After watching VH1’s TLC biopic Crazy Sexy Cool: A TLC Story, many of you are probably wondering: who is the woman behind the trials and tribulations of TLC?
Her name is Perri “Pebbles” Reid, and besides being TLC’s manager, Pebbles is a woman of many talents.
Pebbles got her start in the music industry as a backup singer in the early ’80s, but eventually received a record deal as a solo artist in the mid-eighties. By 1987, Pebbles released her self-titled debut, which eventually became a platinum-selling album. Pebbles would go on to release two more albums before going on a 13-year musical hiatus.
In the midst of launching her career, Pebbles married record executive/producer LA Reid, and together along with Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, they helped launch the careers of many legendary artists.
It was only a short time later when Pebbles went on a search to put together one of the greatest girl groups of all time via her own company Pebbitone. Eventually, Pebbles found the three girls who would become platinum-selling superstars : T-Boz, Chilli, and Left-Eye.
After TLC began noticing they weren’t making any money (despite selling millions of records) as well as discrepancies in their contracts, the three young women wanted out, and in an interview with NY Mag, LA Reid admitted TLC’s lawsuit against Pebbles “broke” their marriage.
“TLC wanted Pebbitone out of their lives,” says Reid, “and the only way they could get out was to file bankruptcy.” In turn, Pebbitone sued LaFace — by then, Reid and Pebbles, who have two children, had separated, and Reid calls the dispute “one of the breaking points in my marriage.” In the music business, lawsuits are often just negotiations by other means, and once TLC settled with Pebbitone, it signed another contract with LaFace.
In more recent years, Pebbles gave her life to the Lord and released a gospel album under the moniker of “Sister Perri.” Pebbles is still active in the music industry, and is the mind behind many endeavors.
Check out more photos of Pebbles below.
PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images
