Customer Reviews

Supernova

5 star:		(46)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

During 1999, the late Lisa Lopes (aka Left Eye), feeling somewhat restless in a group setting after learning of some uncomplimentary things that her fellow TLC bandmates stated about her in an interview, issued a challenge to them: Let's all make solo CDs and see whose will sell the best. Tionne Watkins (aka T-Boz) and Rozonda Thomas (aka Chilli) refused, but Left Eye went ahead and recorded her own: SUPERNOVA, a straight hip-hop CD, which was released as an European import last year. It was a total disgrace that LaFace/Arista didn't feel like it was good enough to be released here in the United States - they obviously had no faith in this project and didn't support it at all. I have to admire the effort Lisa put into this, even though I've always felt that she did her best work as part of a group. Well, listening to this changed my mind! SUPERNOVA is an exceptional hip-hop CD - it's an eclectic mix of different beats that will have you listening and dancing at the same time.

With the exception of a few cuts, this CD showcases Left Eye's amazing rap and lyrical skills in a way we probably would never see within the bounds of TLC, so if you're expecting to hear smooth stuff like "Creep" and "Waterfalls", you won't find it here. A bold statement of confidence, it seemed as if she felt she had something to prove, because she addresses some extremely personal issues in some of her raps that are very telling. She even talks about the internal troubles in the group ("I Believe In Me"), and the message pretty much expresses to her TLC sisters: "Hey, recognize...I love TLC, but I have a professional life beyond this group...don't be upset because I choose to live it." She may very well have been saying that to them because with all the people she thanked on the album, she didn't mention them once. But then at the very bottom of the liner notes she says: "If there's anyone I forgot, please forgive me." Take that as you will.

There is a collaboration with her on again-off again boyfriend football star Andre Rison, "Rags To Riches" which is interesting, but to me Rison's presence was kind of annoying. Also the late Tupac Shakur, who dated Lisa for a while, is included on a track called "Untouchable", where Left Eye does a Natalie Cole: adding her vocals to an old track that featured Shakur and making it into a Left Eye featuring 2Pac song. "True Confessions" really shows Left Eye's ability to tell a story through her raps. I found the best songs on this CD were the dance jams "Hot!" and "Jenny", the spirituality of "The Universal Quest" and the haunting "A New Star Is Born", where she talks about death and is dedicated to her deceased father. Instead of straight rapping, she speaks over the music about how her life was affected by him. What is especially sad is when she says "So, Dad, I know you're listening...how ya been? Oh, I'm doin' fine...just passing time...submerged in sin...Everytime I take a bath, I just get all dirty again...and tryin' to cleanse my mind, cleanse my soul, and get in...into that place you've been. No, I'm not tryin' to rush anything...I just wanna visit you...because I miss you." This song makes me cry each time I hear it.

It's heartbreaking, because aside from the fact that Lisa was recording with TLC again (which was great news to fans of the group, like me) now we know that Lisa unfortunately would get her wish to see her father sooner than she might have expected. It will bring a tear to your eye. The world lost a great talent in Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes. For those of you who never really understood her, listening to TLC is cool. But SUPERNOVA is really Lisa's musical legacy. If you want to get to know the REAL Lisa - the Lisa beyond the media chatter and the drama - you have to get this. Like a female Marvin Gaye, she reveals her inner self to us, and you feel like you really know her. Maybe this was something that most TLC fans weren't ready for, but I am grateful that she made this CD because there was more to her persona than what you saw or read about her in the tabloids. After hearing it, you will no doubt comprehend this "crazy" chick a little more. RIP Left Eye!!

Lisa Lopes was not just a rapper, she was a wise person and a poet and that is on full display in this album. This album is not about the beats it is a lyrical album. It is deep. The album is real, Left Eye is at her best, easily. It is great to see her shine on her own and she really does. The songs that came to mind are "Hot", "Untouchables", "a New Star is Born", "True Confessions". The show lyrical depth. "A New Star is Born" is dedicated to her late Father and talks about death and how once you leave us you become a star. There is a cute line that goes "I'm a big pop star and my Pop's is a star". The track has a weird irony, considering Lisa is now a star and is looking down on all of us.

This is a wonderful legacy for Ms. Left Eye it showed what she was about and not just being the L out of TLC. She will be missed beyond belief, her light and spirit will live on forever.

Rest In Peace

Left Eye comes out of her shell on the highly anticipated 2001 release of Supernova. After years of experimenting and wanting to step out of her group for a solo project, Left Eye finally does it. And BOY does she do it! A masterpiece among masterpieces. Left Eye had a more typical rap/hip-hop outlook for the album until her spiritual journey began which prompted the twist the album took and ended up being the outcome. An album of 13 different messages and stories, Left Eye hits the world like no one expected, the way she should. Every song on the album has a different feel, message/story, and emotion. From a wild neighborhood get-down on the album's first single, "The Block Party," to an aggressive self-proclamation with no modesty on "Hot!", to a personal spirit journey filled with questions on "The Universal Quest," to a personal conversation with her deceased father on "A New Star Is Born," Left Eye does it all. A must own album for all those who have open ears and an open heart. Left Eye does not disappoint.

It is quite obvious that lisa left eye lopes didn't care about the masses all she cared about was creativity and good music! This complex lp amplifies that in more than several ways. It is quite clear who were the innovators of TLC ..(Dallas Austin and Lisa Lopes.) After hearing TLC's last collection entitled 3D it was clear that it was no FANMAIL. "SuperNova" is a pure example that the music industry doesnot appreaciate creativity anylonger, all they want to promote is candy coated tunes. This Cd wasn't released nor promoted in the U.S. Why? because it was too far ahead of what is going on over here in HipHop! This is a fun Cd it takes me back when Hip Hop was fun and not about how much Gold and Cars and women you have. The Production ranges anywhere from Soft rock tunes to Hard futuristic beats. The egyptian "Let me Live" is an amazing track. "HOT" is a futuristic track with a rock influence. Then you have "I believe in Me" that is saying a message and has a fat "MC lyte" vibe to it! "I believe in Me" is just simply saying she doesn't need TLC, they need her. Then you have "A new star is born" and "Universal Quest" that are merely Trip Hop tracks. If anyone doesn't know about "TRIP HOP" it is an advanced Futuristic,Laid back,electronica artform of music that is mainly popular in Europe. And when I heard "Esthero" (Trip Hop Artist) feat on "Universal Quest" I knew he had done her homework. Then you have a (Unlisted Track)Called "Breathe" that is highly experimental. Then the cruising "Jenny" is so cool to ride to and fun. "Block Party" has such a feel good and bummpin' sound the bongo's and drum patterns are so complex. This was a girl that was out to show people how creative she was and in my opinion did a good job. Also at the end of "Untouchables Feat 2pac" you can hear a sample of "Single" By (TRIPHOP Artist) "Everything but the girl." This is a very well put together project definitley worth the money. Get the (Import) version spend the extra for the Explicit Version. I can't take nothing away from her,I really was expecting a failure! I would have expected T-Boz to be a better (Solo) artist but lisa showed who is the real talent in the group. I have heard some solo's from T-boz here and there and have been sadly disappointed! This is a winner take nothing from it! If you like complex diverse music that you have to think about this one is for you. The music industry and record buying public in the U.S has gotten to a point where simplicity is the way. If you have to think too hard about a record it gets the boot. I am a collector of Trip Hop and complex music My favorite Producers in "Hip Hop" are "Timbaland and The Neptunes" that is it. And to hear this project with out there contribution's, and it turned out just as creative was a breath of fresh air. Because noone else has been able to pull off anything this artistic independently. Without the help of Timbaland & Neptunes Hip Hop is dead ! Aaliyah and Lisa are the last of the innovators I am affraid. Aaliyah's last cd had 3 songs by Timbaland and the rest was still as impressive! Lisa used her own staff of unknown's and wrote her own lyrics and made a very diverse complex set. The only familiar name on the credits was "Rockwilder for (Hot!) known for is collaborations with Method Man, Janet and Christina Aguilara. Don't waste time get this release I was a fan before she died, so this review is modest, not just because she is no longer with us.

Arish

This album was released internationally, due to a battle with Left-Eye and Arista Records in reference for it to be released on Left-Eye's father's day of death and her grandfather's day of birth, which is August 16. It was a special day to her for a mysterious reality in her family. Her father died on the day his father was born (Aug 16) and her father was born on the day his father died (Jan 30). Another reason for the album's non-release in the USA was the decision of Arista not wanting it to be released under criticism and judgement of the album in reference to hypothesis and the album's fate.

Lisa "Left-Eye" Lopes steps away from her group TLC to establish her own creativity and identity with SUPERNOVA. But it's sad that we will be blind to what more she could have done within her 30 1/2 years on this earth as a human being. Being the unique and eccentric poet-driven rap vocalist that she was and will be remembered for, she didn't need to follow the traditional pattern of rapping that most female rap vocalists take. She used her poetic words and established her tone, setting, and path. Listening to this album will take a person of open-mindedness in being able to appreciate words and expression, instead of "how hard the album sounds". The album goes way beyond the beats. It about the LYRICS.

There are a lot of songs on this album that you have to pay attention to LYRICALLY. A lot of people don't do this, but they really need to. DON'T BE DEAF TO THE WORDS. LIFE IS A LIKE A PARK is a deep expression of Lisa preaching to women about making the choice of life, not death, due to being abused in a relationship. THE UNIVERSAL QUEST is a deep expression of Lisa poetically saying that you must rely on yourself for faith, peace, equality, Jesus, and the answers to your problems. Don't live your life under someone's policy, rules, or obligations. This is your life. You determine your destiny. I BELIEVE IN ME is a deep expression of Lisa explaining the misunderstandings and judgement of her perception of the group, nosy media in TLC's business, the price of unnecessary fame and fortune, and her contributions to the BLAQUE, TLC, and all that incorporated in those two groups and other things that people don't know about or realize. A NEW STAR IS BORN is a deep expression of Lisa saying that when someone dies, their spirit still exists among the earth. "I don't believe in death, I believe that we transcend...."(Lisa Lopes). Songs like HOT and LET ME LIVE go with the flow with Lisa showing that she can roll in with other rap chicks and can keep up with them. THE BLOCK PARTY is the most eccentric-sounding song on the album. With using an Earth, Wind, and Fire sample, she flows along with an old-school groove and eclectic-sounding background vocals.

SUPERNOVA-a rare celestial phenomenon involving the explosion of most of the material in a star, resulting in an extremely bright, short-lived object that emits vast amounts of energy

SUPERNOVA is a definite definition of her as a woman, individual, and human being.

I had been awaiting the arrival for this cd since last year, and it finally became available after Lisa's tragic accident in Honduras. Every song on this collection is very good, and at times, somewhat eerie. On the last track, "A New Star is Born", she talks to her deceased father, saying she wants to see him. On the first track ("Life Is Like A Park") she keeps repeating the word "Life". It seems so sad to hear the songs after her death, because she had great potential and could have had a great solo career as well as with TLC. I have heard that she had finished a solo album on Tha Row records under the pseudonym NINA; hopefully it will be released soon. RIP, Left Eye...we will miss you..."the day we learned you were gone, a new star was born".

Most songs that Lisa Lopes submitted to TLC's album's were rejected. Supernova was her time to shine! With a total of 13 songs (UK version), we listened to an excellent writer. The songs of the album are focused on Lisa growing up in the face of adversity. She is a rapper, but this album is not a typical rap album: she only swears on three of the songs: Let me Live, Untouchable (with Tupac Shakur) and Breathe.
This is truly an album from a master, one who knows their own mind and one who feels she does not have to swear every other word in order to get her point across. "You know they listenin' to everythin' that we recite..." (Head to the sky feat. Blaque).
The lyrics on this album are absolutely amzazing, every song (with the exception of Jenny feat. Jazza Pha) has a deep meaning. The struggles which Lisa has faced, the wrongs that she has done in her life, how she feels about fame, friends, colleagues and her father are all explained to us on this album.
My personal favourite songs on the album are Let me Live and Breathe, they both have excellent tunes behing them, meaningful lyrics and show sides to Lisa that we never saw in a TLC song.
Lisa's album only got to number 50 in the UK charts, she deserved a better place than that just for writing excellent lyrics and making great music. She should have been number 1, this is one of the greatest albums i have ever heard and i think it reflected Miss. Lopes brilliantly. R.I.P. Lisa Nicole Lopes 'Left-Eye'

An ecclectic album that really showcases the true talent of a superstar moved on.Left eye's professional life revolved around standing out and being different and this album promotes that diverse and individual attitude that others fail to achieve.The wonder that is block party mixes in so many genres relating to "back in the day"and the other up beat tracks add funk to the album.However in light of the past months circumstances the true stand out tracks are the more poignant joints of keep your head to the sky and a new star was born.How left eye will never know how much that song relates to her own life cut short too soon.rip and yeah dreams are hopeless aspiration and i hope yours now do come true

Sadly, this is her and the last album, i admired the group TLC and everything they did but this album does not do adjust. There are some tracks that are good but the bad ones are so bad that you'd think she didn't put any effort in it. No matter what, she is a gifted rapper.

I really miss Left Eye Lopes. In an age where young women are headed in the wrong direction, Lefy Eye was a model example of ladylike behavior. When I heard she died, I was devastated. I must have cried for hours. This album is a forgotten classic. Buy it now!