Today, the group is no longer together following the tragic passing of Lopes in 2002, but luckily that hasn’t stopped Chill from continuing to record. This September, the Columbus, Georgia native will release “Bi-Polar,” her independently-released solo debut, which will feature production work from Missy Elliot, T-Pain and Akon. The album’s first single is a playas-be-warned ode, entitled “Dumb Dumb Dumb.”
Chilli Interview Transcription
DJ Booth: What’s goin’ on everybody? It’s your boy “Z,” doin’ it real big, and joining me inside the DJ Booth is an original member of the iconic female trio, TLC. Finishing up work on her forthcoming solo project, Bi-Polar, please welcome the musically-gifted and oh-so-sexy Chilli – how are you?
Chilli: [laughter] Hey, that was a nice intro.
DJ Booth: Thank you. If you’d like, when we’re done with all this, I can do it again, if you’d like to hear it once more.
Chilli: [laughter] How are you?
DJ Booth: I’m good. You’ve got to be good also, though, ‘cause you got a lot goin’ on.
Chilli: Yeah, I’m super good. I’m so excited about this album. Oh, my goodness, I just can’t tell you how excited I am about it. It’s finally done.
DJ Booth: Chilli, for anyone listening or reading who immediately thought to themselves, “Chilli? What in the world has she been up to?” give a brief run-down of what’s keep you busy, besides music, over the past year or so.
Chilli: Besides music, I’ve been working on a handbag line. It’s called Bags by Chilli. Of course, being Tron’s momma, some television stuff with T-Boz… So I’ve been keepin’ really busy.
DJ Booth: You’ve got a new song currently being pushed and played at radio; it’s entitled Dumb Dumb Dumb. As soon as I heard it, I thought to myself, “I don’t wanna be a Dumb Dumb Dumb,” so how should a man go about avoiding this most unflattering title?
Chilli: [laughter] Oh, my goodness… Just be honest, be consistent. Those are the two main things. Guys have a problem with being honest, and consistency is always missing, usually, so…
DJ Booth: What do you mean by “consistency,” exactly?
Chilli: Well, what you say you’re gonna do. If you say you’re gonna call, if you say you’re gonna do something, you do it, and you be consistent with your word.
DJ Booth: Well, I couldn’t agree more – I feel like I, personally, have been very consistent and very honest. Clearly, you have not met enough men from Chicago; maybe you should travel up to the Midwest…
Chilli: [laughter] You’re probably right!
DJ Booth: Before Dumb Dumb Dumb, of course, you released the hit single No Scrubs, as a part of TLC. Clearly the world knows that you are very particular when it comes to your men, so what are some qualities that you look for in a man, positively?
Chilli: Well, he has to be a man of God, he has to love God, believe in God. He doesn’t have to walk around quotin’ scriptures all day, but [be] active in his church. Because, to me, when a man is in love with Christ, it’s a lot of things that he’s just not gonna do anyway. I truly have a super-duper long list, but I’ll stop right there.
DJ Booth: In addition to being a recoding artist, you’re also a mommy, so what would you say is more challenging on a daily basis, coming up with a hit record, or taking care of your son?
Chilli: I would have to say parenting, only because you are responsible for shaping and molding this little human being. A parent has so much to do with the [upbringing] of a child; you do not want to mess up – at least, great parents don’t wanna mess up. So that is the hardest job, but [if] you do it right it’s the most rewarding.
DJ Booth: Well, what else is rewarding is when you put out a hit album, and that is what you hopefully have coming this September. The title of the new project-
Chilli: No, that’s what I have, that’s what I have!
DJ Booth: That’s what you have! [laughter] The title of the new project is gonna be Bi-Polar. I did my research; the meaning of the word is defined by the presence of one or more episodes of an abnormally elevated mood. So based on this investigation, Chilli, is it safe to assume that you planned on creating an album which would abnormally elevate the mood of your listeners?
Chilli: Oh, absolutely. It’s the direction and the songs that are bipolar. You got a little bit of R&B, you have a little bit of hop. It’s consistent, but it’s kinda all over the place. But it all makes sense.
DJ Booth: When you went about crafting the new album, as we spoke about in the pre-interview, you worked with a variety of producers, including T-Pain, Missy and Akon. How did you keep consistent, as far as the direction of the album, being that you worked with such a wide variety of producers?
Chilli: Well, at the end of the day, although I have mad respect for everyone that I worked with, I know the direction of myself. We respect each other as artists, all of us being in the industry for quite some time, with the exception of T-Pain – you know, he’s new, but he has definitely made his mark. But people, when they get around me for a little while, they already know: there’s certain things that I’m not gonna talk about. I take bein’ a role model very seriously, and I’ve always felt like good lyrics were missing on the radio. It’s been missing for quite some time, so it was real easy for me to go in and make sure that I had songs that young girls could listen to and feel good about, and mothers could also. And havin’ a direction like that, it’s kinda easy. The only thing that stuck out to me the most was tracks. ‘Cause I’m a dancer, so I go into the studio and I’m listenin’ to tracks, and I’m like, “Okay, that’s it, that’s it.” I just know when I hear it.
DJ Booth: Well, after millions and millions of albums sold as a part of TLC, I have no doubt that you have that ear. Last I spoke with Akon, who we mentioned just a second ago, he had revealed to me that you were in the process of signing with him and his label. We talked during the pre-interview, though, and this album’s going to be released independently from your own company, Tron Music. So, what happened?
Chilli: We did talk about it. We just decided [to] work together in the studio instead. Akon is really, really busy, and at the time when [his] latest album was out, and he was just – I mean, we all know the success of the album. He was just kinda all over the place. I just basically wanted to get into it myself. I wanted to have complete control over my own project.
DJ Booth: Do you feel like if you had signed with him and the opportunity was there, the project would’ve been neglected because of all the other responsibilities and projects that he has on his table?
Chilli: It was possible, yeah. That is something that I did talk to him about, and of course he understood. We are family – we’re all from Atlanta – so he totally understood where I was comin’ from as an artist.
DJ Booth: Well, definitely the right decision. As we said, the album’s going to be dropping this September, so we don’t have to worry about any delays, or shelving, or hold-backs, or any of that.
Chilli: Right, that’s right.
DJ Booth: Chilli, as a member of TLC, you accomplished a lot as an artist. You sold millions of records, you received worldwide recognition, and you had the opportunity to basically tour everywhere. So to this point, would you deem your career, personally, a complete success?
Chilli: Oh, absolutely.
DJ Booth: Would you have to do any more, from this point forward, or are you just completely set with what you’ve done up to this point?
Chilli: No – it’s definitely much more that I want to do, you know? There was a lot more that I wanted to do in my group. There are benefits, bein’ in a group, and you also have your downside to everything. And bein’ in a group, you come up with an idea or whatever, you have to talk it over with your other group members, but right now, just being by myself, everything is my idea, and it’s my vision. Of course I talked to [my managers] and that kind of thing, but it’s not the same; I have a lot more freedom to do what I what I really wanna do, and that is be a lot more involved with young girls, and stuff like that.
DJ Booth: Well, you’re the boss.
Chilli: Yeah! I love being the boss!
DJ Booth: [laughter] It’s fun. How many more albums do you think TLC would have created, had Lisa not passed away in 2002?
Chilli: Wow, that’s funny – someone just asked me that. It’s hard to say. I know for sure that, maybe a couple more, meaning two. We were all kinda going in different directions, but especially Lisa. I think that she really had some things that she wanted to accomplish on her own. And of course T-Boz and myself always respected that, but I have to say maybe two.
DJ Booth: What are the chances that you and T-Boz, who I know you’re real close with, record a duo album?
Chilli: That is very possible. I’m really tryin’ to make that happen myself, I am. She is definitely open to it. If it doesn’t happen, it’s T-Boz’s fault! [laughter]
DJ Booth: I read recently that you were tapped to be the face – no pun intended – of an exclusive skin care line entitled Chamonix. Two-part question: one, did they give you a lifetime supply of their product, and two, what do I need to do with my skin in order to be your endorsement successor?
Chilli: [laughter] Well, one, I do think that I will always have a lifetime supply of moisturizer and all that stuff that I use from the company. You’re funny – the second question is hilarious! Um… I’m sure you can get endorsed.
DJ Booth: Okay. But right now I’m thinkin’ maybe it’s not soft enough, maybe it doesn’t have the right glow.
Chilli: Your skin?
DJ Booth: Yeah. So what should I do? Give me some tips here, ‘cause you have gorgeous skin.
Chilli: Thank you. I will give you some tips. Vitamin C serum is really, really important. Also, the Matrixyl cream, it also keeps the skin tight and it moisturizes, doesn’t dry the skin out. Everything that this line makes is all natural. And the main thing to do is to exfoliate.
DJ Booth: Got it. So in review, we’re talkin’ vitamin C serum, moisturizer, exfoliate twice a week. I’m tellin’ you, you just gave me all your tips – you better watch out!
Chilli: [laughter]
DJ Booth: I’m comin’ for that endorsement crown!
Chilli: Yeah! Well, just do that and you’ll be all right!
DJ Booth: Chilli, I thank you so much for takin’ the time to join me inside the DJ Booth. Give everyone a website or a MySpace page, so they can find out more, of course, about the brand new album you have dropping this September, entitled Bi-Polar.
Chilli: Yes: myspace.com/officialchillimusic, and also chilli.com.
DJ Booth: Well, again, thank you so much, and the best of luck with this release.
Chilli: Thank you so much. This was a great interview; you’re really good. Thank you, I appreciate it.
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