879 Speaker 1: only fucking up Lisa's plans. She'd come to realize that 314 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:46,840 Speaker 1: Chile and Tea Baws were proxies for Nicky and Nina, 315 00:21:47,480 --> 00:21:51,160 Speaker 1: and Lisa after rehab, was hell bent on not being 316 00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:55,959 Speaker 1: held back by anyone. No more TLC, no more Nicki, 317 00:21:56,400 --> 00:22:00,879 Speaker 1: no more Nina. Lisa Lopez had arrived. She wanted it 318 00:22:00,920 --> 00:22:05,359 Speaker 1: her way or nothing at all. Time to move fast. 319 00:22:05,800 --> 00:22:08,240 Speaker 1: Lisa went on to sign with Suge Knight's Death Row 320 00:22:08,320 --> 00:22:11,560 Speaker 1: Records and began talks with David Bowie of all people, 321 00:22:11,600 --> 00:22:16,399 Speaker 1: about a collaboration. Now that's crazy, before heading into the 322 00:22:16,440 --> 00:22:20,080 Speaker 1: studio to complete her next album. Lisa headed to Honduras 323 00:22:20,080 --> 00:22:23,840 Speaker 1: for a retreat. She had this clear headed vibe on lock, 324 00:22:24,359 --> 00:22:28,440 Speaker 1: but the trip wasn't going as planned. Lisa started picking 325 00:22:28,520 --> 00:22:32,679 Speaker 1: up bad vibes, having premonitions that an evil spirit was 326 00:22:32,720 --> 00:22:36,880 Speaker 1: haunting her, that death was on the creep. One night, 327 00:22:37,320 --> 00:22:39,520 Speaker 1: her and her assistant hopped in their car to go 328 00:22:39,600 --> 00:22:43,840 Speaker 1: for a ride. The heavy, humid Honduran air was stifling 329 00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:47,720 Speaker 1: and a drive would do them good, or so they thought. 330 00:22:47,760 --> 00:22:50,639 Speaker 1: Once in the car, the bad vibes started up again. 331 00:22:50,680 --> 00:22:54,679 Speaker 1: Immediately as they zipped down the windy road from their 332 00:22:54,760 --> 00:22:58,560 Speaker 1: village past the straw huts, they passed a dead horse 333 00:22:58,600 --> 00:23:01,240 Speaker 1: on the side of the road. In Unison, A flock 334 00:23:01,280 --> 00:23:04,280 Speaker 1: of birds up above let out a screeching death rattle 335 00:23:04,320 --> 00:23:07,560 Speaker 1: as it moved from one tree to another, and then 336 00:23:08,640 --> 00:23:12,760 Speaker 1: a blunt thud against their moving car. They immediately pulled 337 00:23:12,760 --> 00:23:14,760 Speaker 1: over on the road. At their feet in front of 338 00:23:14,800 --> 00:23:18,800 Speaker 1: their suv, a critically injured ten year old boy. Quickly 339 00:23:18,840 --> 00:23:20,760 Speaker 1: they pulled him into the car and raced off to 340 00:23:20,800 --> 00:23:24,439 Speaker 1: the nearest hospital, Lisa holding him the whole way, his 341 00:23:24,600 --> 00:23:27,960 Speaker 1: blood sticking to her sweaty skin. In the sweltering Central 342 00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:32,320 Speaker 1: American night Air. The boy died at the hospital. Lisa 343 00:23:32,359 --> 00:23:36,320 Speaker 1: paid his medical and eventual funeral bills, and later compensated 344 00:23:36,320 --> 00:23:41,399 Speaker 1: the family for their loss. The guilt was immense. Lisa 345 00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:44,000 Speaker 1: couldn't shake the feeling that the accident was supposed to 346 00:23:44,040 --> 00:23:47,960 Speaker 1: take her life, not the boys. She was convinced that 347 00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:51,879 Speaker 1: an evil spirit was following her. A few weeks after 348 00:23:51,920 --> 00:23:55,280 Speaker 1: the accident, on April twenty fifth, two thousand and two, 349 00:23:55,600 --> 00:23:58,760 Speaker 1: Lisa Lopez changed out of the outfit she was wearing 350 00:23:58,800 --> 00:24:03,400 Speaker 1: that day, was all white. She then, for unknown reasons, 351 00:24:03,720 --> 00:24:07,119 Speaker 1: chosen outfit of all black. Gut dressed, and without a 352 00:24:07,160 --> 00:24:10,320 Speaker 1: destination in mind, decided to ride was needed to get 353 00:24:10,320 --> 00:24:14,639 Speaker 1: some headspace. Still racked with guilt, Lisa jumped into her 354 00:24:14,680 --> 00:24:18,480 Speaker 1: RESUV and took off out of the village. She zipped 355 00:24:18,480 --> 00:24:22,000 Speaker 1: by those huts again and passed the dead horse, now 356 00:24:22,119 --> 00:24:25,359 Speaker 1: just a loosely assembled pile of bones being picked over 357 00:24:25,440 --> 00:24:33,240 Speaker 1: by a few vultures. Vultures death more signs. Lisa sped away, 358 00:24:33,280 --> 00:24:38,080 Speaker 1: trying to outrun her demons. She was distracted with driving 359 00:24:38,480 --> 00:24:42,040 Speaker 1: way too fast, her head in the clouds, wondering about this, 360 00:24:42,560 --> 00:24:46,120 Speaker 1: ready to get into that the guilt was crippling, an 361 00:24:46,160 --> 00:24:49,040 Speaker 1: aching pit in her stomach, part of her thoughts she'd 362 00:24:49,080 --> 00:24:52,800 Speaker 1: never recovered. How could she ride or perform again with 363 00:24:52,880 --> 00:24:56,640 Speaker 1: this feeling rolling around in her gut, with death chasing 364 00:24:56,640 --> 00:25:00,760 Speaker 1: her down? She accelerated. The breeze felt good on her skin, 365 00:25:01,400 --> 00:25:04,320 Speaker 1: and then her SUV's rear end seemed to get out 366 00:25:04,359 --> 00:25:09,040 Speaker 1: ahead of itself. Lisa lost control. She swerved, pulled the 367 00:25:09,040 --> 00:25:12,400 Speaker 1: wheel to the left, but overcompensated, then to the right. 368 00:25:13,040 --> 00:25:15,240 Speaker 1: At the speed she was going, there was no recovery. 369 00:25:15,880 --> 00:25:18,640 Speaker 1: The suv flew violently off the side of the road, 370 00:25:19,040 --> 00:25:23,240 Speaker 1: into the air, and then down into the ditch. The 371 00:25:23,320 --> 00:25:28,000 Speaker 1: vehicle was totaled. Lisa Lopez died on the scene almost immediately, 372 00:25:30,760 --> 00:25:33,199 Speaker 1: at the age of thirty. With a clear head and 373 00:25:33,240 --> 00:25:37,280 Speaker 1: a wide open future creeping around the corner. Lisa left 374 00:25:37,320 --> 00:25:40,480 Speaker 1: Di Lopes, had left Crazy behind. When she shed herself 375 00:25:40,520 --> 00:25:44,000 Speaker 1: of Nikki and Nina. She was about to move on 376 00:25:44,040 --> 00:25:48,240 Speaker 1: to her second act creatively. Lisa had gotten her way, 377 00:25:48,880 --> 00:25:52,280 Speaker 1: and now, in a flash, after speeding away from her 378 00:25:52,280 --> 00:25:56,359 Speaker 1: demons in a fast moving suv, it was over. There 379 00:25:56,480 --> 00:26:00,320 Speaker 1: was nothing. The last two lines of the chorus from 380 00:26:00,320 --> 00:26:03,800 Speaker 1: TLC's Waterfalls, I know that You're gonna have it your 381 00:26:03,840 --> 00:26:06,960 Speaker 1: way for nothing at all. But I think you're moving 382 00:26:06,960 --> 00:26:13,400 Speaker 1: too fast crazy. I'm Jake Brennan, and this is Disgraceland. 383 00:26:33,400 --> 00:26:36,159 Speaker 1: Disgraceland was created by Yours Truly and is produced in 384 00:26:36,200 --> 00:26:39,639 Speaker 1: partnership with Double Elvis. Credits for this episode can be 385 00:26:39,640 --> 00:26:43,040 Speaker 1: found on the show notes page at disgracelamdpod dot com. 386 00:26:43,359 --> 00:26:46,440 Speaker 1: If you're listening as a Disgraceland All Access member, thank 387 00:26:46,480 --> 00:26:49,159 Speaker 1: you for supporting the show. We really appreciate it. And 388 00:26:49,240 --> 00:26:51,520 Speaker 1: if not, you can become a member right now by 389 00:26:51,520 --> 00:26:56,200 Speaker 1: going to disgracelamppod dot com. Slash Membership. Members can listen 390 00:26:56,240 --> 00:26:59,960 Speaker 1: to every episode of Disgraceland ad free, Plus you'll get 391 00:27:00,080 --> 00:27:04,840 Speaker 1: one brand new exclusive episode every month, weekly unscripted bonus episodes, 392 00:27:04,920 --> 00:27:08,800 Speaker 1: special audio collections, and early access to merchandise and events. 393 00:27:09,359 --> 00:27:13,760 Speaker 1: Visit disgraceslampod dot com slash membership for details, rate and 394 00:27:13,800 --> 00:27:16,399 Speaker 1: review the show, and follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter 395 00:27:16,400 --> 00:27:20,120 Speaker 1: and Facebook at disgrace lampod and on YouTube at YouTube 396 00:27:20,160 --> 00:27:26,680 Speaker 1: dot com slash at disgracelampod Rock a roll up. He 397 00:27:26,880 --> 00:27:28,200 Speaker 1: then man