For a while, it looked like we would be dedicating a post to T-Boz purely in retrospect -- TLC's last album, 3D, came out 13 years ago. But T-Boz and Chilli should be at least getting ready to record another TLC album after managing to raise more than their original Kickstarter goal of $250,000. This is partially due to the impact and influence they had as a group. Today (April 26), the tallest member of the trio, born Tionne Watkins, turns 45 years old.

To reiterate, TLC was a great group. Their first album, Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip, used New Jack Swing sensibilities, which had a catchy effect on their music -- "Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg" and "What About Your Friends" are prime examples. As solid as that debut was, many will agree CrazySexyCool is TLC's magnum opus. It's perhaps the first album that accurately explained its greatness with its own album title. The 11 million copies sold makes CrazySexyCool the second-highest selling album by girl group behind the Spice Girls' lesser Spice.

While TLC became feminist icons ("No Scrubs," a signature hit off 1999's FanMail, definitely helped), T-Boz ended up being an important figure for another necessary cause. She's struggled with sickle cell anemia throughout her life and TLC's hectic tour schedule added to the strain on her body. As a result, she was hospitalized for four months in 2002, for a particularly bad bout with the ailment.

T-Boz has since become a spokesperson for Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, and earlier this month, she hosted a sickle cell charity concert featuring the likes of Raphael Saadiq and Faith Evans.

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